NHL roundup: Teams clinch their playoff spots as race comes down to the wire

[h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vegas-golden-knights/fTT0TsUg/"]Golden Knights[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/colorado-avalanche-hACAnvBa/vegas-golden-knights-fTT0TsUg/?mid=0AHuC5XI"]3-2[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/colorado-avalanche/hACAnvBa/"]Avalanche[/a][/h2][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eichel-jack/roOYYdOm/"]Jack Eichel[/a] scored his 26th goal of the season to give the Knights a win in overtime as they clinched a playoff berth for the eighth time in the franchise's nine years in the league. [/p][p]Despite clinching a playoff spot, the race for the Pacific Division will ultimately come down to the final two games of the season. [/p][embed guid="a8013158-45c5-4a85-8444-3c4abbdc8ee2" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wldba9f73gY" social-type="youtube" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-kings/CIDo8i2o/"]Kings[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/edmonton-oilers-Mg0qoxeI/los-angeles-kings-CIDo8i2o/?mid=6gDgEviC"]1-0[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/edmonton-oilers/Mg0qoxeI/"]Oilers[/a] [/h2][p]Despite the shutout loss, the back-to-back Western Conference champions punched their playoff ticket for the seventh straight season. [/p][p]They'll be in a three-way fight between the Knights and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/anaheim-ducks/4CM4ojpD/"]Anaheim Ducks[/a] for the Pacific Division title. Should they pull it off, it'll be the Oilers' first division title since the 1986-1987 season when they went on to win the Stanley Cup. [/p][p]As for the Kings, they currently hold the second Wild Card spot in the west with 86 after taking home a much-needed win for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kopitar-anze/vNlBZ8Wo/"]Anze Kopitar[/a]'s final home game with the Kings as he's set to retire after the season. [/p][embed guid="d0bf1267-1a2e-40a3-ae74-57950ffac72b" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PMVowODrmc" social-type="youtube" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ottawa-senators/noTCHmWM/"]Senators[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/new-york-islanders-xESz5TGG/ottawa-senators-noTCHmWM/?mid=ARJpG0Ma"]3-0[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-islanders/xESz5TGG/"]Islanders[/a][/h2][p]This will now make it back-to-back seasons for the Senators with a playoff appearance, and the third time in the last 10 years. Before these past two seasons, Ottawa had a seven-year streak without a playoff appearance. [/p][p]Now, with two games left, the Senators have a chance to reach 100 points on the season for the first time since the 2006-2007 season, when they went to the Stanley Cup Finals. [/p][p]Meanwhile, the Islanders (91 points) are still in a Metro Division race that will come down to the final two games of the season. [/p][embed guid="bcbd2e79-eb37-49e2-aee3-57d62e8e5cee" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcUgWTIjIpk&pp=0gcJCdoKAYcqIYzv" social-type="youtube" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tampa-bay-lightning/YVE3zk1c/"]Lightning[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/boston-bruins-jeans23J/tampa-bay-lightning-YVE3zk1c/?mid=WA1s3All"]2-1[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-bruins/jeans23J/"]Bruins[/a][/h2][p]The Bruins will now make their ninth playoff appearance in the past 10 years, thanks to a Detroit loss, after missing last year's playoffs as they finished with 76 points.[/p][p]This now marks the second time the Bruins have missed the playoffs after finishing a season with 76 points, then making the playoffs the following year. The first time it happened was when they missed the playoffs following the 2006-2007 regular season. [/p][p]They would go on to make the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals the following year. As for the Lightning (104 points), they're in a race for the Atlantic Division title with the Habs (104 points) and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/buffalo-sabres/UobjtMIP/"]Sabres[/a] (106 points).[/p][embed guid="67c34b65-b85c-44ba-8b4c-19228b816d6f" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZraeGwP80xQ" social-type="youtube" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-flyers/QySGG7oT/"]Flyers[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/philadelphia-flyers-QySGG7oT/winnipeg-jets-r3L8pAaJ/?mid=OUqKUayg"]7-1[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/winnipeg-jets/r3L8pAaJ/"]Jets[/a][/h2][p]The Flyers all but shattered the Jets' playoff hopes in the Western Conference Wild Card race while simultaneously extending their lead in the Metro Division ahead of the Caps, Islanders, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/columbus-blue-jackets/0vCzmbQ5/"]Blue Jackets[/a]. [/p][p]Should the Flyers win their next game against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/carolina-hurricanes/Sx0gl0tm/"]Hurricanes[/a] on Monday, they'll officially eliminate the Caps and Islanders, while still being in a fight with Columbus, should they win their next game. [/p][embed guid="8f61bacf-cb41-4836-83ad-bf690ecc7523" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T90ebS07ESo&pp=0gcJCdoKAYcqIYzv" social-type="youtube" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/washington-capitals/UND9nmoG/"]Capitals[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/pittsburgh-penguins-AkN0nWU6/washington-capitals-UND9nmoG/?mid=vy5k1lJ0"]6-3[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pittsburgh-penguins/AkN0nWU6/"]Penguins[/a][/h2][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/protas-ilya/xnacd4pL/"]Ilya Protas[/a] scored his first NHL