April 4th

WHO CAN CLINCH TONIGHT?

--Anaheim (idle) can clinch the #4 seed in the West... If Dallas gets no points against Phoenix.

--Carolina can clinch the Southeast Division... If they beat Florida.

--Carolina can clinch a playoff birth... If they get one point against Florida and Philadelphia gets no points against New Jersey.

--New Jersey can clinch the #4 seed in the East... If they beat Philly OR If they get one point against Philly and the Rangers get one or no points against the Islanders OR If the Rangers get no points against the Islanders.

--Ottawa can clinch a playoff birth... If they get at least one point against Boston OR If Carolina gets one or no points against Florida OR If Philly gets one or no points against New Jersey.

--Boston can clinch a playoff birth... If they beat Ottawa and either Carolina gets one or no points against Florida or Philly gets one or no points against New Jersey OR If they get one point against Ottawa and Carolina gets no points against Florida.

--Philadelphia can clinch a playoff birth... If they beat New Jersey and Carolina gets no points against Florida.


NHL SEASON RACES

Playoff Standings

RANK-TEAM--PTS (GAME/S REMAINING)

WEST

1-p-DET--113 (4/6 CHI)
2-z-SJ--108 (4/6 @DAL)
3-z-MIN--97 (4/6 @COL)
4-x-ANA--98 (4/5 @LA, 4/6 PHX)
5-x-DAL--95 (4/4 PHX, 4/6 SJ)
6-x-COL--93 (4/6 MIN)
7-x-CGY--92 (4/5 @VAN)
8-x-NSH--91 (4/4 @CHI)
------------------------------------------------------------------
9-VAN--88 (4/5 CGY)
10-EDM--88
11-CHI--86 (4/4 NSH, 4/6 @DET)
12-PHX--80 (4/4 @DAL, 4/6 @ANA)
13-CBJ--80 (4/5 @STL, 4/6 STL)
14-STL--75 (4/5 CBJ, 4/6 @CBJ)
15-LA--71 (4/5 ANA)

EAST

1-z-PIT--102 (4/6 @ PHI)
2-z-MTL--102 (4/5 @TOR)
3-CAR*--92 (4/4 FLA)
4-x-NJ--97 (4/4 @PHI, 4/6 NYR)
5-x-NYR--95 (4/4 NYI, 4/6 @NJ)
6-OTT--94 (4/4 BOS)
7-BOS--92 (4/4 @OTT, 4/5 BUF)
8-WAS--92 (4/5 FLA)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
9-PHI--91 (4/4 NJ, 4/6 PIT)
10-BUF--88 (4/5 @BOS)
11-FLA--83 (4/4 @CAR, 4/5 @WAS)
12-TOR--83 (4/5 @MTL)
13-NYI--77 (4/4 @NYR)
14-ATL--74 (4/5 TB)
15-TB--71 (4/5 @ATL)

(p- Clinched Presidents Trophy, z-Clinched Division
Title, x-Clinched Playoff spot,* Division Leader)

If the Playoffs started today...

WEST
(1) Detroit vs (8) Nashville
(2) San Jose vs (7) Calgary
(3) Minnesota vs (6) Colorado
(4) Anaheim vs (5) Dallas

EAST
(1) Pittsburgh vs (8) Washington
(2) Montreal vs (7) Boston
(3) Carolina vs (6) Ottawa
(4) New Jersey vs (5) NY Rangers

Division Races

RANK-TEAM--PTS--GP (L10)

SOUTHEAST
1-CAR--92--81 (6-3-1)
2-WAS--92--81 (9-1-0)

Minnesota Clinched Northwest Division Title

Detroit Clinched Central Division Title

San Jose Clinched Pacific Division Title

Montreal Clinched Northeast Division Title

Pittsburgh Clinched Atlantic Division Title

Art Ross Trophy (Points Leader)
1-Alexander Ovechkin--Was--112
2-Evengi Malkin--Pit--106
3-Pavel Datsyuk--Det--97
4-Joe Thornton--SJ--96
5-Jarome Iginla--Cgy--95

Maurice Richard Trophy (Goal Scoring Leader)
1-Alexander Ovechkin--Was--65*
2-Ilya Kovalchuck--Atl--52
3-Jarome Iginla--Cgy--49
4-Evengi Malkin--Pit--47
5-Henrik Zetterberg--Det--43

*Ovechkin is the first 60-goal scorer since '95-96
(Mario Lemieux--69, Jaromir Jagr--62)

Assists
1-Joe Thornton--SJ--67
2-Pavel Datsyuk--Det--66
3-Marc Savard--Bos--63
4-Henrik Sedin--Van--61
5-Nicklas Lidstrom--Det--60

Plus/Minus
1-Pavel Datsyuk--Det +41
2-Nicklas Lidstrom--Det +40
3-Dany Heatley--Ott +33
4-Henrik Zetterberg--Det +30
5-Duncan Keith--Chi +29

Power-Play Goals
1-Alexander Ovechkin--Was--22
2-Olli Jokinen--Fla--18
3-Alex Kovalev--Mon--17
4-Thomas Vanek--Buf--17
5-Evengi Malkin--Pit--17

Short-Handed Goals
1-Daniel Alfredsson--Ott-7
2-Patrick Sharp--Chi--7
3-Rene Bourque--Chi--5
4-Mike Richards--Phi--5

Shootout Goals
1-Patrick Kane--Chi--7 (7-9, 77.8%)
2-Joe Pavelski--SJ--7 (7-11, 63.3%)
3-Erik Christensen--Atl--6 (6-11, 54.8%)
4-Ales Hemsky--Edm--6 (6-16, 37.5%)