NHL Playoff Race Update: Red Wings, Islanders Secure Huge Wins

(Photo : (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)) SUNRISE, FLORIDA - MARCH 30: Dylan Larkin #71 of the Detroit Red Wings (R) celebrates his powerplay goal against the Florida Panthers at 16:00 of the third period and is joined by Lucas Raymond #23 (L) at Amerant Bank Arena on March 30, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. The Panthers defeated the Red Wings 3-2 in the shootout.

As the playoff race in the NHL's Eastern Conference reaches a fever pitch with just two weeks remaining in the regular season, some big games on Monday night shook up the standings in a major way.

As four teams jockey for the last two playoff spots in the East, the playoff field for the Western Conference is more or less set in stone.

So let's focus on what happened in the East last night, as this race is getting intense fast.

NHL Playoff Race: Islanders Stay Alive with OT Win Over Flyers

Last night was a big 4-3 overtime win for the New York Islanders over the Philadelphia Flyers, but it could have been bigger.

The Islanders won 4-3 in OT on Brock Nelson's 30th goal of the season, but they let the Flyers pick up an important extra point, as Morgan Frost scored with 10 seconds left on the clock to send the game into overtime.

After a massive slump seemingly knocked them all the way out of the race a couple of weeks ago, the Islanders have worked their way back into the picture.

For the Flyers, the OT loss represents a missed opportunity to put another point of distance between them and the hard-charging Washington Capitals, who look poised to overtake them in the standings soon.

NHL Playoff Race: Red Wings Pick Up Statement Win over Lightning

Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings, who like the Islanders have been sliding out of the race over the past month and a half, got into the win column with a huge 4-2 road win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Red Wings looked like a lock to make the playoffs in late January and early February, but an absolutely disgusting stretch of play has put their season very much in peril.

Last night could go a long way toward getting them that second wild card spot, as they picked up a point on the Flyers, who are their main competition for that position.

David Perron's late third period goal gave the Red Wings a 3-2 lead at the end of regulation, which was added on to by an empty-netter moments later.

NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

Philadelphia Flyers: 83 points, 6 games remaining
Washington Capitals: 82 points, 9 games remaining
Detroit Red Wings: 82 points, 7 games remaining
New York Islanders: 79 points, 8 games remaining

As things stand, though they're technically behind the Flyers right now, the Washington Capitals are firmly in the driver's seat to win the third place spot in the Metropolitan Division, setting up a showdown with the loser of the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes in the division winner race.

The Capitals have three games in hand on the Flyers to make up their one point deficit, though the Flyers still could go on a run to close the season and earn that spot.

Assuming it is the Caps in the third Metro spot, though, leaves the Flyers, Red Wings, and Islanders competing for the second and final wild card spot with the Tampa Bay Lightning securely holding the first wild card spot.

The Islanders have their next two games against bottom-feeders Columbus and Chicago, which make up their two games in hand on Philadelphia, setting them up to potentially close that gap and force a tie with the Flyers.

The Islanders' propensity for losing after regulation this year is keeping them afloat in the points race, but it will hurt them majorly in any tiebreaker scenarios.