Zee said:
Leafs can catch the Habs. Only 4 points back. I didn't expect that 2 weeks ago
They're ahead of the Habs 24-23 in ROWs. They've already clinched the head-to-head points match up 6-0 (with a game to play) - the 2nd tie breaker so the Habs must win 2 more of their six remaining games than the Leafs do in regulation or OT to win the Leafs tiebreaker. And the Leafs have a game against the Habs at the end of the regular season.
If the Leafs can pick up 2 points on the Habs before that game, they have a good chance at winning the tiebreaker between the two and passing the Habs to get home ice in the first round - if they also win that final game. A couple of fairly large IFs but given the way the Habs and Leafs have been playing, the Leafs actually have a respectable shot now at pulling it off.
And they're only 3 points behind the Bruins (who have a game in hand) while ahead of the Bruins 24-22 in ROWs (the first tiebreaker). The Bruins won the 2nd head-to-head points tiebreaker 6-3 should it come to that. But again, the Leafs have some sort of a shot at passing the Bruins should the Bruins wobble and the Leafs continue their hot play.
I had to keep pinching myself as I typed that given where my thoughts were at the start of the season.