Stars Stumble Out of Picture

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

It's been a long year for coach Dave Tippett and the Dallas Stars. Injuries to guys like Brendan Morrow and Brad Richards have limited the effectiveness of the offense. Defenseman Sergei Zubov missed significant time, and goalie Marty Turco never looked right. The Stars made a nice run after the All-Star break, but a seventh straight loss - Monday night in Phoenix - means it's time to turn off the lights.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 3/30 1. y-Boston Bruins 104 pts 2. x-Washington Capitals 99 3. x-New Jersey Devils 98 4. Philadelphia Flyers 92 5. Carolina Hurricanes 91 6. Pittsburgh Penguins 90 7. New York Rangers 87 8. Montreal Canadiens 86 9. Florida Panthers 85 10. Buffalo Sabres 82	Eastern Conference, 3/30	1.	y-Boston Bruins	104 pts	2.	x-Washington Capitals	99	3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98	4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92	5.	Carolina Hurricanes	91	6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	90	7.	New York Rangers	87	8.	Montreal Canadiens	86	9.	Florida Panthers	85	10.	Buffalo Sabres	82	Eastern Conference, 3/31 1. y-Boston Bruins 106 pts 2. x-Washington Capitals 99 3. x-New Jersey Devils 98 4. Philadelphia Flyers 92 5. Carolina Hurricanes 91 6. Pittsburgh Penguins 90 7. New York Rangers 89 8. Montreal Canadiens 86 9. Florida Panthers 85 10. Buffalo Sabres 82	Eastern Conference, 3/31	1.	y-Boston Bruins	106 pts	2.	x-Washington Capitals	99	3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98	4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92	5.	Carolina Hurricanes	91	6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	90	7.	New York Rangers	89	8.	Montreal Canadiens	86	9.	Florida Panthers	85	10.	Buffalo Sabres	82
Eastern Conference, 3/30
1.	y-Boston Bruins	104 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	99
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	91
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	90
7.	New York Rangers	87
8.	Montreal Canadiens	86
9.	Florida Panthers	85
10.	Buffalo Sabres	82
Eastern Conference, 3/31
1.	y-Boston Bruins	106 pts
2.	x-Washington Capitals	99
3.	x-New Jersey Devils	98
4.	Philadelphia Flyers	92
5.	Carolina Hurricanes	91
6.	Pittsburgh Penguins	90
7.	New York Rangers	89
8.	Montreal Canadiens	86
9.	Florida Panthers	85
10.	Buffalo Sabres	82

The Rangers beat the Devils 3-0 Monday night, in the only game involving Eastern teams. While it didn't trigger any movement in the standings, it was an important win for the Rangers, keeping them in the hunt for (conceivably) fourth in the East. New York trails Pittsburgh (sixth) by one point, Carolina (fifth) by two, and Philadelphia (fourth) by just three.

New Jersey stays behind second-place Washington, and they're hardly a sure bet to win the Atlantic if they keep in what is now a mini-slump.

In the West

Western Conference, 3/30 1. y-San Jose Sharks 109 pts 2. x-Detroit Red Wings 107 3. Calgary Flames 92 4. Chicago Blackhawks 91 5. Vancouver Canucks 89 6. Columbus Blue Jackets 86 7. Nashville Predators 82 8. Edmonton Oilers 81 9. St. Louis Blues 81 10. Anaheim Ducks 80 11. Minnesota Wild 78	Western Conference, 3/30	1.	y-San Jose Sharks	109 pts	2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107	3.	Calgary Flames	92	4.	Chicago Blackhawks	91	5.	Vancouver Canucks	89	6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	86	7.	Nashville Predators	82	8.	Edmonton Oilers	81	9.	St. Louis Blues	81	10.	Anaheim Ducks	80	11.	Minnesota Wild	78	Western Conference, 3/31 1. y-San Jose Sharks 111 pts 2. x-Detroit Red Wings 107 3. Calgary Flames 92 4. Chicago Blackhawks 91 5. Vancouver Canucks 91 6. Columbus Blue Jackets 86 7. Nashville Predators 84 8. St. Louis Blues 83 9. Anaheim Ducks 82 10. Edmonton Oilers 81 11. Minnesota Wild 80	Western Conference, 3/31	1.	y-San Jose Sharks	111 pts	2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107	3.	Calgary Flames	92	4.	Chicago Blackhawks	91	5.	Vancouver Canucks	91	6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	86	7.	Nashville Predators	84	8.	St. Louis Blues	83	9.	Anaheim Ducks	82	10.	Edmonton Oilers	81	11.	Minnesota Wild	80
Western Conference, 3/30
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	109 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Calgary Flames	92
4.	Chicago Blackhawks	91
5.	Vancouver Canucks	89
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	86
7.	Nashville Predators	82
8.	Edmonton Oilers	81
9.	St. Louis Blues	81
10.	Anaheim Ducks	80
11.	Minnesota Wild	78
Western Conference, 3/31
1.	y-San Jose Sharks	111 pts
2.	x-Detroit Red Wings	107
3.	Calgary Flames	92
4.	Chicago Blackhawks	91
5.	Vancouver Canucks	91
6.	Columbus Blue Jackets	86
7.	Nashville Predators	84
8.	St. Louis Blues	83
9.	Anaheim Ducks	82
10.	Edmonton Oilers	81
11.	Minnesota Wild	80

The Sharks open a four-point lead over Detroit for the top seed with their win over the Flames. Calgary, meanwhile, has to be sweating bullets at this point. A Northwest Division title that looked to be theirs to lose is almost lost, given how Vancouver has been playing.

.

What's Next

Florida knows they have to keep winning to make the playoffs. They host Ottawa, which is no picnic, because the Senators have been playing pretty well.

The Canadiens host Original Six rival Chicago, as they continue their quest to move back up the East ladder. Chicago, meanwhile, finds itself tied with Vancouver for the last home-ice spot in the first round out West.

The Canucks will be in Minnesota Tuesday, where the Wild absolutely have to get a win to stay in the race.

Nashville and Columbus meet, with the Predators just two points back of the Blue Jackets for sixth in the West. Also, Anaheim meets up with Edmonton in a virtual must-win for both teams.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.

Stars Stumble Out of Picture originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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