Leafs drive alive; East race tightens as 5 points separate 7th from 10th

Lupul scores two to tie game; Kadri score shootout winner

The Maple Leafs continue to improve and after beating the Boston Bruins 4-3 tonight, now find themselves 5 points back of 7th place, with the Buds and the strangers each having 4 games left, while Buffalo and Carolina have five apiece.

Ideally the Leafs would win their 4 games, with Buffalo and New York wining only one each, and Carolina winning no more than 2. That would put the Leafs into 7th place, so there a much wider range of scenarios that would put them into 8th. Odds are slim, yet that doesn't mean it ain't whole lotta fun.

NHL East Division Stanley Cup Playoffs Race

7 BUFFALO NE 77 39 29 9 87
8 NY RANGERS ATL 78 41 32 5 87
9 CAROLINA SE 77 37 30 10 84
10 TORONTO NE 78 36 32 10 82




The NHL West features 7 teams battling for the final 5 playoff spots. You may think Phoenix is home and cooled out, however if Dallas were to win their 3 games in hand, they'd be just 2 points back, with 4 games to go. This one is gonna be crazy during the final week of the NHL's 2010-2011 regular season schedule.

NHL West Division Stanley Cup Playoffs Race

4 PHOENIX PAC 78 42 25 11 95
5 LOS ANGELES PAC 76 44 26 6 94
6 ANAHEIM PAC 77 44 28 5 93
7 NASHVILLE CEN 77 41 26 10 92
8 CHICAGO CEN 76 41 27 8 90
9 DALLAS PAC 75 38 26 11 87
10 CALGARY NW 78 38 29 11 87