NHL history was made when the Washington Capitals reached 100 points in their 4-3 shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. It’s the first time eight teams in the same conference reached 100 points in the same season.
The Capitals (100 points) joined seven other Eastern Conference teams: the Florida Panthers (120), Carolina Hurricanes (112), Maple Leafs (111), New York Rangers (108), Tampa Bay Lightning (106), Boston Bruins (103), and Pittsburgh Penguins (101).
Each of the eight teams has clinched a Stanley Cup Playoff berth.
Florida has clinched first place in the Atlantic Division and the top seed in the conference.
The Hurricanes and Rangers, in the Metropolitan Division, each have clinched home-ice advantage for the first round, but first place is undecided.
No playoff matchups in the East have been set. The playoffs begin Monday, May 2.
Seven teams from a conference had reached 100 points in the same season twice: in the Western Conference in 2006-07 and 2009-10.
In 2006-07, the seven teams were the Detroit Red Wings (113 points), Anaheim Ducks and Nashville Predators (110), Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks (107), Vancouver Canucks (105) and Minnesota Wild (104). The Calgary Flames were the next closest with 96 points.
In 2009-10, the seven teams were the Sharks (113 points), Chicago Blackhawks (112), Phoenix Coyotes (107), Canucks (103), Red Wings (102), Los Angeles Kings (101) and Predators (100). The Colorado Avalanche were the next closest with 95 points.
There have been six instances of six teams reaching 100 points, most recently 2018-19 in the East.
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