What tonight means for the Washington Capitals' playoff race
The Washington Capitals are 5-3-0, 10 points with a magic number of 152 and a tragic number of 154 — holding Metropolitan #3 — trying to stay ahead of New York Islanders (next in Metropolitan).
Tonight they host Los Angeles Kings.
Nothing is decided for a playoff berth tonight.
Playoff berth
Nothing is decided for a playoff berth tonight.
The Washington Capitals can't clinch a playoff berth tonight — the magic number is 152 points, more than tonight's games can take off it. The earliest it could happen is 38 games from now.
The Washington Capitals can't be eliminated tonight; the tragic number is 154 and tonight's games can't bring it to zero.
Games that matter tonight
- Los Angeles Kings at Washington Capitals
- Anaheim Ducks at New York Islanders
- Toronto Maple Leafs at Columbus Blue Jackets
- San Jose Sharks at Montréal Canadiens
- Colorado Avalanche at New Jersey Devils
4 other NHL games with a smaller bearing on this race were left out of the enumeration, so a path that depends on one of them isn't listed. Every path shown is a real guarantee.
Every combination of these results (0 in all) was checked with the same conservative math as the standings page, so each path listed is a mathematical guarantee — no tiebreaker assumptions in your favor. Want the result-by-result version? The rooting guide on the team page shows what each game does to the numbers.
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Frequently asked questions
How can the Washington Capitals clinch a playoff spot tonight?
The Washington Capitals can't clinch a playoff berth tonight — the magic number is 152 points, more than tonight's games can take off it. The earliest it could happen is 38 games from now.
Can the Washington Capitals be eliminated tonight?
The Washington Capitals can't be eliminated tonight; the tragic number is 154 and tonight's games can't bring it to zero.
What is the Washington Capitals magic number right now?
The Washington Capitals magic number is 152 and their tragic number is 154.
How are these scenarios calculated?
Every combination of results in the NHL games that bear on the race tonight is enumerated, and the magic and tragic numbers are recomputed in each one with the same conservative math as the standings page. The paths listed are the minimal sets of results that guarantee the outcome no matter how the other games end.