Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Golden Knights try to gain ground in Pacific

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2022 NHL postseason. There are 14 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.

On Tap

There are six games on the schedule Monday, five with playoff implications.
Calgary Flames at Chicago Blackhawks (8 p.m. ET; SN, NBCSCH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Johnny Gaudreau has scored 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in his past nine games for Calgary, which has clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and is first in the Pacific Division, seven points ahead of the second-place Edmonton Oilers. Patrick Kane has eight points (three goals, five assists) in a four-game point streak for the Blackhawks, who are 1-7-2 in their past 10 games and have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Washington Capitals at Colorado Avalanche (9 p.m. ET; NHLN, TVAS, ALT2, NBCSWA, NHL LIVE)
Colorado, which has clinched the Central Division title, has won nine straight games and is two points ahead of the Florida Panthers for the Presidents' Trophy, given to the NHL team with the most regular-season points. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is within three goals of his ninth 50-goal season, which would tie Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history. Washington, which clinched a berth in the playoffs when the New York Islanders lost 4-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, holds the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference and is three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for third in the Metropolitan Division.
Carolina Hurricanes at Arizona Coyotes (10 p.m. ET; BSAZX, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Carolina could be without forward Jordan Staal and goalie Frederik Andersen, who were each injured and removed in the third period of a 7-4 loss at Colorado on Saturday. The Hurricanes look to regain sole possession of first in the Metropolitan; they are tied with the New York Rangers. The Coyotes have lost six in a row and been eliminated from playoff contention.
New Jersey Devils at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, MSG+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Golden Knights, 2-2-1 in their past five, begin a three-game homestand and look to pick up ground in the Pacific. Vegas is fourth in the division, three points behind the third-place Los Angeles Kings, and four points behind the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators for the two wild cards from the Western Conference. The Devils are 2-5-2 in their past nine and have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Dallas Stars at Vancouver Canucks (10:30 p.m. ET; SN, SN1, BSSWX, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Stars are 3-0-1 in their past four games and look to gain control of the first wild card from the West; they are tied with the Predators. The Canucks, who have won five in a row and have points in 10 of the past 12 (7-2-3), are seven points behind the Stars and Predators for the two wild cards from the West. Defenseman Quinn Hughes is two points shy of becoming the third defenseman in Canucks history with 60 points in a season (58 points; six goals, 52 assists). The most recent Canucks defenseman with 60 points was Doug Lidster (63 points; 12 goals, 51 assists) in 1986-87.

If the playoffs started Monday

Here is a look at the matchups for the first round as they stand entering games Monday:
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) Nashville Predators
(1P) Calgary Flames vs. (WC1) Dallas Stars
(2C) St. Louis Blues vs. (3C) Minnesota Wild
(2P) Edmonton Oilers vs. (3P) Los Angeles Kings

About last night

There were six games Sunday, four with playoff implications:
Florida Panthers 6, Detroit Red Wings 1: Rookie forward Anton Lundell scored two goals and Spencer Knight made 33 saves for the Panthers, who extended their winning streak to 10 games. It is the second longest in team history behind a 12-game win streak from Dec. 15, 2015-Jan. 10, 2016. The Panthers are first in the Atlantic Division, eight points ahead of the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs. Detroit, which lost for the fourth time in five games, has been eliminated from playoff contention.
St. Louis Blues 8, Nashville Predators 3: Jordan Kyrou and Brayden Schenn each scored twice for the Blues, who had a franchise-record seven goals in the second period and won their ninth straight game. The Blues remained second in the Central Division, one point ahead of the third-place Minnesota Wild. The Predators are 4-4-1 in April and tied with the Dallas Stars for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.
Minnesota Wild 5, San Jose Sharks 4 (OT): Jared Spurgeon scored at 1:05 of overtime for the Wild, who clinched a playoff berth and remained third in the Central, one point behind the second-place Blues. The Wild are 13-1-3 in their past 17 games. San Jose, which has lost 10 in a row (0-6-4), has been eliminated from playoff contention.
Toronto Maple Leafs 4, New York Islanders 2: William Nylander had a goal and an assist and Jack Campbell made 27 saves for the Maple Leafs, who moved six points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning for second place in the Atlantic and set their single-season records for wins (50-20-6) and points (106). Toronto played without forward Auston Matthews, who is day to day with a "minor injury," according to coach Sheldon Keefe. The loss by the Islanders eliminated them from playoff contention and enabled the idle Washington Capitals to clinch a playoff berth for the eighth consecutive season.