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.The field of eight for the 2009 NHL Eastern Conference playoffs is set. Now, the jockeying for position can begin. The New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens clinched the last two spots in the playoffs Thursday night, leaving the Florida Panthers and Buffalo Sabres out in the cold, despite victories in their respective games.
In the East
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Florida won Thursday, but it doesn't matter. A win by the Rangers (2-1 over Philadelphia) clinched them a spot, and Montreal's 5-4 overtime loss to Boston got them the point they needed to clinch.
Buffalo's 5-1 win over Carolina ultimately kept the Hurricanes from taking over fourth place because of the Philly loss. Pittsburgh walloped the Islanders 6-1, forcing a three-way tie for sixth.
The Devils have won the Atlantic Division, and tacked on a shootout win over Ottawa for good measure.
In the West
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Vancouver knocked off Los Angeles, 1-0, giving the Canucks the Northwest Division lead. The Flames, however, will win the division if they can sweep the Oilers in a home-and-home that starts Friday in Edmonton.
Nashville rallied to beat Detroit in a shootout, meaning the Predators are still very much alive for a playoff spot. Nashville, however, only has one game left, while Anaheim and St. Louis each have two, as does Minnesota.
Phoenix beat San Jose, 4-1, which kept the Sharks from clinching the President's Trophy. They have sewn up the top seed in the West.
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. What's Next
Calgary visits Edmonton, with their shot at the Northwest title on the line over their last two games. That's far from the only significant game in the West.
Nashville plays their season finale at Minnesota, with both teams needing a win (Minnesota needs a regulation win, actually) to have any shot at the playoffs. Dallas tries to play spoiler at Anaheim, who still needs a win to guarantee themselves a spot. The Blues, meanwhile, host Columbus Friday night, needing a win to stay in good shape.
In the East, it's all about position now. The conference has Friday off, with some important games being played Saturday to decide who plays who in the first round.
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.
