Since dropping their second game in a week to the Anaheim Ducks earlier in March and losing their spot atop the Pacific in the process, the Los Angeles Kings have looked nearly unstoppable.
The Kings have retaken their division lead with a five-game point streak (4-0-1), including a pair of commanding wins on back-to-back nights. They beat the reigning Cup champion Blackhawks 5-0 on Monday, before a 5-2 win against the West-leading Stars on Tuesday.
Captain Anze Kopitar and newcomer Kris Versteeg led the way for the Kings, with three points each over the past two games. Jonathan Quick shut out Kane, Toews and Co. on Monday, before Jhonas Enroth led the way with a 24-save performance against the Benn- and Seguin-led Stars.
Despite their dominating past two nights, those wins may not have been their most impressive in the past week. Jeff Carter provided the overtime-winner on Wednesday to beat the Washington Capitals 4-3, after the league's top team scored three third-period goals to send the game into extra time.
With their recent run of high-powered offense and impressive goaltending against the league's top teams, it's hard not to consider the Kings as Stanley Cup favorites if the season ended today.
But if they plan to take on the Blackhawks, Stars, or even the Capitals in a future seven-game series, they'll need to figure out a way to beat the red-hot Ducks. The final regular-season meeting between the crosstown rivals is scheduled for April 7 at Staples Center.
The Philadelphia Flyers now sit just one point shy of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot after picking up a 4-3 win Tuesday against the team currently sitting in the second wild-card position, the Detroit Red Wings.
Michael Raffl recorded the second multi-goal game of his career - both coming against the Red Wings. Wayne Simmonds scored his 25th goal of the season, while a backhand from rookie phenom Shayne Gostisbehere would serve as the eventual game-winner.
Steve Mason now has a personal five-game point streak in the Flyers' net, making 34 saves on the night to pick up his 17th win of the year. He's 4-0-1 with only 10 goals against in his current run.
Red Wings netminder Petr Mrazek was even busier, allowing only two goals in a first period that saw the Flyers outshot 23-3. He finished the night with 42 saves.
The Flyers now have two games in hand as they sit just one point behind Detroit in the standings, but will face two tough tests later in the week. They visit the Blackhawks on Wednesday, before hosting the Penguins - who currently hold the other wild-card spot in the East - on Saturday.
The Red Wings next three games all come on the road, including stops in Columbus, Florida, and Tampa Bay.
The Washington Capitals became the first team in the NHL to clinch a postseason berth after Tuesday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation.
The Capitals were in need of just one point Tuesday to reach the playoffs.
That's because the Flyers are on a roll, and with two games in hand on Detroit, Voracek believes they're well on their way to making up the three-point difference between the clubs in the race for a wild-card playoff spot.
"The way we’re playing, they’ve got to be more worried about not making the playoffs than us," Voracek said Tuesday. "Because they way we play, everybody knows how good we play right now and everybody watches the games."
The Flyers have a 7-2-1 record over the past 10 games as compared to 5-4-1 for the Red Wings, and Tuesday marks the first of two remaining games between them.
Voracek has missed the past seven games with a foot injury and said there's no chance he plays against Detroit, but he hopes to return soon.
The NHL's general managers aren't wasting any time.
During the morning session of the annual meetings taking place in Boca Raton, Fla., it's reportedly been decided that blue line cameras will be installed in the boards of all 16 arenas that will host playoff games this spring, according to Jonas Siegel of The Canadian Press.
The hope is this will ensure the right ruling is made when a coach challenges a goal scored on a seemingly missed offside call.
Also on the docket is a discussion in regards to whether on-ice officials should make this call, or if it should be reviewed and decided in the league's Toronto-based war room.
OSHAWA, Ont. - Jalen Smereck was the lone scorer in the shootout as the Oshawa Generals edged the Peterborough Petes 4-3 on Sunday in Ontario Hockey League action.
Mitchell Vande Sompel scored twice in regulation as Oshawa (26-31-8) stayed in...
BOISBRIAND, Que. - Alexander Katerinakis scored twice and added an assist as the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada clinched a playoff spot with a 5-0 win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Thursday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.
Pascal ...
Auston Matthews' unique journey toward the NHL is almost complete, and while it looks to have been an overwhelming success, it certainly didn't get a storybook ending overseas.
