Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2018 NHL postseason. There are six 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.
Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Predators can clinch West, Central Division
Flyers, Devils, Blue Jackets look to earn berths
© Scott Audette/Getty Images
By
NHL.com @NHLdotcom
Clinching scenarios for Tuesday
EASTERN CONFERENCE
The Columbus Blue Jackets will clinch a playoff berth:
* If they defeat the Detroit Red Wings in any fashion (7 p.m. ET; FS-O, FS-D, NHL.TV) AND the Florida Panthers lose to the Nashville Predators (7:30 p.m. ET; FS-F, FS-TN, NHL.TV) in any fashion.
OR
* If they get one point against the Red Wings AND the Panthers lose to the Predators in regulation.
The Philadelphia Flyers will clinch a playoff berth:
* If they defeat the New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; MSG+2, NBCSP+, NHL.TV) in any fashion AND the Panthers lose to the Predators in any fashion.
OR
* If they get one point against the Islanders AND the Panthers lose to the Predators in regulation.
The New Jersey Devils will clinch a playoff berth:
* If they defeat the New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET, MSG+, MSG 2, NHL.TV) in any fashion AND the Panthers lose to the Predators in regulation.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
The Nashville Predatorswill clinch the Central Division:
* If they defeat the defeat the Florida Panthers in any fashion
OR
* If they get one point against the Panthers AND the Winnipeg Jetslose to the Montreal Canadiens(7:30 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, TSN3, NHL.TV) in any fashion
OR
* If the Jets lose to the Canadiens in regulation.
The Nashville Predators will clinch the Western Conference:
* If they defeat the Florida Panthers in any fashion
OR
* If they get one point against the Panthers AND the Jets lose to the Canadiens in any fashion
OR
* If the Jets lose to the Canadiens in regulation AND the Vegas Golden Knights lose to the Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV) in any fashion.
What's on tap
There are eight games on the schedule Tuesday with potential impact on the race for positioning in the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
-- The Devils, who are 5-0-1 in their past six games, have a five-point lead on the Florida Panthers for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference and have a chance to clinch their first playoff berth since they reached the 2012 Stanley Cup Final.
--The Flyers, who are 5-0-3 in their past eight games, hold the first wild card in the East, one point ahead of the Devils, and are tied in points, regulation/overtime wins and head-to-head points with the Columbus Blue Jackets for third in the Metropolitan Division (the Blue Jackets hold the goal-differential tiebreaker). The Flyers, who missed the playoffs last season, can clinch a berth. They trail the Penguins by two points for second place in the division and have played one fewer game.
-- The Blue Jackets return home after going 2-0-1 on their trip to Western Canada with a chance to clinch a playoff berth for the fourth time in their 17-season history and for the first time in consecutive seasons. They are 12-1-1 in their past 14 games and within two points of the Penguins for second place in the Metropolitan Division with a game in hand. They host the Penguins on Thursday.
--This is a game between the top two teams in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. The Bruins lead the Lightning by two points and have played one fewer game. They won each of the first three games between the teams in regulation, including a 4-2 victory in Boston on Thursday. Lightning center Steven Stamkos won't play because of a lower-body injury.
-- With a win, the League-leading Predators would clinch the Central Division and the top seed in the Western Conference, and move closer to the first Presidents' Trophy in their history. They are three points ahead of the Bruins, who have played one fewer game, in the League standings. They'd also set a team record with their 52nd win of the season. The Panthers are five points behind the Devils for the second wild card in the East. A win would prevent the Devils, Flyers and Blue Jackets from clinching.
-- With three games remaining, the Jets are five points behind the Predators for first place in the Central Division, Western Conference and League standings. They can finish no lower than second place in the Central with a 10-point lead on the third-place Minnesota Wild.
Vegas Golden Knights at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV) -- Six points behind the Predators for first place in the Western Conference and League standings with three games left, the Golden Knights need to win out to have a chance to catch them. Having already clinched first place in the Pacific Division, the Golden Knights finish the regular season on the road against the Canucks, Edmonton Oilers on Thursday and Calgary Flames on Saturday.
