The eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference hangs in the balance Saturday, as the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers—who are currently tied with 91 points but with the tiebreaker belonging to the 'Canes—finish out their season.
The Blueshirts battle the New Jersey Devils at 12:30, needing at least a point to keep their postseason hopes alive, while the Hurricanes face off against the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:00, understanding what's necessary to fulfill their dreams.
For more on this last-minute battle, read a more in-depth preview here.
The NHL also has nine other important—but less-playoff implicating—games on the slate for this Saturday.
The Senators host the Bruins at 1:00. With a win in this one and another victory tomorrow, Boston may be able to squeak into the second seed; a Senators loss and an Isles win gives Ottawa, most likely, the fourth overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Rivals Montreal and Toronto play at 7:00. The Canadiens are tied with Boston for sixth in the East; Toronto is merely playing for bragging rights.
The Islanders visit Wachovia Cen ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Mark Jones
NHL Playoff Races: Live Updates Throughout Saturday on Playoff Implicating Games
April 9th, 2011 by Mark Jones Leave a reply »
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