NHL Wild Card race: On percentage basis, Red Wings in ninth

When you add up the points in the NHL’s Eastern Conference playoff chase, the Detroit Red Wings are situated 12th in the conference. They are three points out of a Wild Card postseason place.

However, since the teams are all showing various numbers in terms of games played, should you choose to look at things from a points percentage scenario, the situation grows even brighter for Detroit. The Red Wings are slotted in at ninth in the East at. 545.

Here it is. Crazy night. By points percentage, #Sabres are in 2nd wild card slot due to all the games in hand.
—-
BUF won at SJ
FLA lost at NSH
PIT lost at NJD
NYI lost at BOS
WSH lost at CAR
DET lost at SEA
OTT idle pic.twitter.com/XXhgZD4g5w

— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) February 19, 2023

Interestingly, from this point of view, while the Pittsburgh Penguins (.573) remain in seventh, it would be the Buffalo Sabres (.556) who slide into eighth. Based on points, the Sabres are currently ninth.

None of the Eastern Conference Wild Card contenders are back in action until Monday. The Florida Panthers are playing host to the lowly Anaheim Ducks in a matinee (1 p.m. ET) tilt. Later in the evening (7 p.m. ET), the Islanders are visiting Pittsburgh.

Red Wings In Washington On Tuesday

Their five-game win streak snapped on Saturday in Washington state, the Red Wings will be looking to get back on the winning track Tuesday in Washington, D.C. against the Capitals. Washington is two points ahead of Detroit in the standings, but the Red Wings are holding three games in hand.

Pittsburgh: Penguins No. 1 goaltender Tristan Jarry has been missing in action for 16 of the past 18 games with an unknown ailment that would appear to be much worse than Pittsburgh’s staff seems willing to acknowledge.

Islanders: The Islanders were offering no update on the status of forward Mathew Barzal. He was leaving the first period of Saturday’s loss at Boston after absorbing a bodycheck. New York did recall forward Arnand Durandeau from AHL Bridgeport.

Washington: The Capitals were making some roster moves on Sunday. They were sending Joe Snively on loan to AHL Hershey. Meanwhile, Washington was recalling defenseman Dylan McIlraith from the same club in time to face his old team the Red Wings on Tuesday. There’s still no word on the status of captain Alex Ovechkin. He’s mourning the death of his father.

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Florida: With five wins in the past eight games, the Panthers and Red Wings (5-1 in the last six) are the only teams in this race showing any signs of live. Washington has lost four in a row, while Pittsburgh was dropping three of the last four. The Islanders are 1-4 over the past five games. Buffalo has won two in a row, but the Sabres are 2-4 through the past six games.

Buffalo: Saturday’s 4-2 win over the Sharks at San Jose was enabling the Sabres to finish with a 12-2-2 record this against at Western Conference clubs. That was including a 6-0-2 slate facing the Central Division and a 6-2-0 mark vs. the Pacific Division.