The Kings are likely to be in a down-to-the-wire dogfight for 4th thru 8th place, with eight teams competing for six spots. One of CGY, COL or VAN will win the NW and get the 1-3 seed, and the other two will fight for 4-8. Two teams will lose out. The teams locked in combat are COL, NSH, VAN, LAK, CGY, PHX, DET and DAL. The question is, how are the Kings doing so far against these teams?
COL 0-0-0 (4 games remaining)
NSH 0-1-0 (3 games remaining)
VAN 0-2-1 (1 game remaining)
CGY 1-3-0 (0 games remaining)
PHX 3-2-0 (1 game remaining) note: PHX has 1 point from OTL
DET 0-1-0 (3 games remaining)
DAL 3-0-0 (3 games remaining) note: DAL has 2 pts fom OTLs
So: VAN and CGY have already won their season series with the Kings. As a result, we really, really want one of them to win the division, since one of them or COL has to take that spot anyway. If PHX wins the remaining (Kings) game in regulation, they win the season series. If DAL wins all three of the remaining games (at least two in regulation), they win the season series. Season series with COL, NSH and DET are very much up in the air.
Also, a tie among more than two teams changes the tie-breaker to total points earned in games played among the tied teams. So, as of now, we fare well if we’re tied with DAL and someone else, or PHX and someone else, and we fare poorly if we’re tied with CGY and someone else, or VAN and someone else. Although it’s highly insane and unlikely, a six-way tie for fourth is possible. So we should add up the Kings total record against these teams.
It’s 7-9-1. So we’re not rooting for the six-way tie either.