Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Kraken try to widen lead for 1st wild card

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2023 NHL postseason. There are 11 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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Here are the Stanley Cup Playoffs clinching scenarios for April 3:

The Minnesota Wildwill clinch a playoff berth:
If they defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in any fashion (8 p.m. ET: NHLN, BSNX, BSWIX, ATTSN-RM, SN NOW).
OR
If they get one point vs. the Golden Knights ANDthe Nashville Predators lose to the Dallas Stars in any fashion (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSWX, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The Dallas Stars will clinch a playoff berth:
If they defeat the Predators in any fashion.

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On tap

There are three games on the NHL schedule Monday, all with playoff implications.
Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, BSNX, BSWIX, ATTSN-RM, SN NOW)
Vegas and Minnesota can widen its respective leads in the Pacific and Central Division. The Golden Knights (47-22-7) can move three points ahead of the second-place Los Angeles Kings and four in front of the third-place Edmonton Oilers with a victory. The Wild (44-23-9) are one point ahead of the Stars, who host the Nashville Predators, and the Colorado Avalanche.
Nashville Predators at Dallas Stars (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSWX, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Predators (38-29-8) can move to within three points of the Winnipeg Jets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference with two games in hand. Dallas (41-21-14) can move into sole possession of first place in the Central with a win and a Minnesota loss to Vegas. Stars forward Jason Robertson has six points (one goal, five assists) in his past two games.
Arizona Coyotes at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, BSAZX, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Kraken (41-26-8) hold the first wild card from the West by one point over the Jets with two games in hand. The Coyotes (27-37-13) have been eliminated from playoff contention.

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If playoffs started Monday

Here is a look at the matchups for the first round as they stand entering games Monday:
Eastern Conference
(1A) Boston Bruins vs. (WC2) Pittsburgh Penguins
(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) Minnesota Wild vs. (WC1) Seattle Kraken
(2C) Colorado Avalanche vs. (3C) Dallas Stars
(2P) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3P) Edmonton Oilers

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About last night

There were nine games Sunday, all with playoff implications:
Boston Bruins 4, St. Louis Blues 3 (SO):The Blues were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2017-18 when Boston forward Charlie Coyle scored the lone goal in the shootout. The Bruins, who have clinched the Presidents' Trophy for finishing first in the NHL, became the fourth team in League history to win 60 games, joining the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens (60), 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings (62) and 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning (62).
Detroit Red Wings 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 2:The Maple Leafs, who will play Lightning in the Eastern Conference First Round, lead them by four points in the battle for home-ice advantage. They squandered a chance to widen the gap thanks in part to a hat trick from Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin. Toronto holds a game in hand on Tampa Bay. Detroit has been eliminated from contention.
Los Angeles Kings 4, Vancouver Canucks 1:The Kings clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season after forward Alex Iafallo led the way with two goals. The victory moved Los Angeles one point ahead of Edmonton for second in the Pacific Division. The loss eliminated the Canucks from playoff contention for the seventh time in eight seasons.
Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Philadelphia Flyers 2:The Penguins moved one point ahead of the Florida Panthers for the second wild card from the East after forward Rickard Rakell scored twice and goalie Casey DeSmith made 31 saves. Forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each had two assists and defenseman Kris Letang played his 1,000th game for Pittsburgh, which is one point behind the New York Islanders for the first wild card. The Flyers have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Carolina Hurricanes 2, New York Islanders 1:If the season ended Monday, these two teams would play in the first round. A preview of the close games that are to come, perhaps? Jordan Martinook's third-period goal proved to be the difference for Carolina, which moved three points ahead of the New Jersey Devils for first in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders have lost two straight and are one point ahead of the Penguins and two in front of the Panthers for the first wild card from the East. The Penguins and Panthers each have one game in hand.
Columbus Blue Jackets 4, Ottawa Senators 3 (OT):Ottawa squandered a valuable point by blowing a 3-2 third-period lead before Columbus forward Kirill Marchenko won it 16 seconds into overtime. The Senators, coming off a 3-0 loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday, fell six points behind the Penguins. The Blue Jackets are eliminated from contention.
Calgary Flames 5, Anaheim Ducks 4:Milan Lucic and Michael Stone scored third-period goals to complete the come-from-behind victory for the Flames, who remained two points behind the Jets for the second wild card from the West. The Ducks are eliminated from contention.
New York Rangers 5, Washington Capitals 2:The Rangers moved to within three points of the second-place Devils in the Metropolitan Division and home-ice advantage in the first round. Artemi Panarin had three assists for the Rangers, who delivered a significant blow to the Capitals postseason hopes. Washington fell nine points behind Pittsburgh for the second wild card from the East.
Winnipeg Jets 6, New Jersey Devils 1:The Jets remained two points ahead of the Flames for the second wild card and got two goals from Nikolaj Ehlers. The Devils fell three points back of the Hurricanes for first in the Metropolitan Division.