With about eight or nine games left for each team in the NHL regular season, Washington has all but clinched the Eastern Conference with 108 points and a 17 point lead over Pittsburgh. In the West, Chicago holds the top spot with 99 points but San Jose is just one point back and Phoenix is only two points back.
The Capitals have clinched the Southeast division and with one more win will be the number one seed in the East in the playoffs. In the Northeast division, Buffalo leads with 90 points and has a seven point advantage over Ottawa with Montreal 10 points back. Pittsburgh has 91 points and a one point lead over New Jersey with Philadelphia 11 points back in the Atlantic division.
The Sharks lead over the Coyotes in the Pacific division is just one point after Phoenix won six out of their last seven games. Chicago has opened up an eleven point lead over Nashville in the Central division. In the Northwest division, Vancouver has 94 points and a five point lead over Colorado and an 11 point lead over Calgary.
The following are my top four teams in the league along with their opening and current odds to win it all.
Washington Capitals Odds to win the Stanley Cup: Open 10/1 Current 9/2
Last Thursday, the Caps blew a one goal lead in the third period and went on to lose 3-2 in OT to the Hurricanes. Against the Lightning, Alex Ovechkin scored the go ahead goal in the first period and they added one in the third in the 3-1 win. In a seesaw battle with the Penguins, they outscored their rivals 3-2 in an overtime shootout to win 4-3. Through 73 games, Ovechkin is the leading goal scorer with 45 and Nicklas Backstrom leads in assists with 60. G JoseTheodore has a 2.76 GAA (goals against average).
Chicago Blackhawks Odds to win the Stanley Cup: Open 12/1 Current 5/1
In a 3-0 win over the Kings, G Antti Niemi only had to turn away 17 shots to notch his fifth career shutout. In the first game of a home and home series, the Hawks lost to the Coyotes 5-4 after getting outscored 1-0 in an overtime shootout. Niemi stopped 28 shots to blank the Coyotes in game two to give the Hawks a big 2-0 win over the hottest team on ice right now. Through 72 games, Patrick Kane leads the team in goals with 28 and in assists with 53. Duncan Keith has 52 assists and Niemi’s GAA is 2.19.
San Jose Sharks Odds to win the Stanley Cup: Open 10/1 Current 4/1
The Sharks have gone just 4-5-1 in their last 10, giving up their top spot in the West. Before their 4-1 win last night over the Wild, they had lost six straight including a 3-2 loss to the Canucks last Thursday and an ugly 5-1 loss to the Oilers on Sunday night. Through 73 games, Patrick Marleau is the leading goal scorer with 41 and Joe Thornton leads in assists with 65. G Evgeni Nabokov has a 2.43 GAA.
Pittsburgh Penguins Odds to win the Stanley Cup: Open 7/1 Current 5/1
The Pens are just 4-3-3 in their last 10- games, but despite their inconsistent play are still currently the #2 seed in the East. Last Thursday they blanked the Bruins 3-0 to record their first shutout of the season. Last night against the Capitals, they erased a one goal deficit in the third period to send the game into overtime, before losing 4-3 in a shootout. Through 74 games, Sidney Crosby leads the team in goals with 45. Evgeni Malkin leads in assists with 46 and G Mark-Andre Fluery has a 2.76 GAA.
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