Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Eastern Conference wild card race tightening

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2023 NHL postseason. There are nine 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.
Here are the Stanley Cup Playoffs clinching scenarios for April 6:

WESTERN CONFERENCE

The Seattle Kraken will clinch a playoff berth:
If they defeat the Arizona Coyotes (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN NOW) in any fashion.
OR
If they get one point vs. the Coyotes AND the Nashville Predators lose to the Carolina Hurricanes (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN NOW) in any fashion.

On Tap

There are 14 games on the NHL schedule Thursday, 12 with playoff implications:
Columbus Blue Jackets at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGN2, BSOH, ESPN+, SN NOW): The Devils (49-21-8) have won three of their past four games (3-1-0) and can move within one point of the first-place Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division. The Blue Jackets (24-45-8) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Minnesota Wild at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m.ET ; SN360, SNE, SNW, SNP, ATTSN-PT, BSWI, BSNX, ESPN+, SN NOW): The Penguins (38-30-10) have alternated wins and losses in their past nine games (4-5-0) but can move past the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders for the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference with a win. Bryan Rust has four goals during a three-game scoring streak for Pittsburgh, which is one point behind Florida and New York in the wild card race. The Wild (44-23-10), 5-1-2 in their past eight games, can take sole possession of first place in the Central Division; they are tied with the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars for the division lead.
Ottawa Senators at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; BSFLX, TSN5, RDS2, ESPN+, SN NOW): The Panthers (40-31-7) can build their lead for the first wild card in the East. They are tied with the Islanders but have won four in a row. The Senators (37-34-7) have lost three in a row (0-1-2) and are six points behind the Panthers and Islanders in the wild card race.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, NESN, SNO, ESPN+, SN NOW): The Bruins (60-12-5) have won three straight and are three wins from setting the NHL record for most victories in a season. The Maple Leafs (46-21-10) are second in the Atlantic Division and eight points ahead of the third-place Tampa Bay Lightning, who they will play in the first round of the playoffs.
Buffalo Sabres at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; BSDET, MSG-B, ESPN+, SN NOW): The Sabres (37-32-7) and Red Wings (35-33-9) need a win to stay in the wild card picture. The Sabres are five points behind the Panthers and Islanders for the first wild card, and are looking to rebound from a 2-1 loss to the Panthers on Tuesday that ended a five-game point streak (4-0-1). The Red Wings, who have won two straight, are eight points back with five games remaining.
Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, BSSUN, ESPN+, SN NOW): The Islanders (39-30-9) can end a two-game losing streak and move past the Panthers and into the first wild card from the East. The Lightning (45-27-6) lost 6-3 at the New York Rangers on Wednesday, ending their three-game winning streak. They are third in the Atlantic Division and can move within four points of the second-place Maple Leafs with a win. Tampa Bay will play Toronto in the first round of the playoffs.
Carolina Hurricanes at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN NOW): The Hurricanes (50-18-9), winners of three straight, can move five points ahead of the second-place Devils and eight points ahead of the third-place Rangers, and have one game in hand on each team. The Predators (39-30-8) can move within one point of the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames for the second wild card in the Western Conference. Nashville holds two games in hand on Calgary and one on Winnipeg.
New York Rangers at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, MSG, ESPN+, SN NOW): The Rangers (46-21-11) can climb within one point of the second-place Devils in the Metropolitan Division when the play for the second straight night. New York has won two straight, including 6-3 against Tampa Bay on Wednesday, and is 5-1-1 in its past seven games. The Blues (36-35-7) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Philadelphia Flyers at Dallas Stars (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, NBCSP, ESPN+, SN NOW): The Stars (42-21-14), 5-4-1 in their past 10 games, can break their tie with the Avalanche and Wild and take sole possession of first place in the Central Division. The Flyers (29-35-13) have lost four straight (0-3-1) and have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Los Angeles Kings at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SN360, TVAS, ATTSN-RM, BSW, ESPN+, SN NOW): The Kings (45-23-10) can move within one point of the second-place Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific Division and within two points of the first-place Golden Knights (48-22-8). Vegas, 2-1-2 in its past five games, can push its lead on second-place Edmonton to three points.
Arizona Coyotes at Seattle Kraken (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU) The Kraken (43-26-8), winners of two straight, can clinch their first Stanley Cup Playoff berth with a win in any fashion or if they get one point and the Predators lose to the Hurricanes in any fashion. A win also would allow them to increase their lead on the Jets and Flames for the first wild card to seven points, and also move within four points of the third-place Kings in the Pacific Division. The Coyotes (27-38-13) have lost eight in a row (0-6-2), including 8-1 at the Kraken on Monday, and have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Colorado Avalanche at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, ALT, ESPN+, SN NOW): The Avalanche (46-24-6) have won two straight and can break their tie with the Stars and Wild for first place in the Central. Colorado has one game in hand on Dallas and Minnesota. The Avalanche are 8-2-0 in their past 10 games and have won seven straight on the road, including 4-3 in overtime at the Sharks on Tuesday. San Jose (22-39-16) has points in four straight games (3-0-1) but has been eliminated from playoff contention.

If the playoffs started Thursday

Here is a look at the
matchups for the first round
as they stand entering games Thursday:
Eastern Conference
(1A) Boston Bruins vs. (WC2) New York Islanders
(1M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC1) Florida Panthers
(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) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC1) Seattle Kraken
(2C) Dallas Stars vs. (3C) Minnesota Wild
(2P) Edmonton Oilers vs. (3P) Los Angeles Kings

About last night

There were three games Wednesday, all with playoff implications:
Calgary Flames 3, Winnipeg Jets 1: Walker Duehr scored the game-winning goal at 4:08 of the third period to help move the Flames (37-27-15) into a tie with the Jets (43-32-3) for the second wild card from the West. Andrew Mangiapane and Nikita Zadorov each had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who have won five of six (5-1-0). Kyle Connor scored for the third straight game for the Jets, and Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves.
New York Rangers 6, Tampa Bay Lightning 3: Chris Kreider and Tyler Motte each scored two goals, and the Rangers moved within three points of the Devils for second in the Metropolitan Division; each team has four games remaining. New York forward Kaapo Kakko scored for the third straight game and Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves. Darren Raddysh scored his first NHL goal in his 17th game, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves for Tampa Bay (45-27-6), which had its three-game winning streak ended. The Lightning are third in the Atlantic Division, six points behind the Maple Leafs, who they will face in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Edmonton Oilers 3, Anaheim Ducks 1: The Oilers (47-23-9) moved within one point of first place in the Pacific Division, and extended their winning streak to six games and their point streak to 12 (11-0-1). Edmonton forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had one assist to reach 100 points (36 goals, 64 assists) for the first time in his 12 NHL seasons, and Jack Campbell made 27 saves. Troy Terry scored and Lukas Dostal made 30 saves for the Ducks (23-45-10), who have lost nine straight games and have been eliminated from playoff contention.