16 games to be nationally televised this week

Each Monday throughout the 2023-24 NHL season, NHL.com will provide fans with a guide of games that will be nationally televised that week. Today, a look at games for the 28th and final week of the regular season.

In total, 16 games will be carried nationally by ESPN, TNT, SN, NHL Network and/or TVA Sports before the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Saturday. Auston Matthews' pursuit of 70 goals resumes Tuesday, when the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Florida Panthers on ESPN. TVA Sports Direct has the Pittsburgh Penguins at the New York Islanders on Wednesday, which could decide the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.

TUESDAY, APRIL 16

Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, TSN4): A potential preview of the Eastern Conference First Round and rematch of the 2023 second round, won by Florida in five games. The Panthers (51-24-6) clinched home-ice advantage in the best-of-7 first round with a 3-2 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday and are one point behind the Boston Bruins for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Bruins visit the Washington Capitals on Monday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NHLN, NESN).

The Maple Leafs (46-24-10) will be the No. 3 seed in the division and play either the Panthers or Bruins. Matthews needs one goal in Toronto's final two games, a back-to-back set at Florida and the Tampa Bay Lightning, to become the ninth 70-goal scorer in NHL history and first since 1992-93, when Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny scored 76 apiece. Matthews is on an NHL career-best eight-game goal streak, tied with Panthers forward Sam Reinhart (55 goals) for longest this season.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17

Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSGSN, TVAS-D): The final two playoff spots could be on the line at UBS Arena depending on what happens Monday. The Islanders (37-27-16) will get in and clinch the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan Division with a win against the New Jersey Devils in any fashion or one point and a Capitals loss to the Bruins in any fashion, or a Capitals loss in regulation and a Penguins loss to the Nashville Predators in any fashion. If New York gets one point against New Jersey, it will clinch a playoff berth with a Detroit Red Wings loss to the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; BSDETX, SN, RDS), among other scenarios.

A late charge (8-2-1 since March 23) has the Islanders three points ahead of fourth-place Washington and the fifth-place Philadelphia Flyers with one game in hand on the Flyers. Patrick Roy is 18-12-5 since replacing Lane Lambert on Jan. 20 with New York attempting to qualify for the first time in its history following an in-season coaching change.

The Penguins (37-31-12) are out with a regulation loss to the Predators. They trail the Capitals by one point for the second wild card from the East and are trying to become the first team in NHL history to overcome a nine-point deficit in its final 11 games to reach the postseason.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS): In addition to Matthews chasing 70 goals, Toronto forward William Nylander (40 goals, 57 assists) is three points from his first 100-point season in the NHL. The Lightning (44-28-8) are locked into the first wild card from the East and forward Nikita Kucherov is close to winning his second Art Ross Trophy (2018-19) with an NHL-leading 141 points (43 goals, 98 assists), three ahead of Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon’s 138 (51 goals, 87 assists).

St. Louis Blues at Dallas Stars (9:30 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, TVAS-D): The Stars (51-21-9) clinched the Central Division for the first time since 2015-16 with a 3-1 win against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. They're one point behind the New York Rangers in the race for the Presidents' Trophy given to the team with the best record at the end of the regular season. If the Stars catch the Rangers, they will win the trophy for the first time since back-to-back wins in 1997-98 and 1998-99. If the current NHL standings hold, Dallas will play the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference First Round, a rematch of the 2023 Western Conference Final won by Vegas in six games. The Golden Knights trail the third-place Los Angeles Kings by one point in the Pacific Division and the Predators by three for the first wild card from the West.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18

Edmonton Oilers at Colorado Avalanche (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SNO, SNE, SN1, TVAS): MacKinnon is one point from tying Peter Stastny for the Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques single-season record set in 1981-82 and will go head-to-head with Connor McDavid if the Oilers forward recovers from a lower-body injury that's sidelined him for three games. Edmonton's captain is third in the NHL with 130 points (31 goals, 99 assists). Along with Kucherov (98 assists), he could join Wayne Gretzky (11 times), Mario Lemieux (1988-89) and Bobby Orr (1970-71) as the only players in NHL history with 100 in a season. Edmonton is second in the Pacific, five points behind the Vancouver Canucks with a game in hand.

OTHER NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAMES

MONDAY

Ottawa Senators at New York Rangers (7:30 p.m. ET; MSG, TSN5, RDS2)

San Jose Sharks at Edmonton Oilers (9:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNW, SNOL, NBCSCA)

Minnesota Wild at Los Angeles Kings (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN)

TUESDAY

Ottawa Senators at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NESN, TSN5, RDS2)

Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, BSDET)

Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SN360, TVAS)

Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNW, SNP, ESPN+, HULU)

WEDNESDAY

Edmonton Oilers at Arizona Coyotes (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SN, TVAS)

THURSDAY

Seattle Kraken at Minnesota Wild (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, TVAS)