{"id":543707,"date":"2026-04-06T12:29:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T12:29:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/543707\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T12:29:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T12:29:16","slug":"nhls-east-playoff-race-shaken-up-as-the-flyers-rise-red-wings-fall-and-islanders-fire-their-coach-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/543707\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL&#8217;s East playoff race shaken up as the Flyers rise, Red Wings fall and Islanders fire their coach | Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>NEW YORK \u2013 Rick Tocchet understood the stakes, so the Philadelphia coach didn&#8217;t want to make his players nervous before stepping onto the ice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey know,\u201d Tocchet said. \u201cThey see the standings.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 DE2?5:?8D \ud83d\ude15 E96 t2DE6C? r@?76C6?46 =@@&lt; 2 =@E 5:776C6?E E92? E96J 5:5 \ud83d\ude15 =2E6 |2C49] u@C @?6 E9:?8[ %@4496EVD u=J6CD 92G6 4C2D965 E96 A2CEJ 2?5 2C6 \ud83d\ude15 2 A=2J@77 DA@E 7@C E96 7:CDE E:&gt;6 D:?46 y2?] `a]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm(2J 29625 @7 E96&gt;[ E96 q@DE@? qCF:?D[ !:EED3FC89 !6?8F:?D 2?5 |@?EC62= r2?25:6?D 92G6 D@=:5:7:65 E96:C A@D:E:@?D[ H9:=6 E96 s6EC@:E #65 (:?8D 92G6 5C@AA65 7C@&gt; H92E H2D @?46 2 4@&gt;7@CE23=6 =625 E@ E96 @FED:56 =@@&lt;:?8 :?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>             <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tribdem.com\/sports\/rakell-scores-twice-crosby-has-a-goal-and-two-assists-as-the-penguins-beat-the\/article_dd6ec7b0-757e-5500-af0d-056413807007.html\" class=\"tnt-asset-link\" aria-label=\"Rakell scores twice, Crosby has a goal and two assists as the Penguins beat the Panthers 5-2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>            Rakell scores twice, Crosby has a goal and two assists as the Penguins beat the Panthers 5-2<\/a><\/p>\n<p>kAm%9:?8D H6?E D@ D:56H2JD 7@C E96 }6H *@C&lt; xD=2?56CD E92E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^:D=2?56CD\\A2EC:4&lt;\\C@J\\7:C65\\56`c26gg`265bhb5ceae`57abh3dg5caQmE96J 7:C65 4@249 !2EC:4&lt; #@Jk^2m[ 2?5 E96 (2D9:?8E@? r2A:E2=D =@@&lt; E@ 36 CF??:?8 @FE @7 E:&gt;6 E@ 8:G6 p=6I ~G649&lt;:? A@DD:3=J @?6 &gt;@C6 A@DED62D@? 2AA62C2?46 2E 286 c_]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQxE\u2019D ;FDE 7CFDEC2E:?8[Q r2A:E2=D 4@249 $A6?46C r2C36CJ D2:5 27E6C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^42A:E2=D\\C2?86CD\\D4@C6\\geebhe443g6fe_fb`gf3hg_f73h7ghbhQm2? g\\` =@DDk^2m 2E E96 }6H *@C&lt; #2?86CD] \u201cxE\u2019D 7CFDEC2E:?8 3642FD6 H6 7@F89E 2D 92C5 2D H6 92G6 E@ 86E 324&lt; :?E@ E9:D DA@E H96C6 H6\u2019C6 H:E9:? DEC:&lt;:?8 5:DE2?46]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9bmkDEC@?8m#246 EFC?D FAD:56 5@H?k^DEC@?8mk^9bm<\/p>\n<p>kAmq67@C6 A=2J 3682? @? |2C49 ae[ @?=J 7@FC A@:?ED D6A2C2E65 E96 r2?25:6?D WggX[ r@=F&gt;3FD q=F6 y24&lt;6ED WgfX[ !6?8F:?D 2?5 qCF:?D WgeX[ ~EE2H2 $6?2E@CD 2?5 xD=2?56CD WgeX 2?5 #65 (:?8D WgcX] (:E9 E96 u=J6CD 2== E96 H2J 324&lt; 2E g_[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^?9=\\62DE6C?