Instead of wishing for the demise of everyone other than ourselves, I think it's time to focus our ill-will. We are in a dogfight with VAN, PHX and NSH -- and, yes, obviously we want them to lose -- but if they have to win, please let them beat DET, CGY, MIN, DAL, STL and ANA, because if those teams get finished off, our chance of making the playoffs becomes about 100%. Also, I don't think VAN, PHX or NSH are going to fold, while CGY (to pick a name) is right on the brink. Three games tonight illustrate the benefit of acknowledging that as much as we want the Coyotes to lose, it's better if they beat the Flames [they half-did], it's better if the Oilers beat the Blues [didn't], better if the Avs beat the Wild [didn't]. The sooner those teams with the most precarious playoff hopes lose the will to live, the better for the rest of us.

Tonight's results:

The Good: Kings win, Avs lose, Flames half-lose, Sharks half-lose.

The Bad: Yotes win (BOOO 3ptgame!), Wild win, Blues win, Hawks win (another 3 pointer)

The Indifferent Shrug: Jackets lose, Oilers lose.

So where does that leave us?

Kings are still tied at 5th, three points from 4th (actually 3 points from 3rd, but they can't get to 3rd unless they can the Sharks, so...), 7 points from 9th. A mere 5 points separate COL, VAN, PHX, LAK and NSH. 15 points separate 3rd (VAN) from 13th (ANA).

Two points "awarded" for every loss, one point for every OTL/SOL. Lowest point total is best. Number in parentheses is the official standings (via ESPN). Last number (+/-) is number of points (in my system) ahead or behind Los Angeles. Because it's a Kings-centric universe. 

1. San Jose Sharks 29 (1) +12
2. Chicago Blackhawks 30 (2) +11
3. Vancouver Canucks 38 (3) +3
4. Colorado Avalanche 38 (5) +3
5. Phoenix Coyotes 41 (4) 0
6. Los Angeles Kings 41 (6) --
7. Nashville Predators 43 (7) -2
8. Detroit Red Wings 47 (9) -6
9. Calgary Flames 48 (8) -7
10. Dallas Stars 49 (11) -8
11. Minnesota Wild 50 (10) -9
12. St. Louis Blues 52 (12) -11
13. Anaheim Ducks 53 (13) -12
14. Columbus Blue Jackets 61 (14) -20
15. Edmonton Oilers 66 (15) -25

Tie breaker is games-played, except that the winner of the tie breaker is the team who has played more games. If this seems counter-intuitive, consider this: A team with a 10-2 record is better than a team with a 2-2 record, who is, in turn better than a team that's 0-2.