Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Plenty on line in Central race

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2018 NHL postseason.There are 24 days left in the regular season and the races in each conference are wide open.
Here is a look at the NHL standings and everything else that could impact the playoff picture.

Clinching scenarios for Friday:

The Nashville Predators will clinch a playoff berth on Friday:
* If they defeat the Colorado Avalanche (9 p.m. ET; ALT, FS-TN, NHL.TV) in regulation or overtime.
OR
* If they defeat the Avalanche in a shootout AND either of the following occurs:
* The Anaheim Duckslose to the Detroit Red Wings (10 p.m. ET; SN1, FS-W, FS-D, NHL.TV) in any fashion or defeat the Red Wings in a shootout.
OR
* The Dallas Stars lose to the Ottawa Senators (7:30 p.m. ET; TSN5, RDS, FS-SW+, NHL.TV) in any fashion.

What's on tap

There are six games on the schedule Friday and each could have an impact on the race for positioning in the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
- The Islanders, who lost 7-3 at home to the Capitals on Thursday, are 10 points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference with 12 games remaining. The Capitals are tied atop the Metropolitan Division with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and have two games in hand on the Penguins, who don't play again until Tuesday.
- The Stars have lost the first three games (0-2-1) of their six-game road trip and are in a dogfight for a playoff spot. Dallas has 83 points and the second wild card in the West, leading the Anaheim Ducks by one point and the Calgary Flames by three. They are one point behind the Colorado Avalanche for the first wild card and two points behind Minnesota Wild for third place in the Central.
- The Predators can not only clinch a berth in the postseason, they are also looking to build their leads in the Central Division and Presidents' Trophy races. A win would give them a four-point lead on the Tampa Bay Lightning for the League lead and move them 10 points head of the Winnipeg Jets in the Central. The Avalanche could move past the Wild for third place in the Central with a win.
- Much is on the line in this Pacific Division battle. The Flames are three points behind the Stars for the second wild card from the West and two points behind the Ducks. The Sharks have a one-point lead on the Los Angeles Kings for second in the division.
- With a win against a Red Wings team that lost Thursday, the Ducks could put themselves in a wild-card spot from the West. They are one point behind the Stars for the second wild card and two points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the first wild card. The Stars and Avalanche each play Friday.
- The Wild are hoping to at least maintain their lead over the Avalanche (one point) and Stars (two points) for third in the Central. The Golden Knights have a 10-point lead on the Sharks for first in the Pacific Division and are seven points behind the Predators for first in the League.

Need to know

San Jose Sharks: Evander Kane has been with the Sharks for less than a month, but he is certainly fitting in with his teammates as they battle for a spot in the playoffs.
Amalie Benjamin has the story. 
Pittsburgh Penguins: Evengi Malkin scored his 40th goal of the season on Thursday, making things even tighter in the
race for the Rocket Richard Trophy. 

If playoffs started Friday

Here is a look at the matchups for the first round as they stand entering games Friday:
Eastern Conference
(1A) Tampa Bay Lightning vs (WC2) New Jersey Devils
(1M) Washington Capitals vs. (WC1) Columbus Blue Jackets
(2M) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (3M) Philadelphia Flyers
(2A) Boston Bruins vs. (3A) Toronto Maple Leafs
Western Conference
(1C) Nashville Predators vs. (WC2) Dallas Stars
(1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) Colorado Avalanche
(2C) Winnipeg Jets vs. (3C) Minnesota Wild
(2P) San Jose Sharks vs. (3P) Los Angeles Kings

About last night

There were nine games and plenty of movement in the playoff races on Thursday:
Florida Panthers 3, Boston Bruins 0 - James Reimer made 46 saves and Aleksander Barkov became the first Panthers player to reach 70 points in a season since Olli Jokinen did so a decade ago. Florida, 9-1-1 in its past 11 games, moved within three points of the New Jersey Devils for the second wild card from the East, and have two games in hand. Boston, playing without defenseman Zdeno Chara and forward Patrice Bergeron, remained four points behind the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division.
Toronto Maple Leafs 5, Buffalo Sabres 2 - James van Riemsdyk scored two goals to help the Maple Leafs move within five points of the Boston Bruins in the race for second place in the Atlantic. Toronto has played two more games than Boston.
Washington Capitals 7, New York Islanders 3 - Six different players scored for the Capitals, who stayed in first place in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals and Penguins have 87 points each, but the Capitals have two games in hand. The Islanders, 1-5-4 in their past 10 games, are 10 points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 12 games to play.
Columbus Blue Jackets 5, Philadelphia Flyers 3 - The red-hot Blue Jackets gained ground on the Flyers in this Metropolitan showdown. Each team has 81 points, but the Flyers are in third place because they have one more regulation and overtime win (33-32). Columbus, which has won six straight games, passed the Devils for the first wild card in the East.
Pittsburgh Penguins 5, Montreal Canadiens 3 - Patric Hornqvist scored two goals and his 400th career point to help the Penguins keep pace with the Capitals in the Metropolitan.
Colorado Avalanche 4, St. Louis Blues 1 - The Avalanche moved one point ahead of the Dallas Stars for the first wild card in the West and moved within one point of the Minnesota Wild for third place in the Central Division. The Blues are four points behind the Stars for the second wild card and have played one fewer game than Dallas.
Winnipeg Jets 6, Chicago Blackhawks 2 - The Jets extended their lead over the third-place Wild to nine points in the Central. Jets forward Patrik Laine extended his point streak to 14 games, the longest by a teenager in NHL history. The Jets remained eight points behind the Nashville Predators for first place in the Central.
Nashville Predators 3, Arizona Coyotes 2 - A third-period comeback allowed the Predators to extend their point streak to 13 games (12-0-1) and take a two-point lead over the Lightning in the race for the Presidents' Trophy. They remained eight points ahead of the Jets for first in the Central.
Los Angeles Kings 4, Detroit Red Wings 1 - Three third-period goals helped the Kings move within one point of the second-place San Jose Sharks in the Pacific Division.