With 64 points and six games to go, the Pittsburgh Penguins are seven points away from clinching the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Inversely, there is a four team race (turning into five with the emergence of the Buffalo Sabres) for the final three playoff spots and the Penguins' first round matchup is a major wildcard at this point. Here are the potential matchups and how they contend with Pittsburgh.
NY Rangers: The Rangers currently hold the eight-seed but have been red hot since the trade deadline. Few will forget the 6-1 destruction of Pittsburgh in the first game after the deadline. More importantly goalie Henrik Lundqvist has been red hot these last few weeks and single-handedly let the Rangers to a 1-0 win over the NY Islanders this weekend. The Penguins went 3-1-1 against the Rangers this season, including two shutouts. However, the more recent matches have favored the Rangers, including a 6-1 win and a 2-1 shootout win for Pittsburgh.
NY Islanders: The Islanders have gone 8-1-2 in their last 11 matches; the lone loss was to the Penguins. Whereas the Rangers are not the most offensively gifted of squads, the Islanders have four lines that can put up the goals; throw in Marc-Andre Fleury poor playoff performances of late and Pittsburgh will have a tough opponent to deal with. New York's defense has been remarkably better of late and goalie Evgeni Nabokov has been tremendous; the team has not allowed more than two goals in its last eight games.
Ottawa Senators: With a record of 5-5 in its last 10, Ottawa is in free-fall. With stars like Jason Spezza and Erik Karlsson out for the long-term, the team has reverted to stellar defensive play around goalie Craig Anderson. While a series with the Sens would likely feature tons of offensive zone time for Pittsburgh, Anderson will be a hard shell to crack. The Penguins won the first two matches and have one remaining with Ottawa.
Winnipeg Jets: The Jets are on the outside of the playoff picture but their three-game winning streak indicates that they are not ready to leave. The team has offensive potential in spades and exhibits a similar fast-paced style that the Penguins do. However, goaltending is a major question mark for this team. While Ondrej Pavelec provides solid keeping in streaks, the team has no other option when he runs into a rut. Pittsburgh won two of the three games with the Jets, including a recent 4-0 blowout.
Buffalo Sabres: The Buffalo Sabres are riding a solid streak of five wins in their last seven to jump within four points of eighth place and five out of seventh. Ryan Miller and Jhonas Enroth are carrying the team to playoff run. The Sabres and Penguins have split the first two meetings, but the team infamously ended the Penguins' 15-game winning streak in dominant fashion.
Which is the best matchup for Pittsburgh in the first round?
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