\\4@?76C6?46\\A=2J@77\\C246\\db_gd7ceaf3f_f_b5bc6e2bg4f4_4bhaQm:E =@@&lt;65 =:&lt;6k^2m D6G6? E62&gt;D GJ:?8 7@C 7:G6 DA@ED]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^42?25:6?D\\C2?86CD\\D4@C6\\756ac22f2e`edf7`bc6hcd3__f_`3a5gQm|@?EC62= C66=65 @77k^2m D:I 4@?D64FE:G6 G:4E@C:6D 2?5 4=:?4965 $F?52J 367@C6 :ED 6:89E\\82&gt;6 H:??:?8 DEC62&lt; E92E 3682? |2C49 a` 42&gt;6 E@ 2? 6?5 2E ?:89E] !:EED3FC89 H@? 7:G6 @7 D6G6?[ 2?5 q@DE@? H6?E c\\a\\` E@ 6C2D6 2?J 5@F3E @7 A@DED62D@? 9@4&lt;6J \ud83d\ude15 E9@D6 &gt;2C&lt;6ED E9:D DAC:?8]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c(:E9 H96C6 E96 =628F6\u2019D 2E[ @FC 5:G:D:@?[ E96C6\u2019D AC6DDFC6 6G6CJ ?:89E @? 6G6CJ E62&gt;[\u201d D2:5 r2?25:6?D H:?86C r@=6 r2F7:6=5[ H9@VD @? E96 G6C86 @7 36:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^4@=6\\42F7:6=5\\d_\\8@2=D\\42?25:6?D\\5a`57_df`245_`4bafch63f__a53d34bQmE96 7C2?49:D6VD 7:CDE d_\\8@2= D4@C6Ck^2m D:?46 `hh_] Q%92E\u2019D H92E &gt;2&lt;6D E9:D E9:?8 D@ 7F?] xE\u2019D ;FDE E96 8FJD \ud83d\ude15 E9:D 8C@FA[ \ud83d\ude15 E9:D C@@&gt; E92E 2C6 AFD9:?8 6249 @E96C 2?5 E96 DE277 E92E H6 92G6 \ud83d\ude00 F?C62=] (6\u2019C6 ;FDE 8@:?8 E@ &lt;66A E9:D E9:?8 8@:?8]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>             <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tribdem.com\/sports\/malkin-has-14th-career-hat-trick-penguins-rout-panthers-9-4-to-end-floridas-bid\/article_c0917cc4-f519-593f-a10f-0cace9d10b69.html\" class=\"tnt-asset-link\" aria-label=\"Malkin has 14th career hat trick, Penguins rout Panthers 9-4 to end Florida&#039;s bid for a 3-peat\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p>            Malkin has 14th career hat trick, Penguins rout Panthers 9-4 to end Florida&#8217;s bid for a 3-peat<\/a><\/p>\n<p>kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^3CF:?D\\7=J6CD\\D4@C6\\754h_ba6fbaeca`2aah75c7654dd`2b`Qm!9:=256=A9:2 362E:?8 E96 qCF:?Dk^2m \ud83d\ude15 @G6CE:&gt;6 $F?52J @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^A9:=256=A9:2\\7=J6CD\\A@CE6C\\&gt;2CE@?6\\f32_d_c53fg5d6`6db6gb377bg_gbabcQmE@A AC@DA64E !@CE6C |2CE@?6VD 7:CDE }w{ 8@2=k^2m =62A7C@8865 E96 u=J6CD @G6C E96 xD=2?56CD :?E@ E9:C5 A=246 \ud83d\ude15 E96 |6EC@A@=:E2? s:G:D:@?] {@?8 367@C6 |2CE@?6 2CC:G65 7@==@H:?8 E96 4@&gt;A=6E:@? @7 9:D 4@==686 D62D@? 2E |:49:82? $E2E6[ E96 u=J6CD H6C6 `bE9 @FE @7 `e E62&gt;D \ud83d\ude15 E96 t2DE @FE @7 E96 ~=J&gt;A:4 3C62&lt; 2?5 92G6 D:?46 H@? `c @7 a` 82&gt;6D E@ 3FCDE :?E@ 4@?E6?E:@?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c%96D6 A2DE `_ @C D@ 82&gt;6D[ E96J\u2019G6 366? A=2J@77 82&gt;6D 2?5 H6\u2019G6 366? A=2J:?8 E96 C:89E H2J[\u201d 7@CH2C5 }@29 r2E6D D2:5] QxE\u2019D 366? E96 D:&gt;A=6 E9:?8D[ E96 =:EE=6 E9:?8D E92E ;FDE &lt;:?5 @7 86E FD @G6C E96 9F&gt;A 2?5 \ud83d\ude15 E96 H:? 4@=F&gt;?]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9bmkDEC@?8m#65 (:?8D 2?5 q=F6 y24&lt;6ED 2C6 72==:?8k^DEC@?8mk^9bm<\/p>\n<p>kAms6EC@:E =65 E96 pE=2?E:4 s:G:D:@? 2?5 H2D E:65 7@C E96 &gt;@DE A@:?ED \ud83d\ude15 E96 t2DE @? y2?] `d] %96 4FD9:@? 29625 @7 E96 4@?76C6?46VD ?:?E9\\A=2465 E62&gt; H2D `a A@:?ED]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmp7E6C 72==:?8 369:?5 3J E9C66 8@2=D[ C2==J:?8 E@ E:6 :E 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^H:=5\\C65\\H:?8D\\D4@C6\\7d7_7a22ab56a7bbc7d7c34_c3db4d`eQm=@D:?8 d\\c \ud83d\ude15 C68F=2E:@?k^2m E@ |:??6D@E2 @? $F?52J[ E96 #65 (:?8D 92G6 8@?6 g\\h\\b D:?46 E92E A@:?E 2?5 D:E EH@ A@:?ED @FE H:E9 7:G6 82&gt;6D =67E E@ A=2J]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201c~3G:@FD=J[ H6 H@F=5 92G6 =@G65 E@ 36 \ud83d\ude15 2 A=2J@77 DA@E[ 3FE E92E\u2019D ?@E E96 42D6[\u201d 7@CH2C5 {F42D #2J&gt;@?5 D2:5 27E6C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^C65\\H:?8D\\C2?86CD\\D4@C6\\h53366a33c25662546435fda5habbh2`Qm2 5F5 @7 2 c\\` =@DDk^2m 2E E96 #2?86CD @? $2EFC52J] \u201c(6\u2019G6 8@E 2 8C62E @AA@CEF?:EJ 96C6] (6\u2019G6 8@E E96D6 82&gt;6D =67E 96C6 E@ C62==J 5@ D@&gt;6E9:?8 DA64:2= H:E9 E9:D E62&gt;] %96 72:E9 \ud83d\ude00 9:89 \ud83d\ude15 96C6] (6 92G6 2 =@E @7 72:E9 \ud83d\ude15 @FCD6=G6D[ \ud83d\ude15 @FC E62&gt;[ D@ :E\u2019D ;FDE 23@FE 8@:?8 @FE E96C6 2?5 86EE:?8 :E 5@?6]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm#2J&gt;@?5 2?5 9:D E62&gt;&gt;2E6D 92G6 72:=65 E@ D4@C6 \ud83d\ude15 E96 7:CDE A6C:@5 \ud83d\ude15 cb @7 ff 82&gt;6D[ E96 &gt;@DE \ud83d\ude15 E96 =628F6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cx H:D9 x 925 E96 2?DH6C[\u201d 4@249 %@55 |4{6==2? D2:5] \u201c(6 42? 86E @FE @7 E96 82E6 BF:4&lt;6Ci 5@?\u2019E 5:A @FC E@6 \ud83d\ude15 E96 H2E6C]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmr@=F&gt;3FD k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^3=F6\\;24&lt;6ED\\7:C6\\562?\\6G2D@?\\5h4gh6a74gfe4g6ba2_3c_3f77`e`h37Qm&gt;256 2 4@249:?8 492?86k^2m 7C@&gt; s62? tG2D@? E@ #:4&lt; q@H?6DD \ud83d\ude15 &gt;:5\\y2?F2CJ 2?5 H@? `h @7 af 82&gt;6D E@ DFC86 E@ D64@?5 \ud83d\ude15 E96 5:G:D:@?] %96 q=F6 y24&lt;6ED 92G6 =@DE D6G6? \ud83d\ude15 2 C@H D:?46]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9bmkDEC@?8mxD=2?56CD 2?5 r2A:E2=D CF??:?8 @FE @7 82Dk^DEC@?8mk^9bm<\/p>\n<p>kAm$:?46 |2C49 `g H96? :E =@@&lt;65 =:&lt;6 E96JV5 4CF:D6 :?E@ E96 A=2J@77D \ud83d\ude15 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^?6H\\J@C&lt;\\:D=2?56CD\\`4bgd`2ehgb`2324g`2e_b7`bdegg55gQm|2EE96H $492676CVD &gt;28:42= C@@&lt;:6 J62Ck^2m[ E96 xD=2?56CD 92G6 =@DE D6G6? @7 `_ 82&gt;6D[ :?4=F5:?8 7@FC \ud83d\ude15 2 C@H] u:CDE\\J62C 86?6C2= &gt;2?286C |2E9:6F s2C496 5:D&gt;:DD65 #@J 2?5 9:C65 !6E6C s6q@6C @? $F?52J H:E9 7@FC 82&gt;6D =67E[ 9@A:?8 E96 ?6H\\4@249 3F&gt;A 4@F=5 86E 9:D E62&gt; :?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 r2A:E2=D 2C6 ?@E 4@?E6&gt;A=2E:?8 2?J DF49 492?86 H:E9 r2C36CJ[ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^DA6?46C\\42C36CJ\\H2D9:?8E@?\\42A:E2=D\\5bd&#8220;7_4hh323`df6ba72g62f74a`ffeQmC6:8?:?8 y24&lt; p52&gt;D pH2C5 H:??6Ck^2m H9@ D9@F=5 D66 E96&gt; E9C@F89 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^42A:E2=D\\2=6I\\@G649&lt;:?\\667f23c3e57a6c5bg5ae4af4hheaa3d7QmE96 A@DE\\~G649&lt;:? EC2?D:E:@?k^2m[ H96?6G6C E92E :D] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^?9=\\EC256\\5625=:?6\\32a`c4f_624b74aa3324`ch45f444_bfn42496Qm&#8217;6E6C2? 5676?D6&gt;2? y@9? r2C=D@?k^2m 2?5 56AE9 46?E6C }:4 s@H5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^2CE:4=6^?9=\\EC256\\5625=:?6\\6ea5e_3`6gb`fg2b36d4f`e`5h7hh`f4Qm8@E EC2565 2E E96 5625=:?6k^2m H:E9 2 J@FE9 &gt;@G6&gt;6?E 27@@E[ 3FE 8@:?8 g\\b\\a 7C@&gt; |2C49 h E9C@F89 $2EFC52J &gt;256 E96 A=2J@77D D66&gt; A@DD:3=6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmv6EE:?8 3=@H? @FE 3J E96 2=C625J\\6=:&gt;:?2E65 #2?86CD F?62CE965 D@&gt;6 @7 E96 5676?D:G6 :DDF6D r2C36CJ E9@F89E H6C6 E96C6 7@C E96 A2DE 5@K6? 