Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Oilers can hold off Jets for second in North

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2021 NHL postseason. There are 21 days left in the regular season and the races in each of the four divisions -- the seven-team Scotia North Division and eight-team MassMutual East, Discover West and Honda Central -- are tight. The top four teams in each of the four divisions reach the playoffs.
Here is a look at the NHL Standings and everything else that could impact the playoff picture.

Clinching scenario for Wednesday

The Toronto Maple Leafs will clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs if they defeat the Montreal Canadiens in regulation and the Ottawa Senators defeat the Vancouver Canucks in regulation. They also can clinch if they defeat the Canadiens in overtime, the Senators defeat the Canucks in regulation and the Edmonton Oilers-Winnipeg Jets game ends in regulation

On Tap

There are seven games on the NHL schedule Wednesday, all of them with playoff implications:
Vancouver Canucks at Ottawa Senators, 5:30 p.m. ET (TVAS, TSN5, SNP, NHL.TV):The Canucks trail the Montreal Canadiens by 10 points in the North with five games in hand. The last-place Senators can be eliminated from playoff contention with a regulation loss and a Canadiens win against the Maple Leafs.
St. Louis Blues at Minnesota Wild, 7 p.m. ET (NBCSN):The Blues hold a one-point lead on the Arizona Coyotes for fourth in the West with three games in hand. They visit the Wild on a five-game road losing streak (0-5-0) and play a team looking to extend its season-high winning streak to eight games. Minnesota is third in the division, one point behind the second-place Colorado Avalanche, and clinched a playoff berth April 25.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens, 8 p.m. ET (SN, RDS, NHL.TV):The Maple Leafs and Canadiens could face off in the postseason for the first time since the 1979 Quarterfinals, when Montreal swept Toronto in four games en route to winning the Stanley Cup for the fourth consecutive season. The Maple Leafs lead the North by seven points over the Edmonton Oilers with eight games remaining. The fourth-place Canadiens are six points ahead of the fifth-place Calgary Flames but are 4-8-0 in their past 12 games. Montreal forward Jonathan Drouin is taking an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons.
Edmonton Oilers at Winnipeg Jets, 9 p.m. ET (TSN3, SNW, NHL.TV): Another potential first-round playoff preview in the North. The second-place Oilers are 10-3-2 in their past 15 games. The third-place Jets, who are one point behind the Oilers, have lost four in a row while being outscored 18-5, all on home ice.
Colorado Avalanche at Vegas Golden Knights, 9:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN):The Golden Knights lead the West by four points over the Avalanche and have won a team record nine consecutive games. Colorado has one game in hand on Vegas with eight of its remaining 10 regular-season games against the sixth-place San Jose Sharks and seventh-place Los Angeles Kings.
Anaheim Ducks at Los Angeles Kings, 10 p.m. ET (BSW, KDOC, BSW+, NHL.TV):The Kings are six points behind the fourth-place Coyotes in the West with 10 games remaining. The last-place Ducks are 13 points out of a playoff spot and will be eliminated from contention with a loss to the Kings in any fashion, or if the Blues or Coyotes win.
Arizona Coyotes at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+, NBCSCA, BSAZ+, NHL.TV):The Coyotes remain in a tight race with the Blues for the final playoff spot in the West despite going 2-8-0 since April 7. San Jose trails fourth-place St. Louis by five points.

About last night

There were seven games that had playoff implications on Tuesday.
Carolina Hurricanes 5, Dallas Stars 1:The Hurricanes kept their hold on first place in the Central and lead the second-place Florida Panthers by two points. The Stars missed an opportunity to move into a tie for fourth with the Nashville Predators. They are fifth, two points behind Nashville.
Florida Panthers 7, Nashville Predators 4:The Panthers clinched a playoff berth and are one point ahead of the third-place Tampa Bay Lightning in the Central. The Predators had a four-game point streak (3-0-1) end but stayed alone in fourth because the Stars lost.
Tampa Bay Lightning 7, Chicago Blackhawks 4:The Lightning clinched a playoff berth for the fourth straight season. They are third in the Central, one point behind the Panthers and three behind the Hurricanes. The Blackhawks remained sixth in the Central, five points behind the Stars and seven behind the Predators.
Washington Capitals 1, New York Islanders 0:Playing without forward Alex Ovechkin (lower body) for the second straight game, the Capitals defeated the Islanders for the third straight time and moved back into first place in the East. Washington leads the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins by one point. The Islanders are in third place, one point ahead of the fourth-place Boston Bruins.
Boston Bruins 3, Pittsburgh Penguins 1:The Bruins moved to within one point of the Islanders for third in the East and stayed four ahead of the fifth-place New York Rangers. The Penguins dropped to second place with the loss and the Capitals' win against the Islanders. They lead the Islanders by four points.
New York Rangers 3, Buffalo Sabres 1:The Rangers won their third straight game to stay four points behind the Bruins for fourth and move five points behind the Islanders, who they will play Thursday and Saturday.
New Jersey Devils 6, Philadelphia Flyers 4:The Flyers fell 11 points behind the fourth-place Bruins.

If playoffs started Wednesday

Here is a look at the matchups for the first round as they stand entering games Wednesday:
North Division
1. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. 4. Montreal Canadiens
2. Edmonton Oilers vs. 3. Winnipeg Jets
East Division
1. Washington Capitals vs. 4. Boston Bruins
2. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 3. New York Islanders
Central Division
1. Carolina Hurricanes vs. 4. Nashville Predators
2. Florida Panthers vs. 3. Tampa Bay Lightning
West Division
1. Vegas Golden Knights vs. 4. St. Louis Blues
2. Colorado Avalanche vs. 3. Minnesota Wild