Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Flames, Wild, Blues try to clinch

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2022 NHL postseason. There are 16 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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Stanley Cup Playoffs clinching scenarios for Saturday

Eastern Conference
The Boston Bruins clinched a playoff berth with a 2-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Western Conference
The Colorado Avalanche will clinch the top playoff seed in the Western Conference:
If they defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in any fashion (9 p.m. ET; ALT, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE); or if they get one point against the Hurricanes and the St. Louis Blues defeat the Minnesota Wild in any fashion and the Arizona Coyotes defeat the Calgary Flames in any fashion.
The Avalanche will clinch the Central Division title:
If they defeat the Hurricanes in any fashion; or if they get one point against the Hurricanes and the Blues defeat the Wild in any fashion.
The Calgary Flames will clinch a playoff berth:
If they get at least one point against the Coyotes (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, SN1, CITY, TVAS2, BSAZX, ESPN+, NHL LIVE); or the Columbus Blue Jackets defeat the Los Angeles Kings in any fashion; or the Edmonton Oilers defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in regulation.
The Minnesota Wild will clinch a playoff berth:
If they defeat the St. Louis Blues in any fashion (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, NHL LIVE) and either the Blue Jackets defeat the Kings in any fashion or the Oilers defeat the Golden Knights in regulation; or if they get one point against the Blues and the Blue Jackets defeat the Kings in regulation.
The St. Louis Blues will clinch a playoff berth:
If they defeat the Wild in any fashion; or they get one point against the Wild and either the Blue Jackets defeat the Kings in any fashion or the Oilers defeat the Golden Knights in regulation; or if the Blue Jackets defeat the Kings in regulation.

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On Tap

There are 14 games on the schedule Saturday, 12 with playoff implications.
Nashville Predators 4, Chicago Blackhawks 3
The Predators moved two points ahead of the Dallas Stars for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference with the win, and four points ahead of the Vegas Golden Knights. The Blackhawks have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Boston Bruins 2, Pittsburgh Penguins 1
The Bruins, who clinched a playoff berth with the win, hold the first wild card from the East, five points ahead of the Capitals, and trail the Tampa Bay Lightning by one point for third in the Atlantic Division. The Penguins have clinched a playoff berth and are third in the Metropolitan Division, seven points behind the first-place New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes, and five points ahead of the Washington Capitals, who hold the first wild card from the Eastern Conference.
New York Rangers 4, Detroit Red Wings 0
The Rangers tied the Carolina Hurricanes for first in the Metropolitan Division with the win, their second straight shutout. Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves and
Alexis Lafreniere
scored twice. The Red Wings have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Minnesota Wild at St. Louis Blues (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Wild and Blues battle for sole possession of second place in the Central Division, where they enter Saturday tied with 98 points. It will also be the end of a winning streak for one of them. The Blues have won seven in a row and the Wild have won three straight. One of the teams could clinch a playoff berth Saturday under various scenarios.
Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers (4 p.m. ET; SNW, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Golden Knights are one point behind the Los Angeles Kings for third in the Pacific Division and two points behind the Stars for the first wild card from the West. The Oilers are second in the Pacific, seven points behind the first-place Calgary Flames and four points ahead of the Kings.
Washington Capitals at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; CITY, SNE, TVAS, NBCSWA, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Capitals, whose four-game winning streak ended with a 7-3 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, hold a 13-point lead over the New York Islanders for the second wild card from the East and are five points behind the Bruins for the first wild card. The Canadiens have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, CBC, SNO, SNP, TVAS2, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Maple Leafs have won three of their past four games and have a four-point lead over the Lightning for second place in the Atlantic. The Senators have been eliminated from the playoffs.
Winnipeg Jets at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; SN1, CITY, SNW, BSSUN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Jets have won two in a row and will have Blake Wheeler back in the lineup after the forward missed three games with an upper-body injury. Winnipeg trails Dallas by eight points for the second wild card from the West. The Lightning are third in the Atlantic, four points behind the second-place Maple Leafs and one ahead of the fourth-place Bruins.
San Jose Sharks at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; BSSWX, NBCSCA, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Stars are 3-1-2 in their past six games and will try to gain sole possession of the first wild card from the West, where they are tied with the Predators. The Sharks were eliminated from playoff contention with their 5-4 shootout loss to the Blackhawks on Thursday.
Carolina Hurricanes at Colorado Avalanche (9 p.m. ET; ALT, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth and are first in the Metropolitan, two points ahead of the second-place Rangers after their 3-0 loss to the Red Wings on Thursday. The Avalanche clinched a playoff berth, won eight in a row and have a 16-point lead over the second-place Blues and Wild in the Central. Colorado can clinch first in the division and the top playoff seed in the Western Conference if they win in any fashion.
Arizona Coyotes at Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, SN1, CITY, TVAS2, BSAZX, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Flames, who are first in the Pacific, will try to clinch a playoff berth after failing to do so in a 6-1 loss to the Golden Knights on Thursday. If they get a point against the Coyotes, the Flames will reach at least 100 points for the second time in the past four seasons (107 points in 2018-19). The Coyotes have been eliminated from the playoffs.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; BSW, BSOH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Kings will try to hold off the Golden Knights, who are two points behind them for third in the Pacific. Los Angeles is four points behind Edmonton for second in the division. The Blue Jackets are 16 points behind the Capitals for the second wild card from the East and will be eliminated from playoff contention if they do not win in regulation or if Washington gets at least one point against Montreal.

If the playoffs started Saturday

Here is a look at the matchup for the first round as they stand entering games Saturday:
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) Edmonton Oilers vs. (3P) Los Angeles Kings

About last night

There were two games Friday, each with playoff implications:
New York Islanders 3, Montreal Canadiens 0: Ilya Sorokin made 44 saves for his seventh shutout of the season, tying an Islanders record (Semyon Varlamov in 2020-21 and Glenn Resch in 1975-76). The Islanders are 13 points behind the Capitals for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Carey Price, making his first start since Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on July 7, had 17 saves for the Canadiens, who are eliminated from playoff contention.
Florida Panthers 6, Winnipeg Jets 1: Forward Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman Gustav Forsling each scored two goals for the Panthers, who lead the Atlantic Division by 10 points over the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs. The Jets remain eight points behind the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars for the two wild cards from the Western Conference.