Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Predators look to pass Blues in Central

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2022 NHL postseason. There are 29 days left in the regular season and the races in each of the four divisions are tight. The top three teams in each of the four divisions and the next two highest-place finishers in each conference reach the playoffs.

Here is a look at the
NHL standings
and everything else that could impact the playoff picture.

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On Tap

There are seven games on the NHL schedule Friday, all with playoff implications.
Nashville Predators at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE):The Predators, who have won two in a row, hold the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference and are one point behind the St. Louis Blues for third in the Central Division. The Sabres are 25 points behind the Washington Capitals for the second wild card in the East.
Chicago Blackhawks at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNE, SNP, BSSUN, NBCSCH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE):The Lightning have won three in a row and are third in the Atlantic, one point behind the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs. The Blackhawks have lost two in a row and are 21 points behind the Dallas Stars for the second wild card in the West.
New York Islanders at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, MSG+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE):The Rangers have won four in a row and are second in the Metropolitan, five points behind the Carolina Hurricanes and one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders have won two in a row and are 15 points behind the Capitals for the second wild card.
Ottawa Senators at Detroit Red Wings (7:30 p.m. ET; BSDETX, RDS, TSN5, ESPN+, NHL LIVE):The Red Wings are fifth in the Atlantic Division and 23 points behind the Capitals for the second wild card from the East. The Senators will be eliminated from playoff contention if they lose in any fashion at Detroit.
St. Louis Blues at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; SNW, BSMW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE):The Blues have won two in a row and are third in the Central, four points behind the Minnesota Wild. The Oilers have also won two in a row and are third in the Pacific, three points behind the Los Angeles Kings.
Vegas Golden Knights at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, SNP, ROOT-NW, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, NHL LIVE):The Golden Knights can move past the Stars for the second wild card in the West with a win. They are one point behind Dallas. The Kraken have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Anaheim Ducks at Arizona Coyotes (10:30 p.m. ET; BSAZX, BSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE):The Ducks, 0-7-3 in their past 10, are 13 points behind the Stars for the second wild card from the West. The Coyotes have been eliminated from playoff contention.

If playoffs started Friday

Here is a look at the matchups for the first round as they stand entering games Friday:
Eastern Conference
(1A) Florida Panthers vs. (WC2) Washington Capitals
(1M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins
(2A) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (3A) Tampa Bay Lightning
(2M) New York Rangers vs. (3M) Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference
(1C) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) Dallas Stars
(1P) Calgary Flames vs. (WC1) Nashville Predators
(2C) Minnesota Wild vs. (3C) St. Louis Blues
(2P) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3P) Edmonton Oilers

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About last night

There were nine games Thursday, each with playoff implications:
Boston Bruins 8, New Jersey Devils 1: Brad Marchand scored two goals and the Bruins scored six straight goals to move within one point of the Tampa Bay Lightning for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Devils were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.
Toronto Maple Leafs 7, Winnipeg Jets 1: Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 50th goal of the season for the Maple Leafs, who moved one point ahead of the Lightning for second in the Atlantic and remained seven points behind the first-place Florida Panthers. The Jets fell three points behind the Dallas Stars for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference.
Florida Panthers 4, Chicago Blackhawks 0:Sergei Bobrovsky made 37 saves for his third shutout of the season and Jonathan Huberdeau got his 71st assist of the season, an NHL record for a left wing. Florida remained seven points ahead of Toronto for first in the Atlantic. The Blackhawks are 21 points behind the Stars for the second wild card.
New York Islanders 5, Columbus Blue Jackets 2:Sebastian Aho and Oliver Wahlstrom scored 11 seconds apart and Semyon Varlamov made 30 saves for the Islanders, who are 15 points behind the Washington Capitals for the second wild card from the East. The Blue Jackets are also 15 points behind the Capitals.
Carolina Hurricanes 4, Montreal Canadiens 0:Andrei Svechnikov scored two goals and Frederik Andersen made 32 saves for the Hurricanes, who moved five points ahead of the New York Rangers for first in the Metropolitan. The Canadiens have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Minnesota Wild 3 (OT):Rickard Rakell scored two goals for the Penguins, who moved within one point of the second-place Rangers. The Wild, whose seven-game winning streak ended, are second in the Central, four points ahead of the third-place St. Louis Blues.
Colorado Avalanche 4, San Jose Sharks 2:Nazem Kadri and Erik Johnson each had two assists for the Avalanche, who are 7-1-1 in their past nine games and lead the Central by 15 points over the Wild. The Sharks are 13 points behind the Stars for the second wild card from the West.
Los Angeles Kings 3, Calgary Flames 2 (SO): Cal Petersen made 26 saves for the Kings, who moved within five points of the first-place Flames in the Pacific. The Kings are three points ahead of the Edmonton Oilers.
Dallas Stars 3, Anaheim Ducks 2 (OT):Jamie Benn scored 53 seconds into overtime for the Stars, who moved one point ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights for the second wild card in the West. The Ducks fell 13 points behind the Stars for the second wild card.