Lightning, Kings off to chart-topping starts
Monday, 11.01.2010 / 4:41 PM
/ Bolts Report
NHL.com
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NEW YORK -- The October portion of the 2010-11 regular-season schedule concluded Saturday with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Los Angeles Kings atop the Eastern and Western Conference, respectively. The Lightning (7-2-1, .750) placed first in the East in October for the first time, while the Kings (8-3-0, .727) topped the West for the first time since 1990-91.
A first-place perch in the conference through Oct. 31 does not guarantee a ring and a parade next June, although seven of the past 12 Stanley Cup champions did lead their conference at that season milestone. The past 12 Stanley Cup-winning clubs are a combined 94-23-17 (.765) in October of their championship season.
First place in the conference has served as a reliable playoff predictor over the years.Only twice in the past 24 seasons has a team missed the playoffs after leading its conference at the end of October. The Philadelphia Flyers missed the Eastern Conference playoffs in 1993-94 and the Toronto Maple Leafs missed the Campbell Conference playoffs in 1988-89. But with just six points separating the top 12 teams in each conference this season, no club can afford to take its foot off the accelerator.
A first-place perch in the conference through Oct. 31 does not guarantee a ring and a parade next June, although seven of the past 12 Stanley Cup champions did lead their conference at that season milestone. The past 12 Stanley Cup-winning clubs are a combined 94-23-17 (.765) in October of their championship season.
First place in the conference has served as a reliable playoff predictor over the years.Only twice in the past 24 seasons has a team missed the playoffs after leading its conference at the end of October. The Philadelphia Flyers missed the Eastern Conference playoffs in 1993-94 and the Toronto Maple Leafs missed the Campbell Conference playoffs in 1988-89. But with just six points separating the top 12 teams in each conference this season, no club can afford to take its foot off the accelerator.
| SEASON | EAST LEADER (10/31) | RESULT | WEST LEADER (10/31) | RESULT | CUP WINNER |
| 2010-11 | TBL (7-2-1) | TBD | LAK (8-3-0) | TBD | TBD |
| 2009-10 | PIT (11-3-1) | 2nd rd loss | COL (10-2-2) | 1st rd loss | CHI (8-4-1) |
| 2008-09 | NYR (10-2-1) | 1st rd loss | SJS (9-2-0) | 1st rd loss | PIT (5-4-2) |
| 2007-08 | OTT (9-1-0) | 1st rd loss | DET (10-2-1) | Won Cup | DET (10-2-1) |
| 2006-07 | BUF (10-0-1) | 3rd rd loss | ANA (9-0-3) | Won Cup | ANA (9-0-3) |
| 2005-06 | CAR (8-2-1) | Won Cup | DET (11-1-0) | 1st rd loss | CAR (8-2-1) |
| 2003-04 | BOS (6-2-3) | 1st rd loss | VAN (7-2-2) | 1st rd loss | TBL (6-0-1) |
| 2002-03 | PHI (7-1-2) | 2nd rd loss | MIN (8-1-2) | 3rd rd loss | NJD (6-2-0) |
| 2001-02 | NYI (9-0-2) | 1st rd loss | DET (11-2-0) | Won Cup | DET (11-2-0) |
| 2000-01 | OTT (7-1-3) | 1st rd loss | COL (9-1-2) | Won Cup | COL (9-1-2) |
| 1999-00 | TOR (9-3-1) | 2nd rd loss | PHX (8-2-3) | 1st rd loss | NJD (6-3-2) |
| 1998-99 | PHI (5-3-2) | 1st rd loss | DAL (6-1-2) | Won Cup | DAL (6-1-2) |
| 1997-98 | OTT (8-3-3) | 2nd rd loss | DET (10-2-2) | Won Cup | DET (10-2-2) |
| 1996-97 | FLA (8-0-4) | 1st rd loss | DAL (9-2-0) | 1st rd loss | DET (7-4-1) |
| 1995-96 | PHI (7-1-3) | 2nd rd loss | COL (7-3-1) | Won Cup | COL (7-3-1) |
