Amazingly, there is a scenario in which over the next few days the Philadelphia Flyers and Florida Panthers could end the season tied in every category the NHL uses to determine standings. That’s exactly what the league addressed today when they released the tie-breaker procedures for such a scenario.
For the purposes of the 2017-18 season, the tiebreaking game would be played Tuesday, April 10.
The Philadelphia Flyers (41-26-14, 96 points) currently occupy the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Florida Panthers (42-30-8, 92 points) the only team capable of catching them.
* The Flyers (81 GP) and Panthers (80 GP) are tied in ROW (39). The teams split their season series (after eliminating the odd home game between them). Philadelphia currently is +3 in goal differential for the season, while Florida is -1.
* Therefore, the teams would play a tiebreaking game if Philadelphia loses its final game of the season by two goals exactly (Saturday vs. NYR) and Florida wins its final two contests, both in shootouts (Saturday vs. BUF, Sunday at BOS).
For the potential game, home ice would be determined by an equal odds draw and overtime would be played like it is in the playoffs—that is, 20-minute 5-on-5 sudden death periods until a winner is determined.
Obviously this is an extremely unlikely scenario, but it is definitely one most fans would love to see happen.
So basically its not going to happen
Not unless Gary Bettman has the same influence with Russian “fixers” that Donald Trump does.
take away ROW as a toe breaker and make it Regular time wins only. ROW makes less sense now that 3 on 3 overtime is in place.
Do we think the Panthers score on themselves to send a game to OT if the Flyers are losing? That would be something.
If Florida wins during regulation they would have the ROW tiebreaker. They are currently both at 39. So they would be dumb to do that to try to make this scenario happen purposely.
Why, the very idea of someone in Florida being considered dumb is unfathomable! guffaw guffaw.
Why would they want to play a tiebreaker game