NHL playoff picture

[April 05, 2018]  A look at the NHL playoff picture heading into the Thursday night games:

Playoff format -- The top three teams from each division make the postseason, joined by the two teams with the next-best point totals in each conference. (x-clinched playoff berth; y-clinched division title)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION

T1. x-Boston Bruins, 110 points, three games remaining

T1. x-Tampa Bay Lightning, 110 points, two games remaining

3. x-Toronto Maple Leafs, 103 points, two games remaining

4. Florida Panthers, 90 points, three games remaining

The Bruins and Lightning are battling for the top spot while the Maple Leafs are locked in at No. 3. Even if the Panthers win all of their remaining games, they need a collapse from Columbus, New Jersey or Philadelphia to sneak into the postseason.

METROPOLITAN DIVISION

1. y-Washington Capitals, 103 points, two games remaining

T2. x-Pittsburgh Penguins, 96 points, two games remaining

T2. Columbus Blue Jackets, 96 points, two games remaining

4. New Jersey Devils, 95 points, two games remaining

5. Philadelphia Flyers, 94 points, two games remaining

Columbus needs one more point and New Jersey needs one more win to seal playoff berths. Philadelphia also controls its own destiny.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

CENTRAL DIVISION

1. x-Nashville Predators, 113 points, two games remaining

2. x-Winnipeg Jets, 110 points, two games remaining

3. x-Minnesota Wild, 98 points, two games remaining

4. Colorado Avalanche, 93 points, two games remaining

5. St. Louis Blues, 92 points, two games remaining

With Winnipeg opposing a pair of also-rans while Nashville faces Washington and Columbus, the Jets have a chance of grabbing the division crown. St. Louis took a last-minute loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. However, the Blues still clinch a playoff bid if they win their last two games, as they close the regular season against the Avalanche on Saturday in Denver.

PACIFIC DIVISION

1. y-Vegas Golden Knights, 109 points, two games remaining

2. x-San Jose Sharks, 98 points, two games remaining

3. x-Anaheim Ducks, 97 points, two games remaining

4. x-Los Angeles Kings, 96 points, two games remaining

 

The Kings clinched a playoff berth while idle Thursday when the Blues lost. The Ducks then went out and sealed their postseason bid with a victory over the Wild. Now San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles will battle it out to avoid dropping into a wild-card position.

THURSDAY'S GAMES (all times Eastern)

Toronto at New Jersey, 7 p.m. -- With a fourth consecutive win, the Devils would wrap up a playoff berth. They will face off against a playoff-bound Maple Leafs squad that has nothing at stake.

N.Y. Rangers at N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m. -- Last place in the Metropolitan Division is on the line at Barclays Center.

Carolina at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. -- The Hurricanes are 1-1-1 this season against the Flyers, who can't afford to slip up against an already-eliminated foe.

Nashville at Washington, 7 p.m. -- Two division leaders clash. The Predators would wrap up the Central Division title with a victory.

Pittsburgh at Columbus, 7 p.m. -- The Blue Jackets would seal a playoff spot and vault over the Penguins for second place in the Metropolitan Division with a win.

Boston at Florida, 7:30 p.m. -- The clubs play in the first of two meetings over a four-day span, as they have a makeup game scheduled for Sunday in Boston. A loss would eliminate the Panthers if Philadelphia can earn a point against Carolina.

Montreal at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. -- The Canadiens look to end a three-game skid in a battle of also-rans.

Calgary at Winnipeg, 8 p.m. -- The Jets, who will be the only Canadian team in the Western Conference playoffs, enter with a three-game winning streak and a 9-1-0 record in their past 10 games.

Vegas at Edmonton, 9 p.m. -- The Golden Knights, still with an outside shot of posting the best record in the West, aim for a fourth consecutive victory. The Oilers own the longest active longest streak in the league, five games.

Arizona at Vancouver, 10 p.m. -- With a win, the Coyotes would climb over the Canucks to escape the Pacific Division basement.

Minnesota at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. -- The Kings are battling to move out of a wild-card position while the Wild are locked into third place in the Central regardless of the remaining results.

Colorado at San Jose, 10:30 p.m. -- The Sharks carry a four-game skid into a game against an Avalanche club scrapping to stay afloat in the playoff race.

--Field Level Media

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