Playoffs Stretch Looking Like Photo Finish

Here they come! Down the playoff stretch! Look at them go! The Devils are out in front! No! No! It's the Pens! Now the Lightning are pressing and Washington is in the lead! They're drawing close together! HOLY COW IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSE!

CLUTCH'S final week of the season is gearing up to be one of the most monumentally exciting playoff drives in years. With nothing decided in the bottom 5 of the Wales conference and maybe even the bottom 6 of the Campbell conference teams are charging hard and jockeying for position.

Trades have abounded as some teams stock up for the playoff drive and some teams sell off vets for future stars.

Campbell Conference

BlackHawk 79 41 32 6 88 273 247 .556

Kings 78 38 29 11 87 265 241 .557

Avalanche 78 38 30 10 86 265 223 .551

Blues 79 40 34 5 85 242 236 .537

RedWings 78 38 33 7 83 262 223 .532

Flames 78 37 33 8 82 245 260 .525

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Oilers 79 38 35 6 82 257 252 .518

Coyotes 79 37 34 8 82 276 248 .518

Canucks 78 39 36 3 81 253 238 .519

The tightest race is in the Campbell conference where only the top 2 teams have locked up a playoff spot. Even the theird place Blackhawks are a possibility to miss the post season if they stumble at all. Only 7 points separate the Hawks in third and the Canucks in eleventh. Every game is going to count!

This race is just too ridiculously close to call. With just a cursory look at the lineups and nothing else though both the Oilers and the Coyotes' #1 goalie has played the maximum games. Look for the Canucks to leapfrog both of them and I'm giving them an outside chance of beating the Red Wings for the last playoff spot.

Campbell Conference

Flyers 78 37 33 8 82 245 236 .525

Capitals 77 35 31 11 81 242 240 .525

Devils 78 36 35 7 79 267 258 .506

Penguins 78 35 34 9 79 239 267 .506

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Lightning 77 34 37 6 74 259 254 .480

(Why is the above double spaced you ask?? Ask Blogger!)

The Campbell is not as crowded but equally difficult to call. The Devils have loaded up on talent in a hurry and are a major threat to anyone in the playoffs but I've been informed they play the Capitals in 3 of their last 4 games and the wild in 1. This *should* mean they have a playoff spot as they should beat the caps at least once and the Wild as well. The Penguins play the Bruins, Sabres, Avalanche and Jackets which means they have 3 weak opponents and only 1 strong one so they should do well....

and finally...

the monkey in the wrench...

The "sleeping giant" Tampa Bay Lightning play Atlanta 3 times which should equal 6 points....but then they play the Flyers and Hurricanes so in other words....

IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSE!