Consider the nightly rotations a mere warmup for a postseason that could feature a handful of teams who missed the playoffs last year. Teams like Tampa Bay, Vegas and Winnipeg are making life hard for postseason regulars, though luckily for two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh, there's plenty of time to climb back into contention. Then again, the Chicago Blackhawks, with three Stanley Cups since 2010, are further back and in danger of missing the playoffs entirely without a late surge.
"Anytime you get a little break, you want to come back and really be on top of your game because from now on, it's only going to get harder," Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne said.