NHL Push for the Playoffs: Golden Knights close to must-win territory

Push for the Playoffs will run every morning through the end of the 2021-22 NHL season. We’ll highlight the current playoff picture in both conferences, take a look at what the first-round matchups might look like, see who’s leading the race for the best odds in the draft lottery and more.

Monday has the potential to be a significant day in the Western Conference playoff race with the Stars and Golden Knights both in action. The two teams enter the day separated by four points in the standings, with Dallas occupying the first Wild Card spot and Vegas sitting just outside of the playoff picture. Vegas trails both Dallas and Nashville by four points for a Wild Card spot and the Kings by three points for the third spot in the Pacific Division.

Dallas visits Vancouver on Monday while the Golden Knights host the Devils. The outcome of those two games could go a long way toward determining the remaining playoff spots in the West and significantly alter the playoff odds for both teams. This is especially true for the Golden Knights who are running out of time (and margin for error) in their quest for a playoff spot. They have lost three of their past five games, including a 4-0 loss to the Oilers on Saturday, and will only have five games remaining after Monday.

Even though they are four points back of Dallas (and Nashville) for a Wild Card spot, and have a remaining head-to-head game with the Stars, the third spot in the Pacific might still be the Golden Knights’ best path for a playoff spot, but even that might change with a loss on Monday to the Devils. They still trail the Kings by three points, while Monday’s game is their extra game in hand they have on Los Angeles. They can not miss the opportunity to gain two points