goal, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ovechkin-alexander/6s0ms3DP/"]Alexander Ovechkin[/a] scored his 32nd of the season after the Penguins fans honored their own [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/crosby-sidney/UTbIZpKC/"]Sidney Crosby[/a]'s long-standing rival. [/p][p]Ovi hinted that a decision will be made during the summer on whether he will retire. Washington avoided elimination, but will need the Flyers to lose their final two games if they want a chance at the playoffs. [/p][p]Pittsburgh had already clinched a spot in the playoffs, where the likely matchup could be a Battle of Pennsylvania with the Flyers. [/p][embed guid="4a1dd6f8-ec6a-4b4f-afba-5a2872ddb224" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViLT6cbyUhg" social-type="youtube" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-jersey-devils/Kh0O591A/"]Devils[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/detroit-red-wings-dnJdmCF0/new-jersey-devils-Kh0O591A/?mid=0jgbaSmD"]5-3[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-red-wings/dnJdmCF0/"]Red Wings[/a][/h2][p]The Devils scored three straight unanswered goals in the third period to officially eliminate the Red Wings from playoff contention, which ultimately lifted the Senators and Bruins to their own playoff berths. [/p][p]This is now the 10th straight season the Red Wings have failed to make the playoffs, despite starting out the first quarter of the season as one of the best teams in the league. [/p][p]New Jersey had already been eliminated as they were playing spoiler. [/p][embed guid="15cfe1a7-e1cc-4b1d-925e-c483ac36a425" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p145eLn415Q" social-type="youtube" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/columbus-blue-jackets/0vCzmbQ5/"]Blue Jackets[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/columbus-blue-jackets-0vCzmbQ5/montreal-canadiens-nu2G7VWc/?mid=IXtCWL6t"]5-2[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/montreal-canadiens/nu2G7VWc/"]Canadiens[/a] [/h2][p]The Blue Jackets kept their playoff hopes alive with the win over the Habs. In order ot make the playoffs, they'll need the Flyers to lose both of their final two games, while winning their own final two. [/p][p]They'll be going up against the Bruins, then the Capitals for their final game, which could even decide who makes the playoffs and doesn't, depending on the Flyers' situation. [/p][p]Meanwhile, Montreal has the Islanders and Flyers for their final two games of the season. [/p][embed guid="132f25f0-19e9-4489-b94b-630e0ffdab01" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q61X8nXM-z4" social-type="youtube" /][h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nashville-predators/QV0K6kn4/"]Predators[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/minnesota-wild-j9Ck7BHi/nashville-predators-QV0K6kn4/?mid=QXMGH93s"]2-1[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/minnesota-wild/j9Ck7BHi/"]Wild[/a] [/h2][p]The Preds (86 points) sit just below the Kings (87 points) in the Western Conference Wild Card race with a clutch win against the Wild. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stamkos-steven/hz2mWvws/"]Steven Stamkos[/a] scored his 40th goal of the season, marking the eighth 40-goal season of his career and the third in the past six seasons. [/p][p]They have the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-jose-sharks/E588Co9j/"]San Jose Sharks[/a] and Anaheim Ducks to finish out their regular season as they continue to hold on.[/p][h2]Other games[/h2][p]The Canes recorded their 52nd win of the season, tying the Avalanche for the most of any team in the league, after beating the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/utah-mammoth/hnwxhtVp/"]Mammoth[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/carolina-hurricanes-Sx0gl0tm/utah-mammoth-hnwxhtVp/?mid=fDEXDR26"]4-1[/a].[/p][p]Both Utah and Carolina already clinched their playoff spots in their respective conferences as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guenther-dylan/tfwZEKb2/"]Dylan Guenther[/a] scored his 40th goal of the season for the Mammoth, marking the first 40-goal season of his career. [/p][embed guid="7f20401f-7b8b-4104-9fe3-84a700727ae5" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BQU0dKKxdY" social-type="youtube" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/florida-panthers/fc1eq8Pp/"]Florida Panthers[/a] took down the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toronto-maple-leafs/ShE7Z8G3/"]Toronto Maple Leafs[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/florida-panthers-fc1eq8Pp/toronto-maple-leafs-ShE7Z8G3/?mid=v7B1CILO"]6-2[/a] after three straight goals to start and three straight goals to end it.[/p][p]Meanwhile, the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/st-louis-blues/KSAayVoi/"]St. Louis Blues[/a] bested the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chicago-blackhawks/A1kbmKeg/"]Chicago Blackhawks[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/chicago-blackhawks-A1kbmKeg/st-louis-blues-KSAayVoi/?mid=6mtpNVuK"]5-3[/a] and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/dallas-stars/vVAvnIuC/"]Dallas Stars[/a] shut out the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-york-rangers/O4zxeyWN/"]New York Rangers[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/dallas-stars-vVAvnIuC/new-york-rangers-O4zxeyWN/?mid=boLOFmYg"]2-0[/a]. [/p][p]Then the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/seattle-kraken/MibYQ5nU/"]Seattle Kraken[/a] scored four straight goals to take down the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/calgary-flames/EZekktRt/"]Calgary Flames[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/hockey/calgary-flames-EZekktRt/seattle-kraken-MibYQ5nU/?mid=ppYSSw65"]4-1[/a]. [/p]