Not sure if this is new-thread-worthy or not, but today is a landmark day - first elimination, thanks to the Coyotes.
With 57 points and 13 games left, ARI has a max of 83 points, 34 ROW.
They're locked out of the Pacific. For the top two spots, VGK and SJS are out of reach at 95 and 85 points, respectively. For the third spot, you have to be a detective. LAK and ARI both have 82 points....but they play each other on 3/30. Whoever wins gets 2 points, and locks ARI out for good.
They're locked out of wild card, too. With ANA-LAK having a tie at 82 points, let's give their game to LAK since they already beat ARI on ROW. That puts LAK at 84, and ANA still at 82 and on the bubble, with DAL and COL occupying the WC with 83 and 82 points. But ANA plays both DAL and COL. If ANA loses both games, then DAL gets 85 and COL gets 84 in WC2, locking ARI with 83 out. If ANA wins a game against DAL but loses to COL, then it's ANA 84, DAL 83, COL 84, and the WC positions are filled with 84 points. If ANA wins against COL but not DAL, it's 85-84 in the wild card. And if ANA wins both, it's 86-83, with COL in the WC2 slot.
With COL having 83 points, 34 ROW, it's another tie. And the series is tied, because the first game is thrown out. In the two games that count, ARI has 5 goals, COL has 7...so, COL wins.
RIP Arizona.