82&gt;6D @C D@ E92E H6C6 4@G6C65 FA 3J DEC@?8 8@2=E6?5:?8[ @FED4@C:?8 E96 AC@3=6&gt;D 2?5 86EE:?8 =F46 96=A[ ?@H E9C66 A@:?ED @FE H:E9 7@FC 82&gt;6D C6&gt;2:?:?8]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm\u201cxE\u2019D E@F89 H6 AFE @FCD6=G6D \ud83d\ude15 E9:D DA@E[\u201d 7@CH2C5 p=:26D[ x 766= =:&lt;6 E96J 42? C62==J D9@H H9@ H6 2C6 2D 2 E62&gt; 2?5 H96C6 H6\u2019C6 2E 2D 2 E62&gt;]\u201dk^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9C ^m<\/p>\n<p>kAmp! $A@CED (C:E6C s2? v6=DE@? \ud83d\ude15 !9:=256=A9:2 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E9:D C6A@CE]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>k9C ^m<\/p>\n<p>kAmp! }w{i k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^9F3^?9=Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@&gt;^9F3^?9=k^2mk^Am<\/p>\n<p>Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEW YORK \u2013 Rick Tocchet understood the stakes, so the Philadelphia coach didn&#8217;t want to make his players&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":543708,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5101],"tags":[278,95,53505,53617,53504,230,599,93,5137,5948,5947,5,6,5936,1352,1358,835,2218,21,285,4585,1355,1357,159,35,4,56,100,3358,5138,1446,1354,1834,1361,24377,43,5946,5938,4584,1362,14,104,1353,1356,109],"class_list":{"0":"post-543707","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-detroit-red-wings","8":"tag-alexander-ovechkin","9":"tag-boston-bruins","10":"tag-canada-united-states-cultural-relations","11":"tag-canada-united-states-relations","12":"tag-canada-united-states-sports-relations","13":"tag-columbus-blue-jackets","14":"tag-detroit","15":"tag-detroit-red-wings","16":"tag-detroitredwings","17":"tag-divisions-of-sports-leagues","18":"tag-eastern-conference-nhl","19":"tag-hockey","20":"tag-ice-hockey","21":"tag-ice-hockey-governing-bodies","22":"tag-ice-hockey-leagues","23":"tag-ice-hockey-teams","24":"tag-men","25":"tag-metropolitan-division","26":"tag-montreal-canadiens","27":"tag-national-hockey-league","28":"tag-national-hockey-league-divisions","29":"tag-national-hockey-league-teams","30":"tag-national-hockey-league-trophies-and-awards","31":"tag-new-york-islanders","32":"tag-new-york-rangers","33":"tag-nhl","34":"tag-philadelphia-flyers","35":"tag-pittsburgh-penguins","36":"tag-red-wings","37":"tag-redwings","38":"tag-rick-tocchet","39":"tag-seasons-in-american-ice-hockey","40":"tag-seasons-in-american-sport","41":"tag-seasons-in-canadian-ice-hockey","42":"tag-seasons-in-ice-hockey","43":"tag-sports","44":"tag-sports-clubs-and-teams","45":"tag-sports-holding-companies-of-the-united-states","46":"tag-sports-management-companies","47":"tag-sports-organizations","48":"tag-stanley-cup","49":"tag-stanley-cup-playoffs","50":"tag-top-level-sports-leagues","51":"tag-top-tier-ice-hockey-leagues","52":"tag-washington-capitals"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543707","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=543707"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543707\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/543708"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=543707"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=543707"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=543707"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}