The Buffalo Sabres had a golden opportunity to climb into second place in the Atlantic Division with a win over the Pittsburgh Penguins-but Sidney Crosby and the Pens had other plans. Buffalo couldn’t capitalize, falling 5-2 in a game that had major playoff implications. That loss keeps the Sabres at 70 points, holding onto the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens breathe a little easier-at least for now. They sit two points ahead of Buffalo in the division standings, but the race is far from over.
One key wrinkle? The Sabres hold the edge in regulation wins-26 to the Canadiens’ 21-which could be a critical tiebreaker down the stretch.
So while Montreal has the lead, they can’t afford to let up. Buffalo’s right there, and they’ve got the numbers to make it interesting if it comes down to the wire.
Looking elsewhere in the Atlantic, the Ottawa Senators are still technically in the hunt, but the path is steep. Their 2-1 win over the Flyers helped, but they’re still trailing the Bruins-who currently hold the second wild-card spot-by six points.
With 25 games left and the division being as competitive as it’s been all year, making up that ground won’t be easy. The Sens are going to need a serious push and probably some help from the out-of-town scoreboard to stay relevant in the playoff picture.
Then there’s the Florida Panthers, who had a night to forget against the Tampa Bay Lightning. A 6-1 loss turned into a full-on meltdown, with 147 penalty minutes handed out in a game that got ugly fast.
Matthew Tkachuk was right in the middle of it-drawing a two-minute minor for abuse of officials and stirring the pot with Nikita Kucherov, which sparked a third-period brawl. By that point, the Lightning were already in full control, up 4-0 and cruising.
Tampa’s win gives them a six-point cushion over the Canadiens, and they’ve got two games in hand. That’s a significant advantage as the playoff race tightens. The Red Wings are also sitting at 72 points, tied with Montreal, but they’ve played one more game-putting them in third place in the Atlantic for now.
As for the Canadiens, the break comes at a good time. They’re in second place, and while the playoff picture is still far from settled, they’ve put themselves in a strong position.
If they can maintain their current pace, they should be in the mix come April. But with so many teams stacked up in the standings and tiebreakers looming large, expect this race to go down to the final days of the regular season.
For now, Montreal can enjoy the view from the top half of the division-and take a breather before the stretch run begins in earnest. The real battle is just getting started.