OTHL -- The western conference playoff race ended today thanks to most of the "around the line" teams where in action tonight. And it came down to the wire in some of the games. The Ducks had the toughest game on hand, as they had to win against Boston on away ice. And Anaheim put on a good show in the FleetCenter. The Ducks outshoot the Bruins (23 to 21) and came within one goal from forcing the game to overtime. Anaheim's Mike Rupp (9) scored a shorthander in the second period to get the Ducks within one, but despite a number of powerplay's in the third Anaheim where unable to get that last goal scored on Miikka Kiprusoff.
And while Anaheim where battling in the FleetCenter against the East top team. The Chicago Blackhawks hosted the East bottom team, the Washington Capitals. And the Hawks showed that they can more then just dish out hits and recive penalties. The Hawks shelled Tommy Salo in the Caps net troughout the evening, outshooting Washington 32 to 19. However, Tommy Salo showed some great form and keept the game even. In fact the Hawks saved there playoff dreams and there face in tonights game, thanks to a late third period goal from Bryan Allen. The big defender scored a rare goal as he blasted home a shot from the blueline while Chicago where a man up. And the point recived with the tie was enough to clinch the Hawks first playoff spot in the OTHL.
In Colorado the Buffalo Sabres visited the Avalanche in the Pepsi Center. Hoping that they could get that wanted win needed to clinch a playoff spot. And after Henrik Tallinder (4) scored with six minutes to go it looked like Buffalo where going to get it. However, Sami Salo (7) forced the game to a scoreless overtime as he scored with less then two minutes to go in regulation. And now the Sabres will have to clinch there playoff spot in there last game.
While most of the games where close and low scoring tonight, the fans in Edmonton got to see goals... and loads of them. But from there point of view, the goals came from the wrong team as the Stars won 7-2 and clinched a playoff spot with one game left to play. Dallas scored 4 unanswered goals in the third period to padd there 3-2 lead after a quick Edmonton goal early in the third. But everything where not smiles in the Dallas camp after the game. The Stars lost top center Alexei Yashin and starting goaltender Andrew Raycroft to injuries. However both Yashin and Raycroft will most likley be back in time for the playoffs to begin.
In the last two games for the evening, we got to see some none-playoff teams play the role of the spoiler. In Florida the Panthers where hoping they could pass the Bruins in the President Trophy race. But the visiting Columbus wanted something else and won the game after a early deciding goal in the third by Jason Wiemer (16).
And in Los Angeles the all-star studied Calgary Flames hoped that they could sneak into the playoffs with a win. But the Flames fell short despite a massive array of top names on there roster. Los Angeles dominated the game, and it was just thanks to Manny Fernandez in the Flames net, that the game where as close as it now was. The under-performing Kings outshoot Calgary 34 to 22 and looked like a playoff team. Calgary got goals from Rick Nash (36) and Henrik Sedin (17). But the Kings scored one more and got the win, and eliminated the Flames from the playoffs. A tough blow for the Flames that went out and aquired Rick Nash, Jason Allison, Denis Gauthier, and Sami Kapanen at the trade deadline.