Ottawa and Pittsburgh each have 13 games played and 16 points. The first tie-breaker is percentage of possible points earned, so that's the same. A while back, the NHL switched the second tie-breaker from wins to "non-shootout" wins, so they each have 7 ROW (Regulation + OT wins) as well. The third tie-breaker is points earned in the head-to-head matchup. Pittsburgh beat Ottawa in their only game of the season, a 2-1 shootout victory. So why are the Senators ahead in the standings?
It never mattered before, because each conference team played their division members 6 times and their conference members 4 times. Now that some division matchups are 5 games and all conference matchups are 3 games, there's a new twist.
The third tie-breaker is:
"The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any "odd" games, shall be used to determine the standing." (Source: ESPN)Read: For each divisional season series with 5 games, only the last 2 games in each city count. For every conference season series with 3 games (all of them), only the last game in each city counts. This is the NHL's way of adjusting for "unfair" home ice advantage in a season series.
The 4th tie-breaker is goal differential. Since the Pens play in Ottawa twice this year, the first shootout win no longer matters in the head-to-head tie-breaker. So, Ottawa and their +10 trump Pittsburgh and their +9.
It certainly doesn't matter much now, but we'll see if it makes a difference in April.
Happy Geno Bobblehead Day!
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