Welp.
Pittsburgh took care of Ottawa Friday night, 4-0, which means the Penguins locked up the No. 2 seed in the Metropolitan Division. Regardless of whatever else happens on these last two days of the regular season, the Columbus Blue Jackets will start the postseason on the road.
The Blue Jackets, who clinched the franchise's first ever playoff berth in consecutive seasons Thursday night in a 5-4 overtime loss against the Penguins, currently sit third in the Metro, with one game to play – Saturday night at Nashville.
The Predators are fresh off of wrapping up the Presidents' Trophy, finishing 52-18-11 for a league-best 115 points. As such, they may choose to rest regulars for tomorrow night's game.
With a logjam behind the Blue Jackets – the New Jersey Devils are tied with the Jackets at 97 points and the Philadelphia Flyers are one point off of that pace – Saturday's games will settle where each team will fall, with all three still alive for the third spot in the Metro and all in peril of falling to the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.
While the Blue Jackets and Devils have each qualified for the playoffs, the Florida Panthers, with two games to play, are technically still alive as well and could play spoiler to the Flyers if things go their way.
| Team | Standings | W | L | T | PTS | ROW | Final Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x - COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS | 3rd, Metro | 45 | 29 | 7 | 97 | 39 | APRIL 7 at NASHVILLE |
| x - NEW JERSEY DEVILS | WC1 | 44 | 28 | 9 | 97 | 39 | APRIL 7 at WASHINGTON |
| PHILADELPHIA FLYERS | WC2 | 41 | 26 | 14 | 96 | 39 | APRIL 7 vs NY RANGERS |
| FLORIDA PANTHERS | – | 42 | 30 | 8 | 92 | 39 | APRIL 7 vs BUFFALO, APRIL 8 at BOSTON |
If the Blue Jackets top Nashville on the road – no easy task – they will lock up the three seed in the Metro and will travel to Pittsburgh to open a first round series. Beyond that, things get interesting.
