* The fierce race for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference came to a close Tuesday after a chaotic finish that saw the Capitals capture the final berth into the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* The Panthers and Canucks both earned wins Tuesday to clinch the Atlantic and Pacific Division, respectively. All four division titles have now been accounted for.
* The stage was set for three playoff matchups during Tuesday’s eight-game slate, with the Panthers set to face the Lightning, the Bruins confirmed to clash with the Maple Leafs and the Rangers slated to battle the Capitals.
* As the penultimate day of the 2023-24 regular season arrives, attention switches to the Western Conference as three matchups remain undetermined and a conference title still needs to be clinched – two of the six clubs still without a First Round opponent play during Wednesday’s four game slate: Dallas and Edmonton.
CAPITALS CLINCH FINAL WILD CARD SPOT AFTER CHAOTIC 15-MINUTE SPAN
An Eastern Conference playoff race that went down to the 82nd and final game for three clubs culminated with two thrilling back-and-forth games happening in Montreal and Philadelphia, both with 7 p.m. ET start times. The pendulum of playoff fate for the Capitals, Red Wings, Penguins and Flyers swung back and forth all night – the Red Wings (3) and Flyers (1) combined for four tying goals – and were decided almost simultaneously with goals scored 460 miles and two minutes apart:
9:33 p.m. ET – Trailing 4-3 and needing at least a point to stay in playoff contention, the Red Wings tied the game with five seconds remaining in the third period in Montreal.
9:34 p.m. ET – Tied at 1-1 and needing a regulation win to stay in playoff contention, the Flyers pull their goaltender with 3:11 remaining in the third period in Philadelphia.
9:34 p.m. ET – Detroit secures at least one point, staying in contention if Washington does not earn a point.
9:35 p.m. ET – Washington scores a go-ahead goal with 3:00 remaining in the third period in Philadelphia.
9:35 p.m. ET – Philadelphia pulls its goaltender once again in an effort to secure a regulation win.
9:44 p.m. ET – Washington secures a 2-1 regulation victory to clinch the 16th and final playoff spot.
9:48 p.m. ET – Detroit secures a shootout victory in Montreal, their second third-period comeback win in as many days against the Canadiens, but by that time had already been eliminated from playoff contention.
* The Capitals were eligible to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs pending the results of their final regular-season game for the fourth time in franchise history (also 2007-08, 1980-81 & 1979-80), but were successful for just the second time (2007-08) and confirmed a First Round series against the Rangers.
* The Rangers and Capitals will meet in the postseason for the 10th time (NYR: 5-4; WSH: 4-5) and first since New York won the 2015 Second Round in seven games. Overall, the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs marks the sixth time in the past 20 years the two clubs will play each other, the most among all pairs through that span and one more than the next closest (NYR vs. PIT & OTT vs. PIT, both 5x).
PANTHERS SCORE FIVE STRAIGHT TO RALLY PAST MAPLE LEAFS, CLAIM ATLANTIC
The Maple Leafs held a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes, but the combination of Sam Reinhart (2-0—2), Matthew Tkachuk (0-2—2) and Aleksander Barkov (0-2—2) propelled the Panthers to five unanswered goals and an Atlantic Division title after the Senators handed the Bruins a regulation loss.
* Reinhart scored the second of two Panthers goals in a 10-second span and later buried another tally into an empty net to conclude the 2023-24 campaign with 57 goals – the third-highest single-season total in franchise history behind Pavel Bure (59 in 2000-01 & 58 in 1999-00). However, his 12 multi-goal games matched Bure (2000-01 & 1999-00) for the most in any campaign by a Panthers player.
* Florida’s victory secured the third-ever “Battle of the Sunshine State” in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a history in which Tampa Bay owns an edge (4-0 in 2022 R2 & 4-2 in 2021 R1). The two clubs have averaged 5.70 goals per game through their previous 10 postseason contests, including three to feature the clubs combine for at least eight.
CANUCKS CLAIM 11TH DIVISION TITLE WITH VICTORY OVER FLAMES
J.T. Miller (1-0—1) was one of four different goal scorers who found the back of the net and helped the Canucks (50-22-9, 109 points) clinch the Pacific Division title, earn their third 50-win season in franchise history and continue their push for a first-place finish in the Western Conference – a feat they haven’t achieved since 2011-12.
* The Canucks clinched the Pacific Division after holding first place for 120 days – only two clubs held top spot in a division as many days this year: the Rangers (177) and Bruins (159).
* Miller increased his team-leading totals to 37-66—103 (81 GP), which is the fifth-highest point total by a Canucks player in a single season. The last Vancouver player with as many points was Daniel Sedin (104 in 2010-11).
FAMILIAR FOES ALSO SET TO FACE OFF IN 2024 FIRST ROUND
The Panthers’ victory didn’t just secure their matchup with the Lightning, it also confirmed that the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs will feature an Original Six showdown as the Bruins will face the Maple Leafs in the postseason for the 17th time and fourth in the past 11 years – both teams are 8-8 in the previous 16 series.
* Boston has won each of the last six playoff series against Toronto dating back to the 1969 Quarterfinal (4-0 BOS) and are one of four teams to win six consecutive playoff series against one franchise. The others: the Canadiens against the Bruins (18; 1946 to 1987), the Penguins versus the Capitals (7; 1995 to 2017) and the Oilers against the Original Jets (6; 1983 to 1990).
MORE PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS SET IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Winnipeg (51-24-6, 108 points) earned a tightly-contested 4-3 win over the Kraken on Tuesday and clinched home ice for the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs when they take on the Avalanche. The victory was also Connor Hellebuyck’s fifth straight – the third time he has had a run of that length this season. Read more #NHLStats from Tuesday’s slate in Live Updates.
CELEBRINI, SILAYEV TOP NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING’S FINAL DRAFT RANKINGS
Macklin Celebrini, a center from Boston University who was named the 2024 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Friday, remained No. 1 among North American skaters for the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft when the NHL Central Scouting Bureau released its final rankings Tuesday. Anton Silayev, a 6’7” defenseman, moved up one spot to become the top-ranked international skater. Click here for full rankings lists and player profiles.
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FOUR-GAME SLATE ON PENULTIMATE REGULAR-SEASON WEDNESDAY
The penultimate day of the 2023-24 regular season will have all four games nationally broadcast on various networks, including contests on TNT, MAX, TruTV, Sportsnet and TVA Sports. Notable storylines to follow for Wednesday include Auston Matthews taking his final shot at hitting the 70-goal mark when the Maple Leafs visit the Lightning, as well as two of the six clubs still awaiting their First Round matchups in the Western Conference taking to the ice with the Stars welcoming the Blues and the Oilers visiting the Coyotes. Dallas will also have a chance at clinching the Western Conference with a point in its final regular-season game of 2023-24.
