the Informer

With the final weeks of the regular season of the NHL winding down, teams from both the Eastern and Western Conference furiously fight to keep their postseason aspirations alive.

While the Calgary Flames and Atlanta Thrashers are both within the range of three points from a playoff spot, the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars are all within seven points, making losing not an option as their game schedules dwindle to single digits.

At this point it is still uncertain which teams will make the final playoff spots however, as time elapses teams are solidifying their spots from the top ranks down.

Sitting at the very edge of the margins in both conferences are Boston and Detroit. In contention with Atlanta and Calgary, both the Bruins and Red Wings can easily slip and fail to make the cut.

Still facing the plague of injuries, if the Bruins do make the playoffs they would be without their star center Marc Savard, who has been on and off the team’s injury report all season.

On the opposite end of the injury spectrum, both Buffalo and New Jersey have no current reported injuries making them dominant forces in the Eastern conference playoff run. With a virtually stacked team of skilled players, hockey fans have high expectations for the healthy and experienced Devil lineup, especially with the recent acquisition of Thrasher star Ilya Kovalchuk.

Composed of some of the most elite players in the league today, the Washington Capitals currently lead the league with 106 points. The deadly arsenal of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Knuble and Mike Green combine for an unstoppable force. Fully aware of their abilities as a powerhouse team, the Caps look to win their first ever Stanley Cup.
In line to win the Hart Trophy for the third year in a row is the Washington Capitals’ heart and soul, Alexander Ovechkin. Currently leading the league with 45 goals and a plus-minus of 42, Ovechkin has been able to achieve his legendary greatness for yet another season.

With less than two weeks remaining in the regular season, it seems as if the New York Rangers may miss the playoffs for the first time since before the lockout of the 2004-2005 season. Although still a reach, the inconsistent Broadway Blue Shirts can still make the cut if they buckle down and simply win games. Coach Tortorella will without a doubt push the team to the max fully knowing that his team’s potential can be tapped into.

To add to the thrill and excitement of the playoff run, the New York Rangers and New York Islanders broadcasted their Wednesday night matchup at Madison Square Garden in 3D. The first major league sport to be broadcasted on television in 3D, the Rangers and Isles made history as both teams are still likely candidates for playoff spots.

Teams on either end of the division line know what is at stake with the playoffs just around the corner and the current high intensity atmosphere will only reach higher levels in the coming days. Keep an eye on the teams in seventh and eighth place in both the East and West as nothing is set in stone yet.