Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Hurricanes, Bruins clash in Eastern Conference

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2023 NHL postseason. There are 20 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 five games on the NHL schedule Sunday, four with playoff implications.
Colorado Avalanche at Arizona Coyotes (3 p.m. ET; NHLN, BSAZ, ALT, SN NOW)
The Avalanche (42-23-6), who have won seven of their past eight games, could tie the idle Dallas Stars for second in the Central Division with a win. They could also move within one point of the first-place Minnesota Wild, with a game in hand. Arizona (27-34-12) was eliminated from playoff contention Friday after a 3-1 loss to the Avalanche.
Boston Bruins at Carolina Hurricanes (5 p.m. ET; SN360, SNE, SNW, TVAS, BSSO, NESN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Hurricanes (47-16-8) can extend their lead over the idle second-place New Jersey Devils for first in the Metropolitan Division with one game in hand. Carolina is also six points ahead of the third-place New York Rangers. Boston (56-11-5) has won six straight and has clinched first place in the Atlantic Division.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Nashville Predators (6 p.m. ET; NHLN, BSSO, SNO, SN NOW)
The Maple Leafs (43-20-9) are 3-3-1 in their past seven games and can extend their lead for second in the Atlantic. They are five points ahead of the third-place Tampa Bay Lightning, who is idle Sunday. Nashville (36-27-8), 2-3-1 in its past five, is five points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference with three games in hand. They are 13 points ahead of the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card.
St. Louis Blues at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; BSW, BSMW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Los Angeles (42-20-10) has won two straight and can pick up ground on the Vegas Golden Knights for first in the Pacific Division. They are four points behind the Golden Knights with one game in hand. The Kings, who are 24-9-4 on home ice this season, would also like to extend their three-point lead over the idle Edmonton Oilers in the divisional race. The Blues (33-33-6) have won two straight and are 13 points behind the Jets for the second wild card in the West.

If playoffs started Sunday

Here is a look at the matchups for the first round as they stand entering games Friday:
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) Dallas Stars vs. (3C) Colorado Avalanche
(2P) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3P) Edmonton Oilers

About last night

There were 15 games Saturday, 13 with playoff implications:
Philadelphia Flyers 3, Detroit Red Wings 0: The Red Wings (31-32-9) have lost 12 of their past 15 games (3-11-1) and are 11 points behind the Penguins for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Carter Hart made 29 saves for the Flyers (28-32-12), who are 4-0-1 in their past five.
Boston Bruins 2, Tampa Bay Lightning 1: Linus Ullmark made 26 saves for the Bruins (56-11-5), who won their sixth straight game to clinch their first Atlantic Division title since 2019-20. Tampa Bay (42-26-6) has lost four straight, all in regulation, and is five points behind the Maple Leafs, who have two games in hand, for second in the Atlantic.
Seattle Kraken 7, Nashville Predators 2: Jared McCann had a goal and two assists for the Kraken (40-24-8), who are 3-1-1 in their past five games and three points behind the Oilers for third place in the Pacific Division. Nashville (36-27-8) has lost two straight and is five points behind the Jets for the second wild card into the playoffs from the West.
Los Angeles Kings 4, Winnipeg Jets 1: Viktor Arvidsson scored two goals for the Kings (42-20-10), who are 9-0-2 in their past 11 games and two points behind the Golden Knights for first in the Pacific Division. Winnipeg (41-30-3) is four points ahead of the Calgary Flames for the second wild card into the playoffs from the West and three points behind the Kraken for the first wild card.
Calgary Flames 5, San Jose Sharks 3: Tyler Toffoli scored twice for the Flames (33-26-15), who are four points behind the Jets for the second wild card into the playoffs from the West. The Sharks (19-39-15) were eliminated from playoff contention March 15.
Minnesota Wild 3, Chicago Blackhawks 1: Ryan Hartman scored the game-winner with 1:11 left in the third period for the Wild (42-22-9), who are 3-0-1 during a four-game point streak and moved one point ahead of the Stars for first in the Central Division. The Blackhawks (24-42-6) were eliminated from playoff contention March 18.
New York Rangers 4, Florida Panthers 3: Jaroslav Halak made 31 saves for the Rangers (43-20-10), who are 8-2-1 in their past 11 games and remained four points behind the Devils for second in the Metropolitan Division. The Panthers (36-30-7) are three points behind the Penguins for the second wild card from the East.
Buffalo Sabres 2, New York Islanders 0: Eric Comrie made 26 saves for the Sabres (35-31-6), who won their second straight game and are six points behind the Penguins for the second wild card from the East. The Islanders (37-28-9) are one point ahead of the Penguins for the first wild card from the East.
Vancouver Canucks 3, Dallas Stars 1: The Stars (39-20-14) are 2-1-1 in their past four and dropped to second in the Central Division after the Wild won 3-1 against the Blackhawks on Saturday. Vancouver (33-34-5), which has won nine of its past 11 games, is 14 points behind the Jets for the second wild card from the West.
New Jersey Devils 5, Ottawa Senators 3: Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist and Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves in his first start since Feb. 19 for the Devils (46-19-8), who clinched their first playoff berth in five seasons. New Jersey trails Carolina by two points for first in the Metropolitan. The Senators (35-33-5) are seven points behind the Penguins for the second wild card from the East.
Carolina Hurricanes 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 3: Pyotr Kochetkov made an NHL career-high 41 saves for Carolina (47-16-8), which has won four of five and remained two points ahead of the Devils for first in the Metropolitan. Toronto (43-20-9) is second in the Atlantic, five points ahead of the third-place Lightning.
Pittsburgh Penguins 4, Washington Capitals 3: The Penguins recovered from blowing a three-goal lead in the third period when Evgeni Malkin scored with 1:20 remaining. Pittsburgh (36-27-10), which has won two of three, moved three points ahead of Florida for the second wild card from the East and one point behind the Islanders for the first wild card. The Capitals (34-32-8) have lost five of six and are six points behind the Penguins.
Vegas Golden Knights 4, Edmonton Oilers 3 (OT): Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists and Nicolas Roy scored 2:26 into overtime for the Golden Knights (46-21-6), winners of four straight and four points ahead of the Kings, who have one game in hand, for first in the Pacific Division. Edmonton (41-23-9) had its five-game winning streak end and is seven points behind Vegas and three ahead of Seattle, which holds the first wild card into the playoffs from the West.