Playoff snapshot

First off, given last week's barrage, I figured we could all use a week off from polls. So onto more important things.

Seattle lost to Spokane on Sunday evening, so with four weeks remaining in the regular season here's how the race for the Western Conference's final two playoff berths stands:

7. SEATTLE, 42 points, 13 games remaining
8. VICTORIA, 42 points, 13 games remaining
9. EVERETT, 41 points, 14 games remaining
10. PRINCE GEORGE, 40 points, 15 games remaining.

All four teams are within .005 in winning percentage. It doesn't get any closer than that. Everett is the hottest of the four teams, having gone 6-4 in its past 10 games. Prince George is next at 4-6, then Victoria at 2-7-0-1 and Seattle at 2-8. However, the Tips have all those shootout losses, meaning they have the fewest wins of all four teams, and total wins is the first tiebreaker (though if two teams finished tied for eighth there will be a one-game playoff).

Here's each team's remaining schedule:

SEATTLE (13) - Evt, TC, @TC, @Evt, @Por, @PG, @PG, Por, Evt, Spo, @Spo, Evt, @Por.

VICTORIA (13) - @Kam, @PG, @PG, Spo, Spo, Van, Van, @Evt, @Kel, @Evt, @Van, Por, Por.

EVERETT (14) - @TC, @TC, @Sea, Por, Kam, Sea, TC, Vic, Por, Vic, @Sea, @Kel, @TC, @Sea.

PRINCE GEORGE (15) - @Por, @Por, Vic, Vic, MH, MH, Spo, Spo, Sea, Sea, @Kel, @TC, @TC, @Kam, Kam.

Seattle and Victoria both have two-game trips to Prince George, which will be critical games for everyone. And Everett still has those four games against Seattle and two against Victoria. Otherwise, I don't really see any team having a more favorable schedule.