Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Capitals can clinch Metropolitan

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2018 NHL postseason. There are eight days left in the regular season and the races in each conference are wide open.

Stanley Cup Playoff clinching scenarios

The Washington Capitals will clinch the Metropolitan Division:
If they defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV) in regulation.
Here is a look at the NHL Standings and everything else that could impact the playoff picture.

What's on tap

All five games on the schedule Sunday have playoff implications:
-- The Bruins are back in first place in the Atlantic Division after defeating the Florida Panthers on Saturday. They have a one-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Flyers have a one-point lead over the New Jersey Devils for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. They are two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for third in the Metropolitan Division.
-- Each team has clinched a playoff berth and is in a race for the Presidents' Trophy. The Predators have a two-point lead on the Bruins and a three-point lead on the Lightning. The Lightning are one point behind the first-place Bruins in the Atlantic.
--The Devils have a five-point lead over the Florida Panthers for the second wild card but the Panthers have one game in hand. The Devils are one point behind the Flyers for the first wild card and three points behind the third-place Blue Jackets in the Metropolitan.
-- The Capitals are first in the Metropolitan and are three points ahead of the second-place Penguins, who clinched a playoff berth with a win against the Canadiens on Saturday. Washngton can clinch the division with a win in regulation.
--The Avalanche are tied in points with the St. Louis Blues (92), who hold the second wild card in the Western Conference; the Blues have defeated the Avalanche in three of four games. The Ducks hold the first wild card and are one point behind the Los Angeles Kings for third in the Pacific Division.

Thought of the Day

It's impressive what the Columbus Blue Jackets (44-29-6, 94 points) have done through the latter part of the season.
On Feb. 18, the Blue Jackets were 29-25-5 (63 points) and one point behind the New York Islanders for the second wild card spot for the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. They've gotten it together, winning 12 of their past 13 games and are third in the Metropolitan Division.
The Blue Jackets look like a confident group. After trailing the Edmonton Oilers 3-0, the Blue Jackets scored seven unanswered goals for a 7-3 win Tuesday. They scored three goals in the final 3:58 of regulation in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
Defenseman Seth Jones could get some Norris Trophy consideration. Jones had four points (three goals, one assist) against Vancouver, setting a Blue Jackets record for points in a season by a defenseman with 54 (16 goals, 38 assists); James Wisniewski had 51 points (seven goals, 44 assists) in 2013-14.
Forward Artemi Panarin has 77 points (26 goals, 51 assists), matching the career high set in his rookie season with the Chicago Blackhawks. Rookie center Pierre-Luc DuBois has eight points (four goals, four assists) in his past five games. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (36-22-5, .923 save percentage) is tied for eighth in the NHL with a 2.36 goals-against average.
The Blue Jackets have three games remaining, beginning against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; FS-O, FS-D, NHL.TV). Thanks to their success down the stretch, they're close to reaching the playoffs for a second consecutive season. -- Tracey Myers, NHL.Com staff writer

About last night

Ten games on the schedule Saturday had playoff implications:
Vegas Golden Knights 3, San Jose Sharks 2 -- The Golden Knights won their 50th game and clinched the Pacific Division. William Karlsson scored his 42nd goal for Vegas. The Sharks are four points ahead of the third-place Los Angeles Kings. The Golden Knights became the first modern-era expansion team from any of the four North American professional sports leagues to start from scratch and finish first in its division (excluding mergers and all-expansion divisions), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
 Boston Bruins 5, Florida Panthers 1
-- The Bruins reclaimed first place in the Atlantic Division and clinched home ice for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They are one point ahead of the Lightning, who have played two more games than Boston. The Panthers are five points behind the New Jersey Devils for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
-- The Blue Jackets scored three goals in the final 3:58 of regulation to remain in third place in the Metropolitan Division. They are two points behind the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins.
Winnipeg Jets 3, Toronto Maple Leafs 1 -- The Jets remain in second place in the Central Division, five points behind the first-place Predators and 10 points ahead of the third-place Minnesota Wild. The Jets can finish no lower than second in the Central. The Maple Leafs will finish third in Atlantic, and open on the road against either the Bruins or Lightning in the first round.
New Jersey Devils 4, New York Islanders 3 --The Devils moved five points ahead of the Panthers for the second wild card and within one point of the Philadelphia Flyers, who hold the first wild card.
Pittsburgh Penguins 5, Montreal Canadiens 2 -- The Penguins clinched a playoff berth for the 12th straight season, the longest streak in the NHL. The Penguins are three points behind the Washington Capitals in the Metropolitan and two ahead of the Blue Jackets.
New York Rangers 2, Carolina Hurricanes 1 --Henrik Lundqvist made 40 saves for the Rangers and the Hurricanes were eliminated from playoff contention.
Buffalo Sabres 7, Nashville Predators 4 --The Predators remain first in the Central, five points ahead of the Jets, but did not clinch the division. Predators forward Eeli Tolvanen played 13:34 his NHL debut.
Dallas Stars 4, Minnesota Wild 1 --The Stars kept their playoff hopes alive and are four points behind the Blues for the second wild card. The Wild are third in the Central, 10 points behind the Jets and four ahead of the Blues.
Arizona Coyotes 6, St. Louis Blues 0 -- The Blues lost in regulation for the first time since March 15 but maintained the second wild card. They are tied in points with the Colorado Avalanche (92) but the Blues are 3-1-0 in the season series.

If playoffs started Sunday

Here is a look at the matchups for the first round as they stand entering games Sunday:
Eastern Conference
(1A) Boston Bruins vs (WC2) New Jersey Devils
(1M) Washington Capitals vs. (WC1) Philadelphia Flyers
(2M) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (3M) Columbus Blue Jackets
(2A) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (3A) Toronto Maple Leafs
Western Conference
(1C) Nashville Predators vs. (WC2) St. Louis Blues
(1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) Anaheim Ducks
(2C) Winnipeg Jets vs. (3C) Minnesota Wild
(2P) San Jose Sharks vs. (3P) Los Angeles Kings