Keeping up with the Metropolitans 3/5/17-3/11/17

METROPOLITAN	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	ROW	SOW	SOL	HOME	ROAD	GF	GA	DIFF	L10
Washington	67	44	16	7	95	43	1	5	27-6-1	17-10-6	216	147	+69	5-5-0
Pittsburgh	67	43	16	8	94	40	3	2	27-4-3	16-12-5	236	186	+50	7-3-0
Columbus	67	43	18	6	92	41	2	1	25-9-1	18-9-5	214	157	+57	6-3-1
NY Rangers	68	43	23	2	88	40	3	2	19-14-2	24-9-0	219	179	+40	5-4-1
NY Islanders	67	32	24	11	75	31	1	4	20-8-6	12-16-5	199	201	-2	6-3-1
Philadelphia	67	31	28	8	70	25	6	4	19-10-4	12-18-4	173	199	-26	4-5-1
Carolina	65	27	27	11	65	25	2	5	19-10-3	8-17-8	162	189	-27	3-4-3
New Jersey	68	25	31	12	62	22	3	2	13-13-6	12-18-6	153	197	-44	0-8-2

This was a weird week for the Metropolitan Division, especially Saturday. Every Metro team came up empty Saturday, excluding the Penguins - winners of 5 straight. Every other team in the division is currently on a losing streak. There were also no significant inter-divisional games, and the Penguins and Capitals were both out west, where the Penguins finally got a chance to make up ground on the recently struggling Capitals - losers of three in a row. The Dallas Stars also came in to the Verizon Center and ended the Caps franchise best 15 game home win streak. Tough week in DC as this is the first time the Capitals have three consecutive regulation losses in just 2 years - Feb 22-25, 2015.

With the Penguins winning all three of the Western Canada trip so far, the Penguins and Capitals both finished Saturday with 67 games played and only one point separating the two teams. The Pens finish this trip out west on Monday vs Calgary, then wrap up the 5 game road trip in Philly on Wednesday. They return to PPG on Friday vs the New Jersey Devils. Meanwhile, the Caps wrap up a California road trip in Anaheim this Sunday night, then return home for two games against Minnesota and Nashville on Tuesday and Thursday before playing Saturday night in Tampa.

In case you were wondering, the Pens and Capitals have no more games scheduled for the regular season. The Penguins will play the Blue Jackets in Pittsburgh one more time on April 4th. The Penguins and Rangers will meet two more times this season - at MSG on March 31st, and then again on the last day of the regular season for both teams in NYC.

The Capitals play the Jackets two more times - in DC on March 23rd and then in Columbus on April 2nd. The Capitals and Rangers only play one more time this regular season - in DC on April 5th, the back end of a back-to-back in Toronto the day before.

Plenty of things to sort out between now and then, so be sure to check in next week as there are only 4 weeks left in the 2016-17 campaign!

EASTERN CONFERENCE
WILD CARD	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	ROW	SOW	SOL	HOME	ROAD	GF	GA	DIFF	L10
NY Rangers	68	43	23	2	88	40	3	2	19-14-2	24-9-0	219	179	+40	5-4-1
Toronto	67	31	22	14	76	30	1	8	17-10-6	14-12-8	204	199	+5	5-2-3
NY Islanders	67	32	24	11	75	31	1	4	20-8-6	12-16-5	199	201	-2	6-3-1
Tampa Bay	67	32	26	9	73	28	4	3	19-11-3	13-15-6	186	184	+2	7-2-1
Philadelphia	67	31	28	8	70	25	6	4	19-10-4	12-18-4	173	199	-26	4-5-1
Florida	67	29	27	11	69	25	4	6	15-16-3	14-11-8	168	193	-25	2-7-1
Buffalo	69	28	29	12	68	27	1	6	17-12-6	11-17-6	177	203	-26	2-6-2

Washington Capitals

44-16-7, 95 pts  /  216GF/147GA  /  0-3 record last week

3/6/17
DAL: 4
WSH: 2

Caps vs. Stars Recap: Curse a Streak, Caps Fall 4-2

3/9/17
WSH: 2
SJS: 4

Capitals vs. Sharks Recap: The Curse Continues as Caps Fall 4-2

3/11/17
WSH: 2
LA: 4

Capitals vs. Kings Recap: Caps Drop Another in California

Week Ahead:

Sunday March 12 - @ ANA

Tuesday March 14 - vs MIN

Thursday March 16 - vs NSH

Saturday March 18 - @ TBL

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
A. Burakovsky, LW	Feb 9, 2017	IR	Hand

Columbus Blue Jackets

43-18-6, 92 pts  /  214GF/157GA  /  3-1 record last week

3/5/17
CBJ: 3
NJD: 0

Recap: Sunday Drivers

3/7/17
NJD: 0
CBJ: 2

Recap: Bob Does It Again, Jackets Beat Devils 2-0

3/10/17
BUF: 3
CBJ: 4

Recap: Jackets survive Sabres, 4-3

3/11/17
CBJ: 3
BUF: 5

Quick Takes: Jackets give one away

Week Ahead:

Monday March 13 - @ PHI

Thursday March 16 - vs FLA

Saturday March 18 - @ NYI

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
D. Clarkson, RW	Sep 20, 2016	IR	Back
L. Sedlak, C	Feb 17, 2017	IR	Lower-body injury
M. Calvert, LW	Feb 23, 2017	IR	Strained oblique
J. Anderson, RW	Mar 5, 2017	day-to-day	Lower-body injury
R. Murray, D	Mar 11, 2017	day-to-day	Hand

