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The Playoff Chase – April 8 2015
alt
Ryan Pike
Apr 8, 2015, 14:10 EDTUpdated:
Every Western Conference team has two games left. Calgary can clinch a playoff spot as early as tomorrow. Here’s a quick and dirty glance at the race as it stands this afternoon.

THE TABLE

GP
ROW
Pts
GR
Pot
Pts
Can
CGY
Catch?
Can
Catch
CGY?
Remaining Opponents
Ducks
80
42
107
2
111
No
N/A
DAL, ARI
Blues
80
40
105
2
109
No
N/A
CHI, MIN
Predators
80
41
104
2
108
No
N/A
MIN, DAL
Blackhawks
80
39
102
2
106
No
N/A
STL, COL
Wild
80
41
98
2
102
No
N/A
NSH, STL
Canucks
80
40
97
2
101
Yes
N/A
ARI, EDM
Jets
80
35
96
2
100
Yes
N/A
COL, CGY
FLAMES
80
40
95
2
99
N/A
N/A
LA, WPG
Kings
80
37
93
2
97
N/A
Yes
CGY, SJ
Stars
80
35
88
2
92
N/A
No
ANA, NSH
Sharks
80
35
87
2
91
N/A
No
EDM, LA
Avalanche
80
28
86
2
90
N/A
No
WPG, CHI
Oilers
80
19
61
2
65
N/A
No
SJ, VAN
Coyotes
80
19
56
3
60
N/A
No
VAN, ANA
Calgary’s magic number is 1.0 on Los Angeles and 2.5 on Winnipeg.

SCENARIOS

  • How Can Calgary Catch Minnesota? A combination of seven points gained by Calgary AND lost by Minnesota. This relies upon Minnesota losing at least once.
  • How Can Calgary Catch Vancouver? A combination of six points gained by Calgary AND lost by Vancouver. Like Minnesota, this relies upon Vancouver losing at least once.
  • How Can Calgary Catch Winnipeg? A combination of five points gained by Calgary AND lost by Winnipeg. Like the others, this depends on Winnipeg losing, but unlike the others, Calgary controls their own destiny largely. If they beat Winnipeg and get something out of their game with Los Angeles, they can catch (and pass) Winnipeg.
  • How Can Calgary “Catch” Los Angeles? A win of any kind against Los Angeles or Winnipeg, or any combination of two points gained by Calgary OR lost by Los Angeles. Unlike the teams above, this path does not involve the Flames hoping another team does poorly as a necessity.
Basically, Calgary just needs A SINGLE WIN to clinch, and depending on what happens they could leap-frog some teams above with some help. It’s not probable or likely, but at this point, the entire season hasn’t been.