Aside from some jockeying for position, the season-long incredulity of the Western Conference playoff picture is finally diminishing. There’s only one position still up for grabs, and that’s between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Dallas Stars.
NHL Playoff Picture 2011: Stars Need Help From Red Wings To Pass Blackhawks On Season’s Final Day
Chicago holds the advantage with 97 points in the No. 8 position, while Dallas sits two points back in the No. 9 position. Dallas obviously needs to win their game on Sunday night in Minnesota to have a chance, but if Chicago beats Detroit earlier on Sunday afternoon, that game won’t even matter. If the Blackhawks earn even one point, Dallas cannot qualify for the postseason.
It’s not as simple as “Dallas wins, Chicago loses” however. The Stars need to win in overtime or regulation to stay even with Chicago in terms of the first tiebreaker. In that scenario, Dallas would make the postseason thanks to a superior record in the head-to-head season series between the two teams.
So, to summarize, a regulation or OT win for Dallas and a Chicago loss in regulation gets the Stars into the No. 8 position. Any other scenario gets the defending champion Blackhawks into the postseason.
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