NHL: 3 Eastern Conference teams to watch in the second half
The NHL All-Star break is over and now teams are in full playoff-hunt mode. Here are three teams to keep your eye on as we near the end of the 2018-19 season.
We are over halfway through the 2018-19 NHL season and the bubble playoff teams are starting to ramp it up. The Eastern Conference is full of surprises, from the New York Islanders being first in the Metropolitan Division to the Pittsburgh Penguins barely squeezing by.
Here are three teams in the Eastern Conference to watch as we enter the final lap of the NHL season.
3. Buffalo Sabres
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At the beginning of the season, it seemed like no one could stop the Buffalo Sabres. They went 17-7-3 in October and November, including a 10 game winning streak. Carter Hutton and Linus Ullmark were the talk of the league and Jeff Skinner led the league in goals for a little while.
Since then, they have been 7-12-4 and are now on the outside looking in at the wild card spot. It’s not like the team is playing poorly. Of those 16 losses, 10 of them have been by a single goal. This team just can’t seem to get the job done and it’s more of a mental problem than a skill problem.
Luckily, for them, the All-Star break gave the players the chance to recharge and now they’re ready to go for their first playoff appearance in eight years.
Will the Buffalo Sabres get out of the slump? Or will this be one of the biggest collapses we have seen in the NHL in a while?
light. Related Story. NHL Power Rankings
2. Montreal Canadiens
When the Montreal Canadiens traded Max Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights, it seemed like a rebuild and tanking season was imminent. Instead, this team exploded out of the gates with a 6-3-2 record in October. There was a stretch where they lost 5 straight games, but besides that, the Canadiens have never lost more than three straight games all season.
Max Domi thrives on the big stage that is Montreal and leads the team with 44 points (16G 28A) while Tomas Tatar has refound his groove after losing it in Vegas. This team is getting timely production from the entire team and Shea Weber is playing like he’s never broken a single bone in his body. In their last 6 games before the All-Star break, they went 5-1 and are a point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for second place in the Atlantic Division.
This team is strong at even strength and Carey Price is playing fully healthy. When Price is at the top of his game, this team is instantly a contender. Right now, the Atlantic Division is weak (other than Tampa Bay) and the Canadiens have the potential to make some damage before April rolls around.
1. New York Islanders
After losing long-time captain and scoring leader John Tavares to free agency, it seemed like the New York Islanders would go into a tailspin. Instead, Mat Barzal has taken over, Robin Lehner has regained his form, and the team is not first in the Metropolitan Division with 63 points.
They started off the season mediocre but turned it up before the All-Star break. Since December 15th, they have been 15-4, destroying formidable teams with devastating ease. They beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1, the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0, and the Washington Capitals 2-0.
Next. Can the Washington Capitals rebound?. dark
This team will look to continue their first-half success and reach their first playoff berth since 2016. It will be interesting to see if they can keep their dominance or if they will eventually slip down the standings as teams like the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins start to ramp it up.