Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Kings can take over Pacific lead

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2023 NHL postseason. There are 28 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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On Tap

There are 13 games on the NHL schedule on Saturday, 12 with playoff implications.
Colorado Avalanche at Detroit Red Wings (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN1, BSDET, ALT, SN NOW)
The Avalanche (39-22-6) will look to extend their four-game winning streak and move closer to first in the Central Division in this Hockey Day in Finland matchup against the Red Wings (30-28-9). Colorado has climbed within three points of the Dallas Stars for first and two points of the Minnesota Wild for second in the Central. Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen, a native of Nousianen, Finland, is third in the League with an NHL career-high 45 goals. Detroit is 2-7-1 in its past 10 games to fall nine points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders for the two wild cards into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Red Wings goalie Ville Husso, a Helsinki, Finland native, is 25-17-6 with 2.92 goals-against average, .903 save percentage and three shutouts.
Boston Bruins at Minnesota Wild (2 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWIX, NESN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Wild (39-21-8) can extend their team-record 14-game point streak (11-0-3) and move into first in the Central Division for the first time this season with a win against the League-leading Bruins (51-11-5) and if the Stars lose in any fashion to the Calgary Flames. Minnesota trails Dallas by one point for first in the Central and leads the third-place Avalanche by two points. Boston has already clinched a playoff berth and can move closer to securing the top seed in the Atlantic Division with another win. The Bruins have a 16-point lead on the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs, who have 14 games remaining.
Winnipeg Jets at Nashville Predators (2 p.m. ET; BSSO, TSN3, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Predators (34-25-7) can climb withing two points of the Jets (38-28-3) for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference in this pivotal matchup between Central Division rivals. Nashville, which has played three fewer games, is 8-3-1 in its past 12. Winnipeg is 4-9-2 in its past 15 games. The teams play again at Winnipeg on April 8.
Edmonton Oilers at Seattle Kraken (4 p.m. ET; SN, SN1, ROOT-NW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Oilers (38-23-8) and Kraken (38-23-7) continue their battle for third in the Pacific Division. Edmonton, which has won two in a row and is 6-2-0 in it past eight, leads Seattle by one point for third, but the Kraken has a game in hand. The Kraken hold the first wild card from the West, four points ahead of the Jets. Seattle snapped a 0-2-1 slide with a 2-1 overtime win at the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn will look to extend his 11-game point streak (four goals, 12 assists). Edmonton center Connor McDavid has three consecutive multi-point games and leads the NHL with 131 points (57 goals, 74 assists) in 69 games.
Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers (5 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN NOW)
The Hurricanes (44-15-8) will try to extend their one-point lead on the New Jersey Devils for first in the Metropolitan Division. Carolina has lost three of its last four in regulation after having only three regulation losses in its previous 22 games (18-3-1). The Flyers (25-32-11) will look to win consecutive games for the first time since a three-game streak Jan. 9-14 following a 5-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
New Jersey Devils at Florida Panthers (6 p.m. ET; BSFLX, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Devils (44-17-7) and the Panthers (34-27-7) each have a chance to climb in the Eastern Conference race. New Jersey can move one point ahead of the Carolina into first in the Metropolitan Division with a win and a regulation loss by Carolina against Philadelphia. Florida, which is 4-0-1 in its past five games, can move within one point of the Islanders and the Penguins for the two wild cards in the East. Forward Matthew Tkachuk can become the first Panthers player with four consecutive games with at least three points.
Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; CITY, SNE, TVAS, BSSUNX, ESPN+)
The Lightning (41-22-6) can move within one point of second in the Atlantic with a third straight win and a regulation loss by the Maple Leafs. Tampa Bay is 4-1-1 in its past six games following a 0-4-1 slide. The Canadiens (27-36-6) have one win in their past nine games (1-6-2).
Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Maple Leafs (41-18-9) can strengthen their hold on second in the Atlantic Division when they visit the Senators (33-31-4) in the latest edition of the Battle of Ontario. Toronto leads third-place Tampa Bay by three points and has one game in hand. The Senators will look to snap a four-game losing streak and move within six points of the Penguins and Islanders for the two wild cards in the East.
Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Penguins (34-24-10) and Rangers (39-19-10) will each try to solidify their playoff positions in the last of three games between the Metropolitan Division rivals this week. Pittsburgh won 3-2 in overtime at home Sunday. New York won 4-2 at home Thursday. The Penguins are tied with the Islanders for the two wild cards into the playoffs from the East, three points ahead of the Panthers. The Rangers are third in the Metropolitan, 10 points ahead of the Penguins and Islanders and seven points behind the second-place Devils.
Vancouver Canucks at Los Angeles Kings (10 p.m. ET; SN 360, CITY, SNP, BSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Kings (40-20-9) can move one point ahead of the idle Vegas Golden Knights into first in the Pacific Division and extend their nine-game point streak (8-0-1) at home with a win. Los Angeles hasn't lost in regulation at home since a 4-0 defeat to the Stars on Jan. 19. The Canucks (29-33-5) continue a three-game road trip that began with a 3-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.
Dallas Stars at Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SNE, SNO, SNW, BSSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Stars (37-19-13) can maintain their hold on first in the Central and the Flames (31-24-14) can move closer to a playoff spot. Dallas' lead on hard-charging Minnesota for the division lead has shrunk to one point after losing its past two games. Stars forward Wyatt Johnston has scored goals in three straight games to pull even with Matty Beniers of the Kraken for the NHL rookie lead with 19 goals. Calgary is 4-1-1 in its past six games and can move within one point of Winnipeg for the second wild card in the West with a win.
New York Islanders at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, NBCSCA, MSGSN, SN NOW)
The Islanders (35-27-8) wrap up a three-game California road trip needing a win to keep pace in the Eastern Conference race. After splitting the first two games of its trip, New York is tied with Pittsburgh for the two wild cards in the East and leads Florida by three points but has played two more games than each team. The Sharks (19-36-14) are winless in their past five games (0-3-2) and have one win in their past 11 (1-7-3).

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If playoffs started Saturday

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

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About last night

There were four games Friday, three with playoff implications:
Toronto Maple Leafs 5, Carolina Hurricanes 2: Zach Aston-Reese scored two goals for the Maple Leafs (41-18-9), who solidified their hold on second in the Atlantic Division by moving three points ahead of the third-place Tampa Bay Lightning. The Hurricanes (44-15-8) lost for the third time in four games and remained one point ahead of the idle New Jersey Devils in the battle for first in the Metropolitan Division.
St. Louis Blues 5, Washington Capitals 2: The Capitals (33-30-7) fell behind 4-0 in the first two periods and missed a chance to climb within three points of the Penguins and Islanders, who are tied for the two wild cards into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Sammy Blais scored two goals for the Blues (30-33-5) and rookie Joel Hofer made 32 saves in his first NHL start this season after being called up to fill in for the suspended Jordan Binnington.
Philadelphia Flyers 5, Buffalo Sabres 2: The Sabres (33-29-6) lost for the sixth time in seven games (1-4-2) and missed a chance to climb within four points of the Penguins and Islanders for the two wild cards in the East. Owen Tippett had his first NHL hat trick for the Flyers (25-32-11), who ended a four-game losing streak.