Eastern Conference playoff race
x-1. Philadelphia - 102 pts
x-2. Washington - 101 pts
x-3. Boston - 97 pts
x-4. Pittsburgh - 98 pts
5. Tampa Bay - 95 pts
6. Montreal - 89 pts
7. Buffalo - 87 pts
8. NY Rangers - 87 pts
9. Carolina - 84 pts
10. Toronto - 82 pts
11. Atlanta - 78 pts
12. New Jersey – 77 pts
x - clinched playoff spot
All it took was the first Patrik Elias hat trick in five years for the New Jersey Devils to hang onto their ever-so-slim playoff hopes. With five games remaining, the Devils have realistically been eliminated from the playoffs, but mathematically still have a shred of hope. By beating the Flyers, they only have to win their last five games while either the Sabres or Rangers lose the rest of their games in regulation. Then again, had they lost on Friday night to the rival Flyers, all hope would have been squashed.
Despite the loss, the news is slightly better for the Flyers. Philadelphia was a point ahead of the 2nd place Washington Capitals with a game in hand before the night started. Now the Flyers are a point ahead of the Caps with no game in hand. The loss was the second in as many nights for the top-seeded Flyers and their third loss four games. As Kimmo Timonen expressed, this is not the way the team wants to be playing as they head to the playoffs.
The Flyers next game is a big Atlantic Division battle against the Rangers on Sunday afternoon. The Game of the Week will have implications for both the Flyers who were fighting for home-ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs, and the Rangers who are just trying to get into the playoffs. Who knows, this time it might be closer than the 7-0 embarrassment the Flyers endured last time the two teams played.