With only a few exceptions, top teams generally have one thing in common: They get consistently strong outings from their goalies. In fact, the starters on the Eastern Conference’s top four teams all boast better save percentages than Vokoun. Tim Thomas has a .936 save percentage in Boston; Henrik Lundqvist has a .932 percentage in New York; Florida’s Jose Theodore has a .924 percentage; and Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury is at .923.
– The Washington Post‘s Tarik El-Bashir; Tvo currently sports a .909 save percentage
The Eastern Front
|
Rank |
Team |
GP |
W |
L |
OT |
PTS |
GF |
GA |
Home |
Away |
L/10 |
Streak |
|
1 |
Pittsburgh |
27 |
16 |
7 |
4 |
36 |
85 |
66 |
8-1-2 |
8-6-2 |
6-3-1 |
Won 2 |
|
2 |
Boston |
24 |
16 |
7 |
1 |
33 |
85 |
51 |
10-5-1 |
6-2-0 |
9-0-1 |
Won 3 |
|
3 |
Florida |
26 |
14 |
8 |
4 |
32 |
73 |
65 |
5-2-4 |
9-6-0 |
6-3-1 |
Won 1 |
|
4 |
NY Rangers |
23 |
15 |
5 |
3 |
33 |
69 |
51 |
7-1-1 |
8-4-2 |
8-2-0 |
Won 5 |
|
5 |
Philadelphia |
25 |
15 |
7 |
3 |
33 |
88 |
73 |
6-4-2 |
9-3-1 |
7-3-0 |
Won 2 |
|
6 |
Toronto |
26 |
14 |
10 |
2 |
30 |
83 |
85 |
6-4-2 |
8-6-0 |
4-5-1 |
Lost 2 |
|
7 |
Buffalo |
26 |
14 |
11 |
1 |
29 |
72 |
69 |
6-8-1 |
8-3-0 |
4-5-1 |
Won 1 |
|
8 |
Washington |
25 |
13 |
11 |
1 |
27 |
75 |
79 |
9-4-1 |
4-7-0 |
3-7-0 |
Won 1 |
|
|
||||||||||||
|
9 |
Ottawa |
26 |
12 |
11 |
3 |
27 |
79 |
89 |
6-4-1 |
6-7-2 |
5-3-2 |
OT 1 |
|
10 |
Montreal |
27 |
11 |
11 |
5 |
27 |
67 |
69 |
4-5-4 |
7-6-1 |
4-4-2 |
Won 1 |
|
11 |
Winnipeg |
26 |
11 |
11 |
4 |
26 |
75 |
82 |
7-4-0 |
4-7-4 |
6-3-1 |
Won 2 |
|
12 |
New Jersey |
25 |
12 |
12 |
1 |
25 |
62 |
72 |
5-4-1 |
7-8-0 |
4-6-0 |
Lost 4 |
|
13 |
Tampa Bay |
25 |
11 |
12 |
2 |
24 |
67 |
80 |
7-4-0 |
4-8-2 |
3-7-0 |
Lost 3 |
|
14 |
NY Islanders |
24 |
8 |
11 |
5 |
21 |
52 |
78 |
5-6-2 |
3-5-3 |
4-4-2 |
Won 1 |
|
15 |
Carolina |
28 |
8 |
16 |
4 |
20 |
66 |
94 |
5-9-2 |
3-7-2 |
2-7-1 |
Lost 5 |
Why last night rocked (elsewhere):
- Trivial: former Cat David Booth had a fabulous evening, nabbing 3 points (1g) in a 5-1 ‘Nucks victory over Calgary. Chris Higgins equaled those numbers, while blueliner Keith Ballard added an assist.
Why last night jonesed:
- Everyone in the East got a moment to take a collective breath
Why tonight is a Big Deal:
Beyond the obvious, another nation’s capital city will be vying for our attention
- Toronto at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
- Boston at Pittsburgh, 7
- Tampa Bay at Ottawa, 7:30
Next up for the Cats:
- Like you don’t know; LBC Game Thread goes live at 7. If you’re going to the BAC, this Tweet from late last night may be of interest:
@FlaPanthers: Coming to the #FlaPanthers game [Monday]? Come early and head to the Panther Bar pre-game to be in a @FSPanthers commercial!
Related, but…
…in which category is this “Battle For First” being waged? First in what? On-time arrivals? Can’t be referring to the Southeast, obviously, since try as they might there is nothing either club can do to change things at the top of the division, at least on this night. Earned, that privilege was.