There are 12 games on Thursday's schedule, nine with playoff implications.
The Lightning, who have clinched the Presidents' Trophy, need to win their final two games to tie the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings for most wins in a season (62). The Maple Leafs will finish third in the Atlantic Division, six points behind the second-place Boston Bruins with two games remaining.
The Islanders are second in the Metropolitan Division, three points behind the first-place Washington Capitals and two points ahead of the third-place Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders can finish anywhere from first in the Atlantic to the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
The Penguins can clinch a playoff berth with a win against the Red Wings. The Penguins are third in the Metropolitan, two points behind the second-place New York Islanders and two points ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes, who hold the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
The Canadiens are tied in points with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who hold the second wild card in the East. The Blue Jackets have 44 regulation/overtime wins (ROW), the first tie breaker, to Montreal's 41. Montreal is one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who have 42 ROW. The Capitals can clinch the Metropolitan Division title with a win against the Canadiens. Washington is three points ahead of the second-place New York Islanders.
The Hurricanes hold the first wild card from the Eastern Conference, three points behind the third-place Penguins in the Metropolitan and one point ahead of the Blue Jackets and Canadiens for the second wild card.
The Blues are third in the Central Division, one point behind the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators, who are tied for in points. The Blues are also four points ahead of the Dallas Stars, who hold the first wild card from the West. Each has 41 regulation/overtime wins.
The Predators are tied in points with the Jets for first place in the Central and are one point ahead of the third-place Blues. The Jets have 44 regulation/overtime wins while the Predators and Blues have 41. Nashville must get more points from its final two games than the Jets to finish in first.
Winnipeg Jets at Colorado Avalanche (9 p.m. ET; ALT, TSN3, NHL.TV) - The Avalanche, who hold the second wild card in the West, need one point from their final two games, or a loss of any kind by the Arizona Cardinals, to clinch a playoff berth. The Avalanche are three points behind the Dallas Stars, who hold the first wild card and the tiebreaker (41 to 38 in ROW). The Jets are first in the Central; they're tied in points with the Nashville Predators, but the Jets have 44 ROW to Nashville's 41. The Jets are one point ahead of the third-place St. Louis Blues, who also have 41 ROW.
Arizona Coyotes at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, FS-A, NHL.TV) - The Coyotes, who have lost seven of their past nine games (2-4-3), are four points behind the Avalanche for the second wild card from the West and must win out to have any chance at qualifying for the playoffs. The Golden Knights are third in the Pacific and will play the San Jose Sharks in the first round.
