NHL Playoff Death Watch: How the Bruins can still make playoffs

Since we're down to the final moments of postseason life for teams in contention, Puck Daddy solemnly begins a daily countdown to annihilation.

Congrats to the Red Wings, Islanders, Flames and Jets!

Condolences to the Kings. And probably to the Bruins. Maybe.

What an epic night in the NHL, as playoff berths were clinched and the seeding picture came into focus heading into Saturday night’s grand finale.

The big news: The Kings have been dethroned, losing both games of an Alberta road trip, including Thursday night’s loss to the Calgary Flames that eliminated them from postseason contention.

The Kings become the fifth team to miss the playoffs after winning the Cup.

The nearly as big news: The Ottawa Senators, completing a near two-month rally, now have control of their playoff fate after their win over the Rangers and the Bruins’ loss at the Florida Panthers (and Roberto Luongo … oh, that’s just delicious, isn’t it?)

Here are the current standings. The Death Watch tracks the final Wild Card spot and the teams that are chasing it. Their “tragic number” is the number of points gained by the final wild card team or lost by the team chasing it.

All playoff percentages are from Sports Club Stats; tragic numbers and other figures via the NHL. A team is eliminated from play-offs when their "Tragic Number" hits 0.

Here’s the Eastern Conference picture…

All the Sens need to clinch is one point gained vs. the Flyers on Saturday or lost by the Bruins in their finale at the Lightning. In fact, the Senators can finish as high as third in the Atlantic if they win and the Red Wings lose to the Hurricanes.

The Bruins aren’t dead yet. Obviously, they need a win over the Lightning, and some help. Specifically, an Ottawa regulation loss or for the Penguins to gain just a point in their next two games. The Bruins hold the tie-breaker in head-to-head points: They played three games; the first one in Pittsburgh is tossed out as per tie-breaking rules, leaving us with a Penguins' OT win in Boston and a Bruins regulation win in Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, in the West …

The Canucks (99) and Flames (97) are battling for home ice in the last Saturday of the season, but that’s it.

The real intrigue is here, as the Wild can take No. 3 in the Central if they win over St. Louis and the Blackhawks lose in Colorado in regulation. The real fun part: The Blues are tied with Anaheim at 107 points, although the Ducks have the ROW lead. The Blues could finish atop the West and face the Jets; or they could be the No. 2 seed and potentially face either the Wild or the Blackhawks.

If the playoffs started today …