The 18-year-old's season with the Zurich Lions of the Swiss National League came to an end Thursday after his top-seeded club was swept by No. 8 seed SC Bern.
Bern stuns Zurich w/ a 1st Rd playoff sweep, 4-0. Wins 3-0 in Gm 4 to clinch today. Auston Matthews 0-3-3, 13 shots, in 4 plyoff gms
Matthews is widely expected to be selected with the No. 1 pick at the NHL Entry Draft. He ranked first in NHL central scouting's midterm rankings among all European skaters.
The teenage standout is expected to represent the United Sates at the upcoming World Championship in Russia this May, if he so chooses.
That's where teams and fans alike might get their last glimpse of Matthews before his name is called this June.
There's simply too much at stake in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The NHL is reportedly planning to install cameras "inside the crossbar, looking down" and "along the blue line" in time for the postseason, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman's latest "30 Thoughts" column.
"The plan is to install (blue-line cameras) in the 16 arenas that will host postseason games," Friedman writes. "On the penalty box side, they will be set along the surface. The players' bench is trickier, so the mount will be above the ice."
Offside reviews have been a point of contention this year, as the NHL works out the kinks of its first year with video replay.
As for cameras inside goalposts, Friedman adds that the NHL "is not as bullish as it once was" about the idea. "Too much is obstructed."
The playoffs are scheduled to begin Wednesday, April 13.
With a win over Tampa Bay on Monday, the Philadelphia Flyers moved to within two points of Detroit for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
A recent 7-2-1 run has greatly increased their chances of qualifying for the playoffs, something that seemed like a pipe dream as the calendar turned to 2016.
Now within striking distance of both Detroit and Pittsburgh with 17 games remaining for each club, here's three reasons why the Flyers will indeed be one of the final 16 teams left standing at the end of the regular season.
Ghost Bear, Gudas & Co.
The big story, of course, has been the one they call "The Ghost Bear," who's been nothing short of spectacular since being called up in mid-November. Through 47 games, 22-year-old Shayne Gostisbehere has recorded 14 goals and 23 assists, and only Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Brent Burns, and John Klingberg are averaging more points per game among defensemen.
While Gostisbehere is rightfully being lauded for helping right the Flyers' offensive ship with his breakout performance on the blue line, the emergence of Radko Gudas as a stellar defenseman is also going a long way towards propelling Philadelphia's upward climb.
Sure, his recent four-point night was an anomaly, and he's known more for questionable hits than pushing the puck up the ice, but possession-wise, Gudas is actually playing at a high level.
Among defensemen with at least 750 minutes of ice time at five-on-five, Gudas ranks 20th with a Corsi rating of 53.7, while beginning only 31.6 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone.
Defense wasn't expected to be an area of strength for the Flyers, but six of the eight players who have dressed this season sit at or above 50 in terms of five-on-five Corsi.
Top line on fire
Jakub Voracek's lower-body injury could not have come at a worse time, and while he's expected to miss a couple more games, the Flyers' top line has been smoking hot in his absence.
Voracek's expected return should only give the Flyers a more balanced offense, making the team difficult to handle down the stretch.
Their team shooting percentage sits at 7.05 at five-on-five, good for 18th in the league. Even a slight uptick will give the Flyers that much more of a boost down the stretch.
Finally, some solid goaltending
Philadelphia's quest for anything resembling competent play in net has been lengthy and well documented, but general manager Ron Hextall may have finally unlocked that particular achievement.
Once thought to be a lost cause in Columbus, Steve Mason has quietly rejuvenated his career with the Flyers, while the addition of Michal Neuvirth has given head coach Dave Hakstol reason to believe he has a 1A-1B tandem on his hands.
Player
GP
Record
GAA
Sv%
SO
Steve Mason
39
15-15-7
2.61
.916
4
Michal Neuvirth
30
16-8-4
2.29
.925
3
In five-on-five play, the Flyers' .936 save percentage ranks second only to the New York Rangers, meaning the goalies can't be blamed this time around if the Flyers don't end up advancing to the postseason.
With three games remaining against Pittsburgh and two versus the Red Wings, all of the above will be key in terms of passing one or both en route to a playoff berth.
