Edmonton Oilers’ McDavid brands NHL Pacific race a ‘pillow fight’
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid has labelled the NHL Pacific Division playoff race a “pillow fight” as the Anaheim Ducks look to maintain their slender lead at the top of the standings.
The Canadian centre made the disparaging remark after six teams from the division went winless over a recent three-day stretch.
To highlight the division’s struggles, two Eastern Conference teams currently outside the playoff picture would be comfortably leading the Pacific.
Ducks hold advantage in tight battle
The Anaheim Ducks currently top the group with 84 points and 24 regulation wins through 71 games.
They face the struggling Calgary Flames on Thursday as they look to solidify their position heading into the final 12 games of the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Edmonton franchise will host the Vegas Golden Knights in a crucial clash between the second and third-placed teams.
Analytics firm Stathletes projects this matchup has a 62.5% chance of being a first-round postseason series.
Wild card hopefuls chase Nashville
Lower down the standings, several Pacific outfits are desperately chasing the Nashville Predators for the second wild card spot.
The Los Angeles Kings begin Thursday three points behind Nashville as they prepare to face the Vancouver Canucks.
The Seattle Kraken also trail by five points and face a tough test on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Elsewhere, the San Jose Sharks have seen their playoff chances plummet in recent days ahead of their meeting with the St. Louis Blues.
The regular season concludes on 16 April, guaranteeing a frantic finish for the remaining postseason berths.
