Washington Capitals become 16th team to qualify for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Washington Capitals have become the 16th team to qualify for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. On Tuesday, the Capitals booked their ticket to the postseason by beating the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1. The Capitals received a first period goal from Alexander Ovechkin of Moscow, Russia, and a third period goal from T.J. Oshie of Everett, Washington.

Qualified for the Playoffs in Bizarre Circumstances

The Capitals were postseason bound in strange and bizarre circumstances. With the Flyers and Capitals tied at one late in the third period, the Flyers pulled goaltender Samuel Ersson of Falun, Sweden. Heading into the game, the Flyers needed a win in regulation and some help to get into the playoffs. However at the time Flyers head coach John Tortorella pulled Ersson, the Flyers had already been eliminated because the Detroit Red Wings forced overtime against the Montreal Canadiens. When Tortorella pulled Ersson, he we was not aware of the outcome in Montreal. With the Capitals victory. they not only eliminated the Detroit Red Wings, but the Pittsburgh Penguins too.

Playoff Matchups in the East Set

We now know the four playoff matchups in the Eastern Conference. They are the Boston Bruins versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Florida Panthers versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, the New York Rangers against the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Panthers versus the New York Islanders.

What is happening in the West?

We know the eight teams from the West in the playoffs. They are the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights and Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division, and the Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators in the Central Division. The Stars have clinched the Central Division and the Canucks have clinched the Pacific Division. The Oilers are second in the Pacific Division, while the Jets and Avalanche are second and third respectively in the Central. What we do not know yet is who will be third and fourth in the Pacific, and who will be the seventh and eighth seeds.