Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: 6 teams with chance to clinch division titles

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2023 NHL postseason. There are two 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's a look at the
NHL standings
and everything else that could impact the playoff picture.
Here are the Stanley Cup Playoffs clinching scenarios for April 13:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

The Carolina Hurricanes will clinch the Metropolitan Division title:
If they defeat the Florida Panthers in any fashion (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, BSFL, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW).
OR
If they get one point AND the New Jersey Devils lose to the Washington Capitals in any fashion (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW).
OR
If the Devils lose to the Capitals in regulation.
The New Jersey Devils will clinch the Metropolitan Division title:
If they defeat the Capitals in any fashion AND the Hurricanes lose to the Panthers in any fashion.
OR
If they get one point against the Capitals ANDthe Hurricanes lose to the Panthers in regulation.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

The Vegas Golden Knights will clinch the Pacific Division title and first place in the conference:
If they get one point against the Seattle Kraken (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN NOW).
OR
If the Edmonton Oilers lose to the San Jose Sharks in any fashion (9 p.m. ET; SN360, SNW, NBCSCA, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The Edmonton Oilers will clinch the Pacific Division title and first place in the conference:
If they win in any fashion AND the Golden Knights lose in regulation.
The Dallas Stars will clinch the Central Division title:
If they defeat the St. Louis Blues in any fashion (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN NOW) AND the Colorado Avalanche lose to the Winnipeg Jets in any fashion (8 p.m. ET; ALT, TSN3, ESPN+, SN NOW).
OR
If they get one point against the Blues ANDthe Avalanche lose to the Jets in regulation.
The Colorado Avalanche will clinch the Central Division title:
If they defeat the Jets in any fashion ANDthe Stars lose to the Blues in regulation.

On Tap

There are 15 games on the NHL schedule Thursday, 11 with playoff implications.
Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, NESN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark won't play in the regular-season finale after leaving midway through the third period of a 5-2 win against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday with muscle tightness after colliding with the right goal post post. Boston (64-12-5) seeks to finish the regular season on an eight-game winning streak. The Canadiens (31-44-6) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Carolina Hurricanes at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, BSFL, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Carolina (51-21-9) can clinch first place in the Metropolitan Division with a win of any kind. The Hurricanes are one point ahead of the New Jersey Devils, but the Devils hold the tiebreaker with more regulation wins (39-38). Florida (42-31-8) can take the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference with a win of any kind. They are one point behind the idle New York Islanders.
Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, BSDET, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Tampa Bay (45-30-6) will try to end a four-game losing streak. The Lightning will finish third in the Atlantic Division and play the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Eastern Conference First Round. The Red Wings (35-36-10) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
New Jersey Devils at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Devils (51-22-8) could move ahead of the Hurricanes for first in the Metropolitan Division with a victory of any kind. New Jersey is one point behind Carolina and will have home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2009-10. The Capitals (35-37-9) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Toronto Maple Leafs at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, TSN4, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Toronto (49-21-11) will finish second in the Atlantic Division and has home-ice advantage against third-place Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference First Round. The Rangers (47-21-13), who can extend their six-game point streak (3-0-3), will finish third in the Metropolitan Division.
Winnipeg Jets at Colorado Avalanche (8 p.m. ET; ALT, TSN3, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Winnipeg (46-32-3), which seeks a fourth straight win, will finish as the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. The Avalanche (49-24-7), who have points in six straight games (5-0-1), can move ahead of the Dallas Stars for first place in the Central Division with a win. They already have clinched home-ice advantage in the first round and have one game in hand on the Stars.
Minnesota Wild at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSN, BSWIX, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Minnesota (46-25-10) will finish in third place in the Central Division. Wild forward Ryan Hartman will not play after being suspended one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety because of interference against Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers on Tuesday. The Predators (41-31-8) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
St. Louis Blues at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN NOW)
The Stars (46-21-14) will try to finish the season on a six-game winning streak and build their lead one-point lead on the Avalanche in the Central Division. Dallas is seeking a home-and-home sweep against the Blues after winning 5-2 in St. Louis on Wednesday. Stars forward Wyatt Johnston has 23 goals, one behind Matty Beniers of the Seattle Kraken for the most by a rookie this season. The Blues (37-37-7) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
San Jose Sharks at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; SN360, SNW, NBCSCA, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Oilers (49-23-9) can win their ninth straight game and move into a tie with the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division. If the teams finish tied in points, Edmonton holds the first tiebreaker with more regulation wins (44-37). Oilers forward Connor McDavid will look to extend his point streak to 16 games (10 goals, 18 assists); he leads the NHL with 152 points (64 goals, 88 assists) in 81 games. The Sharks (22-43-16) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; TVAS, BSSC, BSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Kings (46-25-10) need one point to clinch third place in the Pacific Division. They lead the fourth-place Seattle Kraken by one point with one game left for each team. The Ducks (23-46-12) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Vegas Golden Knights at Seattle Kraken (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN NOW)
Vegas (50-22-9) looks to maintain its hold on first place in the Pacific Division while extending its point streak to eight games (4-0-3). The Golden Knights won 4-1 against the Kraken on Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena to remain two points ahead of Edmonton. Seattle (46-27-8) is fourth in the Pacific, two points behind the third-place Kings.

If playoffs started Thursday

Here is a look at the
matchups for the first round
as they stand entering games Thursday:
Eastern Conference
(1A) Boston Bruins vs. (WC2) Florida Panthers
(1M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC1) New York Islanders
(2A) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (3A) Tampa Bay Lightning
(2M) New Jersey Devils vs. (3M) New York Rangers
Western Conference
(1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC2) Winnipeg Jets
(1C) Dallas Stars vs. (WC1) Seattle Kraken
(2C) Colorado Avalanche vs. (3C) Minnesota Wild
(2P) Edmonton Oilers vs. (3P) Los Angeles Kings

About Last Night

There were three games Wednesday, two with playoff implications.
New York Islanders 4, Montreal Canadiens 2:Brock Nelson scored twice for the Islanders (42-31-9), who clinched a berth in the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons in their final regular-season game. New York holds the first wild card into the playoffs from the East, one point ahead of the Florida Panthers. The Canadiens (31-44-6) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Dallas Stars 5, St. Louis Blues 2:Johnston scored two goals and Jason Robertson had three assists for Dallas (46-21-14), which won its fifth straight game to move into first place in the Central Division, one point ahead of the Colorado Avalanche, who have two games remaining. Robertson has 109 points (46 goals, 63 assists), second in Dallas/Minnesota North Stars history, behind Bobby Smith, who had 114 points with the North Stars in 1981-82. The Blues (37-37-7) have been eliminated from playoff contention.