Keeping up with the Metropolitans 2/26/17-3/4/17

METROPOLITAN	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	ROW	SOW	SOL	HOME	ROAD	GF	GA	DIFF	L10
Washington	64	44	13	7	95	43	1	5	27-5-1	17-8-6	210	135	+75	7-2-1
Columbus	63	40	17	6	86	38	2	1	23-9-1	17-8-5	202	149	+53	6-3-1
Pittsburgh	63	39	16	8	86	37	2	2	26-4-3	13-12-5	219	177	+42	5-3-2
NY Rangers	65	41	22	2	84	38	3	2	19-14-2	22-8-0	210	173	+37	5-4-1
NY Islanders	63	30	22	11	71	29	1	4	20-8-6	10-14-5	186	188	-2	6-3-1
Philadelphia	64	30	26	8	68	24	6	4	19-10-4	11-16-4	164	190	-26	4-5-1
New Jersey	64	25	27	12	62	22	3	2	13-12-6	12-15-6	147	184	-37	2-6-2
Carolina	61	25	26	10	60	23	2	5	18-10-2	7-16-8	153	179	-26	1-6-3

Now that the trading deadline has come and went, and the Penguins improved their defense by pulling a fast one on the Philadelphia Flyers, this season is finally coming down the front stretch. Wouldn't you know it, the Metro is still tight as ever, and impressive as it's been all season long. The Capitals are on a roll, they have now win 15 in a row at the Verizon Center. Dallas will be the next one up to see if they can put an end to that streak Monday night.

Speaking of home wins, the Penguins have an impressive record of 26-4-3 in the first year of the "PPG Paints Arena", only outdone - in wins, not points thanks to OTL - in the NHL by the aforementioned Capitals who have just won 15 in a row. On the contrary, the Penguins are the only team in the "Big 4" in the Metro with a poor road record. That's something that is very glaring, so I'm hoping that the Pens can buck that trend before the playoffs begin.

As for the Wild Card race, believe it or not, but the New York Islanders are now in sole possession of the second Wild Card position. In case you don't realize it, that makes it a clean sweep for the Metro in the playoffs if that is indeed the way it goes down. Of course, that means the Rangers would be the lucky team if they were to finish in the first position, as they would have to compete against the Atlantic Division, which looks to be the path of least resistance. On paper that is; there's no easy path to the Stanley Cup.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
WILD CARD	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	ROW	SOW	SOL	HOME	ROAD	GF	GA	DIFF	L10
NY Rangers	65	41	22	2	84	38	3	2	19-14-2	22-8-0	210	173	+37	5-4-1
NY Islanders	63	30	22	11	71	29	1	4	20-8-6	10-14-5	186	188	-2	6-3-1
Toronto	64	28	22	14	70	27	1	8	15-10-6	13-12-8	194	193	+1	3-4-3
Florida	64	29	24	11	69	25	4	6	15-14-3	14-10-8	160	178	-18	5-4-1
Tampa Bay	64	30	26	8	68	26	4	3	17-11-2	13-15-6	179	180	-1	6-2-2
Philadelphia	64	30	26	8	68	24	6	4	19-10-4	11-16-4	164	190	-26	4-5-1
Buffalo	65	27	26	12	66	26	1	6	16-11-6	11-15-6	163	186	-23	4-4-2
New Jersey	64	25	27	12	62	22	3	2	13-12-6	12-15-6	147	184	-37	2-6-2
Detroit	63	25	27	11	61	18	7	0	12-14-5	13-13-6	158	187	-29	3-6-1
Carolina	61	25	26	10	60	23	2	5	18-10-2	7-16-8	153	179	-26	1-6-3

Washington Capitals

44-13-7, 95 pts  /  210GF/135GA  /  3-0 record last week

2/28/17
WSH: 4
NYR: 1

Capitals vs. Rangers Recap: Second Period, Second Line Lifts Washington at MSG

3/2/17
NJD: 0
WSH: 1

Caps vs. Devils Recap: Vranamatopoeia Means 1-0 Victory

3/4/17
PHI: 1
WSH: 2 OT

Caps vs. Flyers Recap: No Time Like Overtime, Caps Win 2-1

Week Ahead:

Monday March 6 - vs DAL

Thursday March 9 - @ SJS

Saturday March 11 - @ LAK

Injuries:

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

Columbus Blue Jackets

40-17-6, 86 pts  /  202GF/149GA  /  2-1-1 record last week

2/26/17
CBJ: 5
NYR: 2

Recap: If We Can Make It There

2/28/17
CBJ: 0
MTL: 1 OT

Nothing to report, apparently.

