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Push for the Playoffs: Coyotes’ losing streak putting playoff hopes in danger

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The Bruins and Rangers square off in an Original Six matchup on Wednesday Night Hockey, followed by the Golden Knights vs. the Avalanche. Coverage begins at 6:30 ET on NBCSN.

Push for the Playoffs will run every morning through the end of the 2018-19 NHL season. We’ll highlight the current playoff picture in both conferences, take a look at what the first-round matchups might look like, see who’s leading the race for the best odds in the draft lottery and more.

Despite a rash of injuries throughout the season the Arizona Coyotes have managed to stick around in the Western Conference playoff race longer than anyone expected them to at the start of the year.

Now that surprising run is in danger of falling apart at the end as they carry a five-game losing streak into Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks, a game that begins a crucial three-game stretch against teams competing for the second Wild Card spot in the West.

The biggest issue for the Coyotes recently has been the fact that their offense has completely abandoned them at the worst possible time of the season. They have struggled to consistently score all year, but have managed just six goals during their current skid and are coming off of a 2-0 shutout loss against the New York Islanders over the weekend (which came after a shootout loss against a bad New Jersey Devils team). That drought has squandered what has been more sensational goaltending from Darcy Kuemper, who has been thrust into the starter’s role as he continues to fill in for the injured Antti Raanta. He has stopped 56 out of 59 shots over the past two games, a stretch where the Coyotes managed just one out of a possible four points.

Arizona enters the day two points back of the Colorado Avalanche for the second Wild Card spot and three points ahead of the Blackhawks.

A Coyotes win on Tuesday would at least tie them with Colorado and all but eliminate the Blackhawks, who are running out of time to make a move and barely hanging on to their postseason chances.

After hosting Chicago on Tuesday, the Coyotes’ next two games are against the Avalanche and Wild, the two biggest competitors they have for that playoff spot.

How they perform in those three games will pretty much dictate what happens to their season.

In the Eastern Conference on Tuesday night the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets are both in action for what is another pivotal day in their race. The playoff race in that conference is pretty much just down to those two teams fighting for one spot. Depending on Tuesday’s results, the Blue Jackets could either find themselves tied with Montreal in the standings (a Montreal regulation loss to Florida and a Columbus win against the Islanders) or four points out (a Columbus regulation loss and a Montreal win).

That is a huge potential swing for one day, especially since Columbus only has six games remaining on its schedule after Tuesday.

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TODAY’S GAMES WITH PLAYOFF CONTENDERS
Hurricanes vs. Capitals (7 p.m. ET, NBCSN, live stream)
Islanders vs. Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET)
Panthers vs. Canadiens (7 p.m. ET)
Blackhawks vs. Coyotes (10 p.m. ET)

TODAY’S PLAYOFF CLINCHING SCENARIOS


  • Washington Capitals clinch a playoff spot if they win and the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets both lose in regulation.
  • The St. Louis Blues clinch a playoff spot if the Arizona Coyotes lose.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights clinch a playoff spot if the Arizona Coyotes lose.
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PLAYOFF PERCENTAGES (via Hockey Reference)
Lightning -- Clinched
Bruins -- Clinched
Maple Leafs -- 100 percent
Capitals -- 100 percent
Penguins -- 100 percent
Islanders -- 99.8 percent
Hurricanes -- 98.7 percent
Blue Jackets -- 51.1 percent
Canadiens -- 50.8 percent
Flyers -- Out
Panthers -- Out
Sabres -- Eliminated
Rangers -- Eliminated
Devils -- Eliminated
Red Wings -- Eliminated
Senators -- Eliminated

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PLAYOFF PERCENTAGES (via Hockey Reference)
Flames -- Clinched
Jets -- Clinched
Sharks -- Clinched
Predators -- Clinched
Blues -- 100 percent
Golden Knights -- 100 percent
Stars -- 96.3 percent
Avalanche -- 68.3 percent
Coyotes -- 20.8 percent
Wild -- 9 percent
Blackhawks -- 4.3 percent
Oilers -- 1.3 percent
Canucks -- Out
Ducks -- Out
Kings -- Eliminated

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JACK OR KAAPO? THE DRAFT LOTTERY PICTURE
Senators -- 18.5 percent*
Kings -- 13.5 percent
Red Wings -- 11.5 percent
Devils -- 9.5 percent
Rangers -- 8.5 percent
Sabres -- 7.5 percent
Ducks -- 6.5 percent
Canucks -- 6 percent
Oilers -- 5 percent
Blackhawks -- 3.5 percent
Panthers -- 3 percent
Wild -- 2.5 percent
Coyotes -- 2 percent
Flyers -- 1.5 percent
Blue Jackets -- 1 percent**
(*COL owns OTT’s 2019 first-round pick)
(**OTT owns CBJ’s 2019 first-round pick)

ART ROSS RACE
Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning -- 121 points
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers -- 108 points
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks -- 102 points
Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers -- 95 points
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins -- 94 points
Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins -- 94 points

ROCKET RICHARD RACE
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals -- 48 goals
John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs -- 45 goals
Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers -- 43 goals
Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning -- 41 goals
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks -- 41 goals

Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.