As the NHL season winds down, the race for playoff spots is heating up. For teams like the Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres, every game is crucial in keeping their hopes of post-season play alive. Unfortunately for them, recent key losses have put a serious damper on their playoff aspirations. The pressure is on as they try to salvage what’s left of the season and secure a spot for the playoffs. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the Capitals and Sabres’ recent struggles and analyze their chances of making the playoffs.
On Friday, the St. Louis Blues swept away the Washington Capitals 5-2, endangering the latter’s chances of a playoff berth. Sammy Blais was responsible for scoring two goals, whilst Joel Hofer, who was playing his first game of the season, made 33 saves. The Capitals missed a glorious opportunity to reduce their deficit in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. With only 12 games remaining, they are five points behind the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. Additionally, in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Toronto Maple Leafs procured a 5-2 victory, thanks to Zach Aston-Reese bagging two goals, Morgan Rielly registering a goal and an assist, and then Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews finding the net. The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Maple Leafs.
The Philadelphia Flyers triumphed 5-2 and stopped a four-game losing streak. Owen Tippett achieved his first-ever hat trick, while Kevin Hayes and Tony DeAngelo both had two assists. James van Riemsdyk and Joel Farabee were also among the goals. Victor Olofsson scored both goals for the Buffalo Sabres, who have now lost eight of their previous eleven games and who need to clamber over three teams to snatch a wild-card spot. Lastly, the Anaheim Ducks won seven goals to four against the Columbus Blue Jackets with Max Jones scoring the tiebreaker goal on a breakaway with just 2:37 minutes remaining. Patrik Laine had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who had dropped their previous two games and were the first team eliminated from playoff contention.
As the regular season comes to a close, Capitals and Sabres fans are left with disappointment and frustration as their teams struggled to secure a playoff spot. While the race for postseason play heats up for other teams, these two will have to take a step back and refocus for next year’s campaign. The playoffs are a battle that requires strength and determination, and unfortunately, it seems as though the Capitals and Sabres fell short. However, with the offseason looming, there is plenty of time to reflect and improve upon the areas that fell short. Until next season, Capitals and Sabres fans must keep their heads up and continue to cheer on their beloved franchises.
