Trending up
New York Rangers: The Bluehsirts upgraded on defense at the trade deadline and have seen backup goaltender Cam Talbot shine in Henrik Lundqvist’s absence, but the most significant development as of late is the team’s offensive outburst against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. The Rangers tallied a season high in goals in a 7-2 rout against the Ducks, with Derek Stepan and Keith Yandle chipping in with three points each. New York heads into this week’s action on top of the league standings with 99 points and 11 games remaining.
Ottawa Senators: Those pesky Senators are making a thrilling run for the playoffs, rolling into the final weeks of the regular season. While other bubble teams like the Boston Bruins have stumbled, the Sens have surged as they look to pull off one of the most stunning pushes in recent memory. With a 5-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, the Sens recorded their sixth consecutive victory to pull within one point of the Bruins for the last wild-card spot in the East. Meanwhile, rookie goalie Andrew Hammond improved to 13-0-1 as a starter. What a story this team has become.
Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens: Price’s spectacular season continued as the star netminder reached another significant milestone over the weekend. In shutting out the San Jose Sharks 2-0 -- his second straight shutout -- Price recorded his 40th win of the season, joining elite company in doing so. Only two other Habs goalies (Jacques Plante, Ken Dryden) have recorded 40 wins in a season, and at this point the Hart Trophy is Price's to lose.
Tampa Bay Lightning offense: The Lightning have scored 12 goals in their past three games and carry momentum into this week’s action. Most recently, the Bolts chased Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask by scoring four goals on 12 shots in the team’s 5-3 win on Sunday. The victory snapped the Bolts’ 10-game winless streak against Boston.
Trending down
Boston Bruins: With the Sens nipping at their heels, the Bruins seem rattled. Having dropped five straight, Boston has left the door wide open in the battle for the last wild-card spot in the East as pressure mounts on both coach Claude Julien and general manager Peter Chiarelli. A playoff miss could bring sweeping changes in Boston, as team exec Charlie Jacobs indicated earlier this season.
Philadelphia Flyers: The Flyers chose to hold a players-only, closed-door meeting after their 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday, with several players lamenting the team’s lack of competitiveness. Philly followed up that lackluster effort with a 5-4 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. It was the team’s ninth consecutive road loss.
Injury report
Lundqvist nearing return: The much-anticipated return of Henrik Lundqvist is drawing near as the Rangers enter the last 11 games on the 2014-15 slate. With limited practice time remaining, and a few scheduling detours (Lundqvist missed some time recently to be with his wife for the birth of the couple's second child), speculation is rampant about when he will play for the first time since being diagnosed with a frightening vascular injury that has sidelined him since early February. Lundqvist said he is not going to “force” the issue, especially considering the way the team is playing right now, but you can bet The King is chomping at the bit to get back between the pipes.
Isles getting healthier: Elsewhere in the Metropolitan Division, the New York Islanders returned a few key players to their ranks over the weekend. Both goaltender Jaroslav Halak and defenseman Nick Leddy returned to the lineup for the team’s 3-0 win against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
What to watch for
Rest and regroup: The Bruins have until Thursday to marinate on their situation, and they have a daunting task ahead with two of the league’s top teams coming to town. Boston hosts the Ducks on Thursday, followed by Saturday’s match against the Rangers. Points are absolutely critical with the Senators hell-bent on elbowing Boston out of contention.
Monday match: Speaking of the Senators, Ottawa has a prime opportunity to grab two points against a reeling San Jose Sharks squad that's in the middle of a seven-game road trip. Dave Cameron’s crew hosts the Sharks for Monday’s tilt, and a win would move them into the top eight in what is becoming a captivating sprint to the finish line in the Eastern Conference.
Hitting the road: Don’t forget about the Florida Panthers, either. The Cats are just four points behind the Bruins and three behind the Senators, and they have won two straight. Florida faces a five-game road trip before closing out the season with five straight games at home. Keep in mind that the Panthers play the Bruins twice during that span.