Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Ovechkin 8 goals from NHL record, Capitals host Red Wings

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2025 NHL postseason. There are 31 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 nine games on the NHL schedule Tuesday, each with playoff implications.

Detroit Red Wings at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, MNMT, SN360, TVAS)

Alex Ovechkin is eight goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL record of 894 and the Capitals captain has helped them to first place in the Metropolitan Division, 10 points ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes. Washington (44-15-8) has won six of seven and begins a three-game homestand. The Red Wings (32-29-6) are two points behind the New York Rangers for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference with one game in hand.

Ottawa Senators at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, TSN5)

The Senators (36-25-5) are on a six-game winning streak, hold the first wild card from the East and are six points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for third in the Atlantic Division. Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk is on a nine-game point streak (seven goals, three assists). The Canadiens (32-27-7) are 7-1-2 in their past 10 games and one point behind the Rangers for the second wild card.

Calgary Flames at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, SNW)

The Rangers (33-29-6) are six points behind the Senators. The Flames (30-25-11) enter the second of a four-game road trip two points behind the Vancouver Canucks for the second wild card from the Western Conference with one game in hand.

New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT; MSGSN)

The Islanders (30-28-8) are four points behind the Rangers, who have played two more games. The Penguins (28-31-10) trail the Rangers by six points and have won four in a row behind goalie Tristan Jarry since he was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on March 3.

St. Louis Blues at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, FDSNSO)

Jordan Kyrou has six points (three goals, three assists) in his past two games for the Blues (33-28-7), who have won nine of 13 (9-2-2) but still trail the Canucks for the second wild card in the West with Vancouver holding a game in hand. The Predators (25-33-8) are 15 points behind the Canucks.

Anaheim Ducks at Dallas Stars (Victory+, KCOP-13)

Dallas (42-21-3) opens a four-game homestand and is second in the Central Division, two points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche, who have played two more games. Mikko Rantanen has four points (two goals, two assists) in four games since being acquired by the Stars in a trade with the Hurricanes on March 7. Anaheim (29-31-7) has lost three of four and is eight points behind Vancouver for the second wild card.

Seattle Kraken at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; KHN, CHSN, KONG)

Seattle (29-34-5) begins a four-game road trip 10 points behind the Canucks. The Blackhawks (20-38-9) have lost three in a row and are last in the Central Division.

Utah Hockey Club at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN1, ESPN)

Leon Draisaitl looks to extend his point streak to 19 games (27 points; 14 goals, 13 assists), and Connor McDavid seeks to add to an 11-game point streak (15 points; three goals, 12 assists) for Edmonton (39-24-4), which opens a big four-game homestand second in the Pacific Division, four points behind the Vegas Golden Knights and one ahead of the Los Angeles Kings. Utah (30-26-11) is two points behind Vancouver and tied in points with Calgary, which has played one fewer game.

Winnipeg Jets at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, TSN3)

The Jets (47-17-4) have won three straight and five of six and lead the Central Division by 11 points over the Stars, who have two games in hand. The Canucks (31-25-11) conclude a three-game road trip eight points behind the Minnesota Wild for the first wild card in the West and are tied with the Blues in points but have played one fewer game.

If playoffs started Tuesday

Here is a look at the matchups for the first round as they stand entering games Tuesday:

Eastern Conference

(A1) Florida Panthers vs. (W1) Ottawa Senators
(M1) Washington Capitals vs. (W2) New York Rangers
(A2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (A3) Toronto Maple Leafs
(M2) Carolina Hurricanes vs (M3) New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

(C1) Winnipeg Jets vs. (W2) Vancouver Canucks
(P1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) Minnesota Wild
(C2) Dallas Stars vs. (C3) Colorado Avalanche
(P2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (P3) Los Angeles Kings

About last night

There were five games Monday, all with playoff implications:

Buffalo Sabres 3, Boston Bruins 2 (OT): Alex Tuch scored a power-play goal with 11 seconds left in overtime for the Sabres (27-33-6), who have won three of four and trail the Rangers by 12 points for the second wild card in the East. The Bruins (30-30-10) have lost three in a row, are 2-5-1 in their past eight and remain three points behind the Rangers, who have one game in hand.

Tampa Bay Lightning 2, Philadelphia Flyers 0: Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 21 saves for his fifth shutout of the season to help the Lightning (39-23-5) pull within two points of the Florida Panthers for first in the Atlantic Division with a game in hand. The Flyers (28-33-8) have lost seven of eight (1-7-0) and are eight points behind the Rangers.

New Jersey Devils 2, Columbus Blue Jackets 1: Jake Allen made 45 saves, including 23 in the third period, and Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt scored 39 seconds apart in the second for the Devils (37-26-6), who are third in the Metropolitan Division, six points behind the Hurricanes, who have two games in hand. Columbus (31-28-8) has lost four straight and is fifth in the Metropolitan, two points behind the Rangers for the second wild card.

Toronto Maple Leafs 6, Calgary Flames 2: William Nylander had three points (one goal, two assists) to extend his point streak to nine games (five goals, eight assists) and Auston Matthews had three points (two goals, one assist) for the Maple Leafs (40-24-3), who are 2-4-1 in their past seven games and remain tied with the Lightning for second in the Atlantic, two points behind the Panthers. Calgary (30-25-11) has lost seven of nine (2-4-3).

Minnesota Wild 3, Los Angeles Kings 1: Mats Zuccarello scored the tiebreaking goal at 15:22 of the third period, Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist, and Filip Gustavsson made 28 saves for the Wild (38-25-5), who hold the first wild card from the West and are four points behind the Avalanche for third in the Central. The loss ended a five-game winning streak for the Kings (36-21-9), who have one game in hand over the Oilers.