Dallas Stars at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; SN1, NBCSCA+, FS-SW+ NHL.TV) -- With a playoff berth clinched Monday, the Sharks' focus in their final three games will be on locking up second place in the Pacific Division and home-ice advantage in the Western Conference First Round. They lead the third-place Los Angeles Kings (two games left) by two points and the fourth-place Anaheim Ducks (three games left) by three points.
Thought of the day
Devils looking to go back to playoffs
The New Jersey Devils clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time when John MacLean scored 2:21 into overtime for a 4-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks at Chicago Stadium on April 3, 1988.
Missing the playoffs in their first five seasons in New Jersey was the longest drought in their history until they equaled it last season. The Devils can end their current drought on the 30th anniversary of MacLean's goal if they defeat the New York Rangers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, MSG2, NHL.TV) and the Nashville Predators defeat the Florida Panthers in regulation (7:30 p.m. ET; FS-F, FS-TN, NHL. TV).
A playoff berth would cap what has been a magical season to this point. They finished last in the Eastern Conference with a 28-40-14 record and 70 points in 2016-17, but their fortunes appeared to change when they won the 2017 NHL Draft Lottery and the No. 1 pick, which they used to select center Nico Hischier.
The Devils went 9-2-0 in their first 11 games, building a confidence they've carried throughout the season. Forward Taylor Hall has led the way and is tied for seventh in the NHL with a career-high 89 points (NHL career-highs of 37 goals and 52 assists). Hischier, 19, has had a strong rookie season with 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists).
If the Devils get help from the Predators, they can take the next step in their rebuild by clinching a playoff berth with a win against the rival Rangers, the team they beat out to qualify for the playoffs for the first time on the final day of the 1987-88 season.
#
About last night
All six games on the schedule Monday had playoff implications:
Minnesota Wild 3, Edmonton Oilers 0 --The Wild clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the win and the Colorado Avalanche's loss against the Los Angeles Kings. The Wild, who will be making their sixth straight appearance in the postseason, are in third place in the Central Division, five points ahead of the Avalanche and six points ahead of the Blues.
Los Angeles Kings 3, Colorado Avalanche 1 --The Kings moved into third place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Anaheim Ducks and within two points of the second-place San Jose Sharks, who each have a game in hand. The Avalanche remained as the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Blues, who have one game in hand. The Avalanche loss allowed the Sharks to clinch a playoff berth for the 13th time in the past 14 seasons.
Toronto Maple Leafs 5, Buffalo Sabres 2 --The Maple Leafs, who are locked into third place in the Atlantic Division, matched their record for points in a season (103), which was set in 2003-04. Auston Matthews and William Nylander each had two goals and an assist; Andreas Johnsson scored and Curtis McElhinney made 32 saves for the Maple Leafs, who are 15-2-0 in their past 17 home games.
Winnipeg Jets 6, Ottawa Senators 5 --The Jets kept their slim chances to win the Central alive, moving within five points of the first-place Nashville Predators with three games to go. They have clinched at least second place in the Central.
Florida Panthers 3, Carolina Hurricanes 2 --The Panthers moved within five points of the New Jersey Devils for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference by ending a three-game losing streak (0-2-1). The Panthers have four games remaining in the regular season, one more than the Devils.
Washington Capitals 4, St. Louis Blues 2 --The Blues remained one point behind the Avalanche for the second wild card in the West. Alex Ovechkin scored his 46th goal of the season for Washington, which clinched first place in the Metropolitan Division on Sunday.
If playoffs started Tuesday:
Here is a look at the matchups for the first round as they stand entering games Tuesday:
Eastern Conference
(1A) Boston Bruins vs. (WC2) New Jersey Devils
(1M) Washington Capitals vs. (WC1) Philadelphia Flyers
(2M) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (3M) Columbus Blue Jackets
(2A) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (3A) Toronto Maple Leafs
Western Conference
(1C) Nashville Predators vs. (WC2) Colorado Avalanche
(1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) Anaheim Ducks
(2C) Winnipeg Jets vs. (3C) Minnesota Wild
(2P) San Jose Sharks vs. (3P) Los Angeles Kings