The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.Both Buffalo and Minnesota need help to make the playoffs. That help, however, is meaningless if they don't win their remaining games. Both teams got positive results on Friday, as Buffalo came from behind to beat Washington in overtime, 5-4, on a goal by Jason Pominville, and the Wild shut out Calgary 4-0, marking their first win over the Flames in a year.
In the East
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Washington clinched the Southeast with the overtime point they got against Buffalo. The Devils, however, beat Tampa Bay in overtime to pull within two points of the Capitals for the second seed.
Philadelphia walloped Toronto 8-5 (they led 5-0 after one and 6-0 at one point in the second) to regain fourth place in the East.
The Florida Panthers suffered a potentially crippling loss to Atlanta, 3-1. The Thrashers have won four straight and 12 of 15, and seem to be enjoying the spoiler role (they beat Buffalo on Wednesday).
In the West
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The Wild are still in 10th place in the West, but the win moves them within two points of the Blues. The Wild, obviously, have to keep winning, but since they're pretty much a .500 team, that's going to be tough.
Chicago's 3-1 win over Nashville moves them into fourth, clinches a playoff spot, and keeps Nashville in ninth. The Predators are still one point behind eighth-place St. Louis, who had the night off.
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. What's Next
Some huge games on a busy Saturday. The Bruins can clinch the top seed in the East by winning a home matinee over the Rangers, who need a win to help them keep Florida at bay.
Buffalo's string of must-win games continues with a home game against New Jersey. The Flyers can hold on to fourth by winning at Ottawa, while either Pittsburgh or Carolina will have a chance to at least keep pace with Philly. Those two hook up in Raleigh, where the Hurricanes have won ten straight.
Also in the East, Montreal puts their seventh seed on the line at Toronto, where the Maple Leafs will be determined to make up for Friday's embarrassing performance.
In the Western Conference, Columbus visits Nashville, St. Louis travels to Dallas, and Anaheim battles San Jose. All three games are meaningful in the race for the final playoff spots, but they also carry meaning for Columbus and San Jose. The Blue Jackets need a win to avoid falling back into that jumbled mess below them in the standings, while San Jose can clinch the top seed in the West with two more wins.
Finally, what's left of Edmonton's playoff hopes will be on the line Saturday at home against Vancouver.
x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.
