After falling behind 2-0 after twenty minutes, the Jets battled back in the middle frame to tie it at two.  Herein lies the problem for the Jets, they couldn’t maintain that pace, giving up another two goals in the period to fall behind 4-2 heading into the final frame.

Despite pulling to within one midway through the third, the Jets couldn’t get the equalizer and eventually Alex Ovechkin would ice it with his astonishing 31st goal of the season.

With the win the Caps clinch the division and ensure themselves of the number three seed in the east along with home ice advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs. Not bad for a club that fall flat on their face at the start of the season.

As for the Jets, they are now on life support when looking at their playoff chances.  They remain in ninth place, just one point back of the New York Rangers for that final ticket to the postseason dance.  The problem for the Jets is they are running out of games with just a single contest remaining before the end of the regular season and its a date with the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.

Needless to say it’s a must win for Winnipeg but even then it may not be enough given the Rangers have two games remaining, both against non-playoff teams in the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils.  Typically this would be in the Rangers advantage but given they lost to the lowly Florida Panthers last night, nothing can be taken for granted.

Can the Jets get in?  It’s unlikely but anything is possible.  We’ll know more on Thursday night so stay tuned for that.

Speaking of New York, how about those Islanders?  Similar to the Capitals, this was a club that couldn’t find their identity to start the season and just sputtered along not making much noise of any sorts.  Suddenly they came alive in March and haven’t looked back since and now the Islanders are heading for the playoffs after securing a point in last night’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Hurricanes.

John Tavares notched the tying goal with just over a minute to play, capping off what has been an incredible turn around for the Long Island boys.  They’ve found ways to win and found ways to gain valuable points on nights they needed them; last night was no different.

The Islanders have to be one of the better feel good stories of the season and now that they are in the playoffs they could make some noise.

Just four games are on tap tonight on the ice but three of them have implications on playoff seeding so there should be plenty of headlines tomorrow morning.

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Starting in the twin cities where the Wild are suddenly collapsing faster than a fold up tent bought at a garage sale after losing 4-1 to the suddenly surging Calgary Flames.  The loss was the second straight for the Wild and in the last ten games they are 3-6-1 leading to a drop in the standings from the middle of the pack to seventh as of today.

Minnesota doesn’t appear to be in jeopardy of missing the playoffs providing they can win just one of their remaining three games that has them up against the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche.  Two of those clubs are out of the playoffs and could pose a threat to the Wild given they have nothing to play for.  But when you consider the Wild have owned the Oilers over the past few years I’d say Wild fans can get ready for the second season in Minnesota.

As far as the Flames go, I recall doing a piece on why they failed at this year’s trade deadline. In that piece I mentioned that this group of mediocre, veteran forwards will likely put together a modest winning streak that’ll see them jump up the standings to the point where they’re caught in no-man’s land.  They can’t make the playoffs but now they sit in twelfth place in the west and are on the outside looking in for the draft lottery.  While this year’s lottery has changed where any team that doesn’t make the playoffs can win the first overall pick, the Flames chances are diminishing with every victory.  So much re-building the proper way hey Feaster.

Staying in Alberta, the Edmonton Oilers are a complete mess right now and could be on the verge of yet another first overall pick. How embarrassing would that be for the once proud franchise.

The Oilers lost to the Ducks last night by a 3-1 margin, a game that saw them grossly outplayed for most of the sixty minutes.  They’ve been passed by the Flames in the standings and with four games remaining, the Oilers are officially eliminated from the playoffs.  Make it seven straight years with no postseason in Edmonton and as mentioned, the draft lottery is suddenly a sad reality for the Oilers and their faithful.  Looking at their remaining schedule the Oilers lock horns with the Ducks, Wild, Blackhawks, and Canucks.  Not exactly a cake walk to finishing the year with some dignity and respect.  I wonder if Craig MacTavish is regretting his decision to accept the GM job?  That has to be one of the worst GM jobs in hockey right now because this team is a mess.

The Oilers could learn a thing or two from the cruising Blue Jackets who are on the verge of completing one of the greatest stories of this shortened NHL season.  Columbus was picked by many to finish next to or dead last in the standings and now are closing in on securing their playoff ticket.  Sitting in eighth position, three points up on the struggling Detroit Red Wings, the Jackets only have two games remaining to the Wings four.  The good news for Columbus is that they face two non-playoff teams in the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars.  The bad news is the Stars are playing some great hockey themselves of late and are still mathematically in the playoff hunt, meaning they’ll be guns-a-blazing.

You don’t have to look very far when wondering what the key to the Jackets success has been; Sergei Bobrovsky.  Sure the deadline deal that landed them Marion Gaborik has helped, but Bobrovsky should be included in the Hart Trophy conversation as league MVP.

Despite another sub-par performance by the buds, the Leafs remain very much as a favorite to clinch a playoff spot despite losing a 5-3 decision to the streaking New York Islanders.  Granted the Leafs are blowing their chances of securing home-ice advantage, it’s hard to fathom this club choking to the point where they miss the playoffs.

They still remain five points up on the ninth place Winnipeg Jets and the Leafs need just three points to ensure they’ll be playing in the second season.  No need to panic Leaf fans, this club will make the playoffs and give you reason to watch the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Speaking  of the Islanders, hot damn they’re playing some great hockey of late.  Although they remain in seventh place, the Isles are just two points back of the Leafs for fifth place, a spot that seemed almost out of reach a week ago.

Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Jets continue to make life complicated for teams like the Islanders as they beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in overtime. Not only are the Jets staying in the playoff hunt, they remain just two points back of the division leading Washington Capitals for the third seed.  Not sure if the Jets have what it takes to overthrow the Rangers or Capitals, but they’ve revitalized the city of Winnipeg with the thrill of the playoff chase and have made Bettman look like a genius for moving the Thrashers north of the border.

Speaking of the Rangers, they were winners on Thursday night, beating the lowly Florida Panthers 6-1.  The Rangers remain tied with Winnipeg for the final playoff spot and should they not make the cut, would this be one of the greatest teams ever assembled to not make the playoffs?  There have been some great teams fall short of winning the Cup or  losing out in the first round, but at least they made the postseason.

As for the Capitals who were the hottest team in the NHL heading into tonight’s action, they finally lost for the first time in ten games, dropping a 3-1 decision to the Ottawa Senators.

Not to worry Caps’ fans, this team will win the division and could  be poised  for a run at Lord Stanley.  You heard it here first.

Finally, how about those Dallas Stars.  Here’s a team that was said to be entering a re-build mode by trading captain Brandan Morrow, veteran Jaromir Jagr and sniper Derek Roy at the deadline.  Not only have they played better hockey post trade deadline, they are on the verge of accomplishing what was once thought as an impossible feat – making the playoffs.

Thanks to a 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks, the Stars jumped to ninth place, past the Detroit Red Wings and on the heels of the Columbus Blue Jackets for eighth.  Time is ticking though and the Stars need some help, specifically the Jackets to lose so they can take advantage of their game in hand.

If this team falls short of the postseason this run has to be considered miraculous none the less.  This team was supposed to fold up camp and fade away quietly and they’ve done the opposite.  Joe Nieuwendyk as GM of the year?  I think he has to be in the top three.