Blackhawks Playoff Scenarios With 1 Game Left
(CBS) With a 2-1 loss to the Blues on Thursday night, the Blackhawks are now assured of opening the playoffs on the road. Where remains to be seen, as there are a handful of scenarios that can play out in the season's final two days.
Here's a look at the standings and games of significance for Chicago:
Central Division
Blues -- 107 points (41 regulation/overtime wins)
Predators -- 104 points (41)
Blackhawks -- 102 points (39)
Wild -- 100 points (42)
Schedule
Wild at Blues, Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Blackhawks at Avalanche, Saturday at 8 p.m.
Aanheim at Arizona, Saturday at 8 p.m.
Here's a look at the scenarios for the Blackhawks:
If Chicago wins or loses in overtime at Colorado …
The Blackhawks will clinch the third seed in the Central Division and open up the playoffs on the road against the Predators.
If Chicago loses in regulation at Colorado and Minnesota loses or wins in overtime at St. Louis…
The Blackhawks will clinch the third seed in the Central Division and open up the playoffs on the road against the Predators.
If Chicago loses in regulation at Colorado and Minnesota wins in regulation at St. Louis…
The Blackhawks will fall to the first-wild card spot, by virtue of losing the tiebreaker (most wins in regulation/overtime) to the Wild. In this case, the Blackhawks will open against the Western Conference division winner that has fewer points/loses out on the tiebreaker. The Ducks and Blues each have 107 points right now. If the Wild were to beat the Blues in regulation to grab the third spot in the division, the Ducks would be guaranteed of the top seed, even with a loss, because they hold the tiebreaker over the Blues (42-41 regulation/overtime wins). So the Blackhawks would open against the Blues in that case.
If Chicago loses in regulation at Colorado, Minnesota wins in overtime/shootout at St. Louis and Anaheim loses in regulation to Arizona...
The Blackhawks will fall to the first-wild spot, by virtue of losing the tiebreaker to the Wild. In this case, the Blues would get one point for getting to overtime and finish with 108 points. The Ducks would stay at 107 points, and the Blackhawks would open against them.
To recap, we know the Blackhawks will open the playoffs on the road, and it could still be against one of three foes -- the Predators, Blues and Ducks. The Predators appear to be the Blackhawks' most likely foe to await, but anything could still play out if Saturday gets weird.