Super Saturday features six compelling plot lines

Welcome to Super Saturday in the NHL.
It's the penultimate day of the 2017-18 regular season and 30 of the League's 31 teams are in action. Ten of the 15 games on the schedule impact the Stanley Cup Playoff races, which remain unsettled. The final spot in the Western Conference is unclaimed and first place in the Atlantic Division is up for grabs, as is seeding in each division. One of eight first-round series is set, the Winnipeg Jets against the Minnesota Wild.

In addition to the playoff races, the battle for the Rocket Richard Trophy and the possibility of a star player who could be playing his last game with the only franchise he's known in his NHL career add to the intrigue.
Here are six storylines to watch Saturday:

St. Louis or Colorado

The final playoff berth in the Western Conference will be determined when the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche play at Pepsi Center (9 p.m. ET; NHL Network, ALT, FS-MW, NHL.TV).
The Blues moved one point ahead of the Avalanche for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 on Friday.
The Avalanche need to win the game in regulation to pass the Blues and make the playoffs. Any other result will put the Blues into the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season.
Whoever advances will face the Nashville Predators, the Presidents' Trophy winner, in the Western Conference First Round.

Metro shuffle

The Pittsburgh Penguins locked up second place in the Metropolitan Division with their 4-0 win against the Ottawa Senators on Friday. Third place can still be claimed by the Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils or Flyers.
Columbus plays the Predators at Bridgestone Arena (8 p.m. ET; FS-TN, FS-O). The Devils play against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, MSG+, NHL.TV). The Flyers defeated the Rangers to clinch the final berth in East and move into third place with 98 points and 40 ROW.
The Blue Jackets and Devils are tied with 97 points and 39 ROW.
If Columbus and New Jersey each win in regulation or overtime, Columbus would secure third place because it has a 6-2 points advantage in the head-to-head tiebreaker and the Devils would finish with the first wild card.
If the Blue Jackets and Devils each lose in any fashion, the Flyers would finish third.

Tampa Bay or Boston

The Lightning will secure first place in the Atlantic Division with a regulation or overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena (7 p.m. ET; FS-CR, SUN, NHL.TV).
The Lightning lead the division with 112 points and 48 ROW. The Bruins are second with 110 points and 46 ROW. Boston has two games left, both at home, against the Senators (7 p.m. ET; CITY, TVAS, NESN, NHL.TV) on Saturday and the Panthers on Sunday.
The Bruins, who own the head-to-head tiebreaker against Tampa Bay, will have a chance to win the division if the Lightning defeat the Hurricanes in a shootout or lose in any fashion.
Boston would need two non-shootout victories in regulation or overtime if Tampa Bay defeats the Hurricanes in a shootout. If the Lightning get one point against Carolina, Boston would need to win each of its remaining games in any fashion. The Bruins would need three of a possible four points if the Lightning lose in regulation.

California clash

The San Jose Sharks (100 points), Anaheim Ducks (99) and Los Angeles Kings (98) can each finish as high as second in the Pacific Division or as low as fourth.
The teams finishing second and third will play each other in the Western Conference First Round. The other team will be the first wild card into the playoffs from the West and play the Vegas Golden Knights, the first-place in the division.
The Sharks play the Minnesota Wild at SAP Center (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA+, FS-N, NHL.TV). The Kings face the Dallas Stars at Staples Center (10:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, FS-W, FS-SW Plus, NHL.TV). The Ducks play the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena (9 p.m. ET; FS-A Plus, PRIME, NHL.TV).

Rocket race

Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin needs a hat trick against the Devils to get to 50 goals for the eighth time in his career and first since the 2015-16 season. He leads the League with 47 goals and is on pace to win the Rocket Richard Trophy for the seventh time. Winnipeg right wing Patrik Laine is second with 44 goals entering his final regular-season game, against the Chicago Blackhawks (7 p.m. ET; SN, WGN, NHL.TV).

One last time?

Captain John Tavares could be playing his final game with the New York Islanders, the team that made him the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NHL Draft.
Tavares, 27, is expected to play against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena (7 p.m. ET; FS-D, MSG-+2, NHL.TV). He can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Although Tavares has said he hopes his time with the Islanders is not finished, the fact that he hasn't re-signed leaves open the possibility that he could be playing elsewhere next season and beyond.