3/2/17
MIN: 0
CBJ: 1

Recap: Immovable Objects

3/4/17
CBJ: 2
OTT: 3

Recap: Wolves Dismantle Monsters

Whoops, wrong league...

Week Ahead:

Sunday March 5 - @ NJD

Tuesday March 7 - vs NJD

Friday March 10 - vs BUF

Saturday March 11 - @ BUF

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

New York Rangers

41-22-2, 84 pts  / 210GF/173GA  /  1-2-1 record last week

2/26/17
CBJ: 5
NYR: 2

Blue Jackets Down Rangers 5-2 At Madison Square Garden

2/28/17
WSH: 4
NYR: 1

Nothing to report here, either.

3/2/17
NYR: 2
BOS: 1

Buchnevich, Lindberg Score In 2-1 Win Over Bruins

3/4/17
MTL: 4
NYR: 1

Rangers Struggle Against Montreal, Lose 4-1

Week Ahead:

Monday March 6 - @ TBL

Tuesday March 7 - @ FLA

Thursday March 9 - @ CAR

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
K. Klein, D	Feb 22, 2017	day-to-day	Back spasms
D. Girardi, D	Feb 27, 2017	IR	Ankle
M. Grabner, RW	Feb 28, 2017	day-to-day	Hip
J. Fast, RW	Feb 28, 2017	IR	Separated shoulder

New York Islanders

30-22-11, 71 pts  /  186GF/188GA  /  1-0-1 record last week

3/2/17
NYI: 5
DAL: 4

Islanders 5, Stars 4: Offense reigns in Isles win

3/3/17
NYI: 1
CHI: 2 SO

Blackhawks 2*, Islanders 1 (*SO): Out of gas, saving a point

Week Ahead:

Sunday March 5 - @ CAL

Tuesday March 7 - @ EDM

Thursday March 9 - @ VAN

Saturday March 11 - @ STL

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

Philadelphia Flyers

30-26-8, 68 pts  /  164GF/190GA  /  2-0-1 record last week

2/28/17
COL: 0
PHI: 4

Flyers vs. Avalanche recap: Oh my goodness, they can actually score??

3/2/17
FLA: 1
PHI: 2 SO

Flyers vs. Panthers recap: New guy and the old guy team up to give the Flyers a shootout victory

3/4/17
PHI: 1
WAS: 2 OT

There seems to be a trend happening this week. Nothing from BSH.

Week Ahead:

Tuesday March 7 - @ BUF

Thursday March 9 - @ TOR

Saturday March 11 - @ BOS

Injuries:

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

New Jersey Devils

25-25-11, 61 pts  /  142GF/176GA  /  0-2-1 record last week

2/27/17
MTL: 4 OT
NJD: 3

New Jersey Devils Drop Another Game Late in Regulation in Overtime Loss to Montreal

3/2/17
NJD: 0
WSH: 1

New Jersey Devils Edged 0-1 by Washington Capitals in Low Shot Game

3/4/17
NJD: 2
BOS: 3

New Jersey Devils Winless in Six with 2-3 Loss to Boston Bruins

Week Ahead:

Sunday March 5 - vs CBJ

Tuesday March 7 - @ CBJ

Thursday March 9 - @ COL

Saturday March 11 - @ ARI

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
M. Savard, C	Oct 9, 2016	IR	Post-concussion syndrome
P. Zacha, C	Feb 21, 2017	IR	Concussion
J. Josefson, C	Feb 28, 2017	day-to-day	Upper-body injury
M. Cammalleri, LW	Mar 2, 2017	day-to-day	Upper-body injury
A. Greene, D	Mar 3, 2017	day-to-day	Personal reasons

Carolina Hurricanes

25-26-10, 60 pts  /  153GF/179GA  /  0-2-2 record last week

2/26/17
CGY: 3
CAR: 1

Recap: Calgary Flames down Carolina Hurricanes 3-1

2/28/17
CAR: 2
FLA: 3 SO

Recap: Hurricanes Rally, But Lose in a Shootout 3-2 to Panthers

3/1/17
CAR: 3
TBL: 4 OT

Carolina Hurricanes Surrender Third Period Lead, Fall to Tampa Bay Lightning in Overtime

3/3/17
ARI: 4
CAR: 2

Recap and Rank ‘Em: Carolina Hurricanes Outmatched Again in Loss to Coyotes

Week Ahead:

Sunday March 5 - @ ARI

Tuesday March 7 - @ COL

Thursday March 9 - vs NYR

Saturday March 11 - vs TOR

Injuries:

PLAYER	DATE	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
B. McGinn, LW	Feb 28, 2017	day-to-day	Upper-body injury

*Standings via ESPN as of 3/4/17
**Injuries via TSN as of 3/4/17