Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Maple Leafs, Lightning in Atlantic battle

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2022 NHL postseason. There are 26 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 four games on the NHL schedule Monday, each with playoff implications.
Boston Bruins at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, NESN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Bruins, who have won six of their past seven games including a 5-2 win against the Blue Jackets on Saturday, are two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs for second in the Atlantic Division and seven points ahead of the Washington Capitals for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Blue Jackets have lost three in a row and are 15 points behind the Capitals for the second wild card from the East.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS, BSSUN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
This is a battle for second place in the Atlantic Division with the Maple Leafs and Lightning tied in points. The Maple Leafs have won four straight and forward Auston Matthews has scored in five consecutive games and 11 of his past 12. He has scored 14 goals during that stretch and leads the NHL with 51. The Lightning are 4-0-1 in their past five games and 1-0-1 against the Maple Leafs this season.
Arizona Coyotes at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, BSAZX, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Blues are 3-0-1 in their past four and third in the Central Division, five points behind the second-place Minnesota Wild. St. Louis is four points ahead of the fourth-place Nashville Predators, who hold the first wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. Arizona has been eliminated from playoff contention.
Calgary Flames at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; SN1, SNW, BSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Kings can move to within one point of the first-place Flames in the Pacific Division with a regulation win. Los Angeles defeated Calgary 3-2 in a shootout March 31. The second-place Kings are one point ahead of the third-place Edmonton Oilers. The Flames have not won in their past three games (0-2-1) and have allowed 11 goals.

If 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) Vegas Golden Knights
(1P) Calgary Flames vs. (WC1) Nashville Predators
(2C) Minnesota Wild vs. (3C) St. Louis Blues
(2P) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3P) Edmonton Oilers

About last night

There were nine games Sunday, each with playoff implications:
Florida Panthers 5, Buffalo Sabres 3: The Panthers became the first team to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the victory. Forward Jonathan Huberdeau scored to set the Panthers record for points in a season; Huberdeau has scored 97 points (24 goals, 73 assists), one more than Aleksander Barkov had in 2018-19. The Sabres avoided elimination when the Minnesota Wild defeated the Washington Capitals in regulation Sunday.
Ottawa Senators 5, Detroit Red Wings 2: Forward Josh Norris scored his first NHL hat trick and the Senators avoided elimination. Norris is the first player to score 30 goals in a season for the Senators since Milan Michalek and Jason Spezza each did so in 2011-12. The Red Wings are 0-4-2 in their past six games and remain 23 points behind the Capitals for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
New York Islanders 4, New Jersey Devils 3: Cory Schneider made 27 saves to earn his first NHL win in two seasons. The Islanders, who have won four in a row, moved within 11 points of the Capitals for the second wild card from the East. The Devils have been eliminated.
Vegas Golden Knights 3, Vancouver Canucks 2 (OT): Robin Lehner made 26 saves in his first game back from a lower-body injury to help the Golden Knights move into a tie with the Nashville Predators for the first wild card from the Western Conference. The Golden Knights and Predators each have 82 points, one more than the Dallas Stars. The Canucks, 0-2-1 in their past three games, are eight points behind the Golden Knights and Predators.
Arizona Coyotes 3, Chicago Blackhawks 2 (OT): The Blackhawks fell 23 points behind the Golden Knights and Predators for the second wild card from the West when Coyotes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere scored in overtime.
Philadelphia Flyers 4, New York Rangers 3 (SO): The Rangers scored three goals in the third period, including two in 12 seconds, to force overtime and move four points behind the first-place Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division and two points ahead of the third-place Pittsburgh Penguins. The Flyers have been eliminated from the playoff contention.
Minnesota Wild 5, Washington Capitals 1: Forward Joel Eriksson Ek had two goals and an assist to help the Wild extend their point streak to 10 games (9-0-1). The Wild moved within 13 points of the Colorado Avalanche for first in the Central Division and five points ahead of the third-place St. Louis Blues. The Capitals remained seven points behind the Boston Bruins for the first wild card from the East and eight points behind the Penguins for third in the Metropolitan.
Edmonton Oilers 6, Anaheim Ducks 1: Forward Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists to extend his point streak to 13 games and help the Oilers move within one point of the Los Angeles Kings for second place in the Pacific Division. McDavid has 11 goals and 15 assists during the streak. The Ducks are 14 points behind the Golden Knights and Predators for the second wild card from the West.
Seattle Kraken 4, Dallas Stars 1: The Stars lost for the first time in four road games and fell one point behind the Golden Knights and Predators for the two wild card spots in the West. The Kraken have been eliminated from playoff contention.