Stanley Cup Playoff Buzz: Wild can grab second wild card in West

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2019 NHL postseason. There are 16 days left in the regular season and the races for playoff spots in each conference are wide open.
Here is a look at the NHL standings and everything else that could impact the playoff picture.

On tap

There are two games on the schedule Friday, each with playoff implications:
Minnesota Wild at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, TVAS, NBCSWA, FS-N, NHL.TV) -- The Wild look to move ahead of the Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. The Wild, 2-4-3 in their past 10 games, trail Arizona and Colorado by one point. Each has eight games remaining. The Capitals can move five points ahead of the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins for first place in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals, 9-2-1 in their past 12 games, have a game in hand on the Penguins.
San Jose Sharks at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, FS-W, NBCSCA, NHL.TV) -- The Sharks, who have lost four straight, are five points behind the Calgary Flames for first place in the Western Conference and Pacific Division and five points ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights. The Ducks trail the Avalanche and Coyotes by nine points for the second wild card from the West.

Need to know

Kempny out indefinitely
Washington Capitals defenseman Michael Kempny
is out indefinitely
after sustaining a lower-body injury in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday.
Kempny had been playing regularly with defenseman John Carlson. Christian Djoos could take Kempny's place in the lineup against the Minnesota Wild on Friday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, TVAS, NBCSWA, FS-N, NHL.TV).
Gardiner skates
Jake Gardiner and Travis Dermott skated with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday. For Gardiner is was the first time since sustaining a back injury against the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 25. Dermott was back for the first time since sustaining a shoulder injury Feb. 27.
There is no timetable for their return.
The Maple Leafs, six points behind the Boston Bruins for second place in the Atlantic Division, have eight games remaining in the regular season. They play the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, CBC, SN1, SNO, MSG, NHL.TV).

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) Montreal Canadiens
(1M) Washington Capitals vs. (WC1) Carolina Hurricanes
(2A) Boston Bruins vs. (3A) Toronto Maple Leafs
(2M) New York Islanders vs. (3M) Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference
(1P) Calgary Flames vs. (WC2) Colorado Avalanche
(1C) Winnipeg Jets vs. (WC1) Dallas Stars
(2P) San Jose Sharks vs. (3P) Vegas Golden Knights
(2C) Nashville Predators vs. (3C) St. Louis Blues

Thought of the day

The Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes enter Friday tied in points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Minnesota Wild. Each team has eight games remaining.
How do their schedules compare?
The Avalanche will play five of their eight remaining games at home, with four of their remaining games against teams currently in playoff position.
The Coyotes have four at home, four on the road and four against teams in currently in the playoffs.
The Wild appear to have the toughest test ahead, with three home games and seven of their final eight against teams currently in playoff position, including their game at the Washington Capitals on Friday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, NBCSWA, FS-N, NHL.TV).
Perhaps the most important stretch for all three teams will come next week when the Coyotes play at the Avalanche on March 29 and then host the Wild on March 31.
The underdog Coyotes have been a great story, trying to move into the postseason for the first time since 2012. They finished last in the Pacific Division with 70 points last season, 25 behind the Avalanche, who were the second wild card.
The Avalanche are trying to qualify for the playoffs for the second straight season after missing three seasons in a row, while the Wild are hoping to keep alive a streak of six straight seasons with a playoff appearance.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks are three points behind the Wild and still have a shot to reach the postseason, but entering Friday it appears the Avalanche, Wild and Coyotes are battling for one spot.
The Avalanche needed a win in Game 82 of last season against the St. Louis Blues to get in, and this could go down to the wire again.
Looking way ahead, the Coyotes host the Winnipeg Jets on the final day of the season, while the Wild play at the Dallas Stars and the Avalanche play at the San Jose Sharks.

About last night

All 12 games on the schedule Thursday had playoff implications:
Florida Panthers 4, Arizona Coyotes 2: The Coyotes lost for the third straight time and fell into a tie with the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. The Coyotes and Avalanche each have 78 points, one ahead of the Minnesota Wild. The Panthers are seven points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card in the East.
Boston Bruins 5, New Jersey Devils 1:The top line of David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron combined for eight points (three goals, five assists) and the Bruins won their third straight game to open a six-point lead on the Toronto Maple Leafs for second place in the Atlantic Division.
Tampa Bay Lightning 6, Carolina Hurricanes 3: The Hurricanes allowed four unanswered goals in the third period and lost ground in the Metropolitan Division race. Carolina is four points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders, who are tied for second place in the division. The Hurricanes are two points ahead of the Canadiens for the first wild card in the East with a game in hand. The Lightning (58-13-4) have clinched the Presidents' Trophy and are four wins from tying the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings for the most victories in an NHL season.
Montreal Canadiens 4, New York Islanders 0: The Canadiens leapfrogged the Columbus Blue Jackets to take the second wild card in the East. The Islanders have been outscored 9-0 in two straight losses and are tied for second place in the Metropolitan with the Penguins with 91 points. The Penguins have played one more game.

St. Louis Blues 5, Detroit Red Wings 2: The Blues gained ground in the Western Conference playoff picture behind Ivan Barbashev's first NHL hat trick. The Blues opened a four-point lead on the Dallas Stars for third place in the Central Division and trail the Nashville Predators by four points for second place with a game in hand.
Sidney Crosby scored the only goal during the shootout and the Penguins gained on the Islanders in the race for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Each team has 91 points, but Pittsburgh has played one more game. The Predators gained a point on the Winnipeg Jets in the race for first place in the Central. The Predators trail the Jets by two points but have played one more game.
Philadelphia Flyers 3, Chicago Blackhawks 1: The Flyers moved within five points of the second wild card in the East behind rookie Carter Hart, who made 40 saves. The Blackhawks fell four points behind the Avalanche and Coyotes, who are tied for the second wild card from the West. The Blackhawks have a game in hand on each team.
Colorado Avalanche 3, Dallas Stars 1: The Avalanche moved into a tie with the Coyotes for the second wild card in the West by winning their third straight game. The Stars, who have lost three of their past four games, are four points ahead of the Avalanche and the Coyotes for the first wild card.
Calgary Flames 5, Ottawa Senators 1: The Flames won for the fifth time in their past six games to extend their lead on the San Jose Sharks for first place in the Pacific Division and Western Conference to five points.
Edmonton Oilers 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 1: The Blue Jackets fell out of the playoff picture by losing their third straight game. Columbus is one point behind Montreal for the second wild card in the East. The Oilers are five points behind the Avalanche and Coyotes for the second wild card from the West.
Vegas Golden Knights 5, Winnipeg Jets 0: The Jets missed a chance to clinch a playoff berth when they were shut out by Malcolm Subban and the Golden Knights. The Jets lead the Predators by two points in the race for first in the Central Division with a game in hand. Vegas won for the 10th time in its past 11 games and is five points behind San Jose for second place in the Pacific Division.
Los Angeles Kings 4, San Jose Sharks 2: The Sharks, who clinched a playoff berth Tuesday, lost for their fourth straight game and fell five points behind the Flames for first in the Western Conference and the Pacific. The Sharks and Flames each have eight games remaining, including a head-to-head matchup March 31.

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