The New Jersey Devils didn’t have much to play for on Saturday, but their 4-2 win against the Ottawa Senators made tonight more interesting - especially for the Washington Capitals.
To keep things simple, here are the scenarios for the Capitals, whose game against the New York Rangers airs on NBC Sports Network tonight:
Washington could win the third seed if: the Capitals win and the Florida Panthers (at Carolina) lose in regulation.
Capitals could move up to seventh place if: they beat the Rangers in regulation, overtime or via a shootout. (Washington holds tiebreaker advantages against Ottawa.)
Capitals would stay in eighth place if: Florida gains one point, Washington fails to win or both. (The Capitals hold a tiebreaker advantage over the Panthers but Florida has a two-point lead.)
In other words, there’s plenty to play for tonight. And if you ask John Tortorella, the Presidents’ Trophy is worth something to the Rangers, so don’t expect New York to roll over at Madison Square Garden.
(Note: if Washington does win the Southeast Division, Ottawa would remain in seventh place while Florida would take the eighth seed.)