New York Rangers

43-21-2, 88 pts  / 219GF/179GA  /  2-1 record last week

3/6/17
NYR: 1 OT
TBL: 0

Zibanejad’s Overtime Winner Tops Lightning 1-0

3/7/17
NYR: 5
FLA: 2

Rangers Vs. Panthers: The Actual Glass Effect

3/9/17
NYR: 3
CAR: 4

Rangers Blow Third Period Lead, And Fall To Carolina 4-3

Worth reading:

Henrik Lundqvist Out 2-3 Weeks, Hellberg Recalled on Emergency Basis

Glass’ road back to the Rangers

Week Ahead:

Sunday March 12 - @ DET

Monday March 13 - vs TBL

Friday March 17 - vs FLA

Saturday March 18 - @ MIN

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
K. Klein, D	Feb 22, 2017	day-to-day	Back spasms
D. Girardi, D	Feb 27, 2017	IR	Ankle
J. Fast, RW	Feb 28, 2017	IR	Separated shoulder
M. Grabner, RW	Feb 28, 2017	day-to-day	Hip
H. Lundqvist, G	Mar 8, 2017	day-to-day	Hip
R. Nash, RW	Mar 8, 2017	day-to-day	Upper-body injury

New York Islanders

32-24-11, 75 pts  /  199GF/201GA  /  2-2 record last week

3/5/17
NYI: 2
CAL: 5

Flames 5, Islanders 2: Third-degree burns

3/7/17
NYI: 4
EDM: 1

Islanders 4, Oilers 1 (EN): Ho-Sang’s first NHL goal leads Isles

3/9/17
NYI: 4 OT
VAN: 3

Islanders 4, Canucks 3 (OT): Ladd secures the win

3/11/17
NYI: 3
STL: 4

Blues 4, Islanders 3: Isles’ third period comeback falls short

Worth Reading:

(Satire)Zeitgeist: NHL to permanently retire No. 66 in honor of Josh Ho-Sang

Week Ahead:

Monday March 13 - vs CAR

Tuesday March 14 - @ CAR

Thursday March 16 - vs WPG

Saturday March 18 - vs CBJ

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
M. Grabovski, C	Sep 25, 2016	IR	Concussion
C. Cizikas, C	Feb 21, 2017	IR	Hand
A. Quine, C	Feb 26, 2017	day-to-day	Upper-body injury
J. Boychuk, D	Mar 3, 2017	day-to-day	Foot
S. Prince, LW	Mar 7, 2017	day-to-day	Leg

Philadelphia Flyers

31-28-8, 70 pts  /  173GF/199GA  /  1-2 record last week

3/7/17
PHI: 6
BUF: 3

Flyers at Sabres recap: Flyers score several hockey goals against five defenders, win game

3/9/17
PHI: 2
TOR: 4

Flyers at Leafs recap: Flyers slip further in standings with loss in Toronto

3/11/17
PHI: 1
BOS: 2

Flyers vs. Bruins recap: Bruins win with buzzer beater because they are better than the Flyers

Week Ahead:

Monday March 13 - vs CBJ

Wednesday March 15 - vs PIT***

Thursday March 16 - @ NJD

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
M. Raffl, LW	Feb 28, 2017	IR	Lower-body injur

Carolina Hurricanes

27-27-11, 65 pts  /  162GF/189GA  /  2-1-1 record last week

3/5/17
CAR: 2
ARI: 1

Eddie Lack Makes Timely Saves in Hurricanes’ 2-1 Win Over Coyotes

3/7/17
CAR: 1
COL: 3

Recap: Avalanche Get the Best of the Hurricanes Again in a 3-1 Win

3/9/17
NYR: 3
CAR: 4

Recap: Power Play Lifts Hurricanes over Rangers

3/11/17
TOR: 3 OT
CAR: 2

Recap and Rank ‘Em: Maple Leafs Top Hurricanes in Overtime, 3-2

Week Ahead:

Monday March 13 - @ NYI

Tuesday March 14 - vs NYI

Thursday March 16 - vs MIN

Saturday March 18 - vs NSH

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
B. McGinn, LW	Feb 28, 2017	day-to-day	Upper-body injury
P. Di Giuseppe, LW	Mar 5, 2017	day-to-day	Upper-body injury

New Jersey Devils

25-31-12, 62 pts  /  153GF/197GA  /  0-4 record last week (0-8-2 in last 10)

3/5/17
CBJ: 3
NJD: 0

Dreary New Jersey Devils Shut Out by Columbus Blue Jackets

3/7/17
NJD: 0
CBJ: 2

New Jersey Devils Shut Out Again by Sergei Bobrovsky & Columbus Blue Jackets

3/9/17
NJD: 2
COL: 3

Nine Winless Games: New Jersey Devils Edged Late by Colorado Avalanche

3/11/17
NJD: 4
ARI: 5

Ten Straight Losses: New Jersey Devils Fell Short to Arizona Coyotes, 4-5

Week Ahead:

Tuesday March 14 - vs WPG

Thursday March 16 - vs PHI

Friday March 17 - @ PIT (St. Patty's Day Special!)

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
M. Savard, C	Oct 9, 2016	IR	Post-concussion syndrome
J. Josefson, C	Feb 28, 2017	day-to-day	Upper-body injury
M. Cammalleri, LW	Mar 2, 2017	day-to-day	Upper-body injury
T. Zajac, C	Mar 9, 2017	day-to-day	Personal reasons

*Standings via ESPN as of 3/11/17
**Injuries via TSN as of 3/11/17
***Game of the week! It's another classic Philadelphia and Pittsburgh match up! It's the first time these two teams will since the Pens laid the smack down on the Flyers in the Stadium Series game. Always a fun match up when these two teams meet, this game should be no different.