John Locher/AP
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) is knocked to the ice by San Jose Sharks right wing Timo Meier (28) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, April 24, 2022, in Las Vegas.
Tuesday, April 26, 2022 | 2 a.m.
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “Hope, in reality, is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.”
There may not be a better way to describe the Golden Knights’ diminishing playoff hopes.
Vegas entered the final week of the regular season already needing to run the table in hopes of clinching a playoff spot. But thanks to their blown two-goal lead late in the third period Sunday against San Jose, the Golden Knights are in do-or-die territory and need help along the way.
“You hope that it doesn’t cost us a playoff spot. If it does, that’s a tough one to sleep on all summer," coach Pete DeBoer said. "I’m going to look at the glass half-full here. We found a way to get a point, and hopefully that point we got is the difference of us making it or not.”
The Golden Knights close the season with three road games in four nights, starting Tuesday in a pivotal matchup against one of the teams they’re chasing in the wild-card race, the Dallas Stars (5:30 p.m. PST, ATTSN-RM).
Dallas holds a three-point lead on Vegas for the second wild card spot in the West. For the Golden Knights to maximize their postseason lifeline, they must defeat the Stars in regulation.
“There’s no time to sulk,” forward Max Pacioretty said on Sunday. “We have a game against a team that we’re chasing in two days. If we win that game, anything can happen.”
Here’s a look at the playoff picture for the last three spots in the Western Conference.
Dallas Stars (44-30-5, 93 points), Second Wild Card
Remaining games: Tuesday vs. Vegas, Wednesday vs. Arizona, Friday vs. Anaheim
The Stars losing to Edmonton and Calgary last week kept the door open for the Golden Knights, and that’s why not getting the second point on Sunday hurts them.
Had Vegas won Sunday, a regulation win in Dallas would’ve given the Golden Knights the tiebreaker over the Stars via regulation wins (33-30).
The best the Golden Knights can do Tuesday is win in regulation and climb within a point, but the Stars finish the season at home against the Coyotes on Wednesday night and the Ducks on Friday. Arizona is tied for last in the NHL with 51 points, and Anaheim has lost eight of its last 10.
Vegas plays Chicago and St. Louis at the same time as Dallas’ games. Talk about drama.
Nashville Predators (44-29-6, 94 points), First Wild Card
Remaining games: Tuesday vs. Calgary, Thursday at Colorado, Friday at Arizona
Passing the Predators is still a possibility.
Nashville plays its home finale Tuesday against the Flames, who have already wrapped up the Pacific Division, and follow that with a back-to-back in Colorado and Arizona.
Those games against the West’s top two teams aren’t automatic losses for Nashville. Both have nothing to play for, but the Flames and Avalanche would ideally want to build momentum heading into the postseason.
The Colorado game is a question mark with the Avalanche on a four-game losing streak entering Tuesday’s game against the Blues.
Nashville would clinch with a regulation win in any of these last three games.
The best path for Vegas is if the Predators lose in regulation to the Flames and Avalanche, and then lose in any fashion to the Coyotes. Nashville can win one, but it would need to be in extra time.
Los Angeles Kings (43-27-10), 3rd Place, Pacific Division
Remaining games: Wednesday at Seattle, Thursday at Vancouver
It’s a small chance, but the Golden Knights could still pass their I-15 rivals in the division race and get a first-round matchup with the Oilers.
In order for that to happen, the Kings would need to lose both of their games in regulation — in Seattle, and the next night in Vancouver — with Vegas needing to win out in any fashion.
If the Kings secure one point, they will fly to Edmonton for Game 1.
Scoreboard aficionados believed Vegas’ best path to the playoffs was always Los Angeles, despite the Kings’ easy schedule down the stretch, but they responded with four straight wins entering the final week.
Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.
