Devils Army Blog
Tonight, there are 5 different games being played throughout the Eastern Conference. As the Devils are still on the outside looking in, the outcome of other games throughout the league over the next few weeks will make or break the Devils’ season. The Devils only have a 20.3% chance of making the playoffs right now.
So, who should the Devils and their fans be rooting for tonight?
NEW YORK ISLANDERS vs. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS: First off, although it seems rather treasonous, the Devils and their fans are forced to root for the Philadelphia Flyers tonight. The Flyers play the New York Islanders, who sit just 2 points ahead of the Devils in the standings as of now. A Philadelphia regulation win tonight will see the Devils’ playoff chances go up by 2.4% and will give the Devils the opportunity to hurl themselves back into the playoff picture tomorrow night. If the Flyers disappoint, the Devils’ playoff chances will drop by 1.1%. If this game goes to extra time, the Devils will not be in a good situation. An Islanders OT/SO win will drop the playoff chances 1.7%,, while a Flyers OT/SO win will drop the playoff chances by only .2%.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING vs. OTTAWA SENATORS: Secondly, the Tampa Bay Lightning play host to the Ottawa Senators. The 6th-seeded Ottawa Senators have 44 points, while the 14th-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning have only 34 points. IF the Devils can pull a long winning streak together, they may be fighting with the Ottawa Senators for a higher playoff seed. Therefore, Devils fans should also be hoping that the Lightning can strike a win tonight. A Tampa Bay victory will see the Devils’ playoff chances increase by just 0.6%, but every little bit helps when it comes to the Devils’ situation. A TBL OT/SO win will drop the Devils’ chances by 0.2%, but a Sens OT/SO win will drop the Devils’ chances by 0.6%.
WINNIPEG JETS vs. BUFFALO SABRES: Next up, Winnipeg and Buffalo. This is a match-up that has no real winning scenario for the Devils, since the two teams are seeded 10th and 11th in the East, respectively. The Jets have 40 points, and the Sabres have 38 points. Therefore, the Devils obviously need the Sabres to win in regulation, which would increase their playoff chances by 0.4%. If the Jets win, it’s not the end of the world since Jersey’s Team’s playoff chances will only drop by 0.1%. However, extra time would spell doom for the Devils, seeing their playoff odds dropping either 0.1% or 0.5%, depending on the victory.
MONTREAL CANADIENS vs. WASHINGTON CAPITALS: In the 4th Eastern game of the night, the Canadiens de Montreal take on the Washington Capitals. The Capitals sit 3rd seed in the East with 43 points, but the Canadiens sit 2nd in the East with 55 points. It’s obvious that the Canadiens need to take the W, just in case another team from the Central Division takes over the 3rd seed and force the Capitals out, which would put them ahead of the Devils right now. A Canadiens win would see the Devils’ playoff odds increase by 0.3%. A Capitals win of any kind would drop the Devils’ playoff chances by 0.5%.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS vs. CAROLINA HURRICANES: Lastly, the Devils are hopping on the Penguins bandwagon as the Pens take on the Hurricanes. I wouldn’t pay much attention at all to this game, as the outcome would only have a 0.1% impact on the Devils, regardless of the victor.
If all goes right for New Jersey, their playoff chances will increase by 3.8%. If the situation hits the fan and everything goes wrong, their playoff odds will drop by 3.4%. Although the numbers are small, it’s the difference between keeping playoff hopes high, or getting that much closer to mathematically eliminating the Devils from playoff contention.
To recap, Devils fans should want the Flyers, Lightning, Canadiens, Sabres, and Penguins to win in regulation.
Playoff statistics provided by sportsclubstats.com.
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