Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Races remain tight on 6-game Sunday

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2026 NHL postseason.

There are five days left in the regular season and the races for playoff spots and seeding are heating up. The top three teams in each of the four divisions and the next two highest-place finishers in each conference reach the playoffs.

Here is a look at the NHL standings and everything else that could impact the playoff picture.

Clinching scenarios

WESTERN CONFERENCE

The Anaheim Ducks will clinch a playoff berth:

If they defeat the Vancouver Canucks in any fashion (8 p.m. ET; KTTV, Victory+, SNP).

On Tap

There are six games on the NHL schedule Sunday, all with playoff implications:

Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals (3 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, MNMT, truTV, TNT, SN360, TVAS)

The Metropolitan Division rivals play the second of a home-and-home set after the Capitals won 6-3 on Saturday. Pittsburgh played without forwards Sidney Crosby (lower body), Evgeni Malkin (upper body), Bryan Rust (lower body) and Ben Kindel (upper body), and defensemen Erik Karlsson (lower body), Kris Letang (upper body) and Parker Wotherspoon (upper body). Each is considered day to day. If Crosby plays, it will mark the 100th all-time meeting between the Penguins captain and Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. The latter hasn't decided whether he will play beyond this season, so this could be the last chance to see the rivals go head-to-head. The Capitals (41-30-9) are 6-2-0 in their past eight games but will be eliminated from playoff contention with a regulation loss to the Penguins. They're five points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card from the Eastern Conference. The Penguins (41-23-16) are 5-2-0 in their past seven and locked into second in their division.

Montreal Canadiens at New York Islanders (6 p.m. ET; MSGSN, TSN2, RDS)

Nick Suzuki needs one point to become the first Canadiens player to reach 100 in a season since Mats Naslund (110) in 1985-86. The Montreal captain (28 goals, 71 assists) would also like to see his team keep pace with the Tampa Bay Lightning for second in the Atlantic Division. Montreal (47-23-10) is third since Tampa Bay holds the regulation-wins tiebreaker (40-33). Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer needs one goal to pass Brian Leetch (23 in 1988-89) and set a new NHL record for the most in a season by a rookie at the position. The Islanders (43-32-5) will be eliminated from contention with either a regulation loss, or an overtime or shootout loss and if the Columbus Blue Jackets get at least one point against the Boston Bruins and the Capitals get at least one point against the Penguins, or if the Blue Jackets defeat the Bruins in any fashion and the Capitals defeat the Penguins in any fashion. New York has lost five of six and is sixth in the Metropolitan Division, three points behind the third-place Philadelphia Flyers.

Boston Bruins at Columbus Blue Jackets (6 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, NHLN, NESN, SNW, SNO, SNE)

Defenseman Zach Werenski is one assist from becoming the first player to reach 60 in a season for the Blue Jackets (40-28-12), who are 3-6-1 in their past 10 games and remain two points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan. The Bruins (43-27-10) have clinched a playoff berth and look to end a five-game slide (0-2-3). They hold the second wild card from the East since the Ottawa Senators hold the regulation-wins tiebreaker (37-31).

Ottawa Senators at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN2, TSN5, RDSI)

Tim Stutzle (83 points; 34 goals, 49 assists) needs one assist to become the first player with four consecutive seasons of at least 50 for the Senators (43-27-10), who have qualified for the playoffs and want to maintain the first wild card in the East. They're also four points ahead of the Blue Jackets. Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk is questionable after coach Travis Green said the forward wasn't feeling well and not playing the final 18:03 of the third period in a 3-0 win at the Islanders on Saturday. The Devils (41-36-3) are eliminated from playoff contention.

Vancouver Canucks at Anaheim Ducks (8 p.m. ET; KTTV, Victory+, SNP)

The Ducks (42-32-5) will clinch a playoff berth with a win in any fashion after a 6-1 win against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday ended a six-game slide (0-5-1). Lukas Dostal needs one win to tie John Gibson (2017-18) and Guy Hebert (1998-99) for the fifth-most wins (31) in a season by a Ducks goalie, forward Beckett Sennecke (60 points; 23 goals, 37 assists) is two assists from tying the team record by a rookie in a single season and can set the franchise points record in a season each held by Trevor Zegras (38 assists, 61 points) in 2021-22. Anaheim is one point behind the second-place Edmonton Oilers and two behind the Vegas Golden Knights in first. The Canucks (23-48-8) have been eliminated from playoff contention and are 2-8-0 in their past 10 games.

Utah Mammoth at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SN, Utah16)

The Mammoth (42-31-6) have clinched a playoff berth and hold the first wild card from the Western Conference, three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings. The Flames (32-38-9) are eliminated from postseason contention.

If playoffs started Sunday

Western Conference

(1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) Utah Mammoth

(2P) Edmonton Oilers vs. (3P) Anaheim Ducks

(1C) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) Los Angeles Kings

(2C) Dallas Stars vs. (3C) Minnesota Wild

Eastern Conference

(1A) Buffalo Sabres vs. (WC1) Ottawa Senators

(2A) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (3A) Montreal Canadiens

(1M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC2) Boston Bruins

(2M) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (3M) Philadelphia Flyers

About last night

There were 15 games on the NHL schedule Saturday, 14 with playoff implications:

Tampa Bay Lightning 2, Boston Bruins 1

The Lightning (49-25-6) ended a three-game losing streak and earned an important two points when Emil Lilleberg scored with 1:35 remaining in the third period. Brandon Hagel scored in his return to the lineup after missing five games with a lower-body injury for the Lightning, who are two points behind the Buffalo Sabres for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Bruins (43-27-10) still clinched a berth with the Detroit Red Wings and Islanders each losing in regulation Saturday. Boston has lost five in a row (0-3-2) and holds the second wild card from the Eastern Conference.

Ottawa Senators 3, New York Islanders 0

Linus Ullmark made 23 saves for the Senators (43-27-10), who've won four in a row. New York is sixth in the Metropolitan Division and lost its first game (1-1-0) since coach Peter DeBoer replaced Patrick Roy on April 5.

Washington Capitals 6, Pittsburgh Penguins 3

Ilya Protas had a goal and two assists to become the first teenager (19 years old) in 40 years to have a three-point game for the Capitals after defenseman Scott Stevens (March 1, 1984). Ovechkin scored his 929th NHL goal and rookie forward Ryan Leonard scored twice for Washington, which is three points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in the Metropolitan. Noel Acciari, Kevin Hayes and Anthony Mantha scored for the Penguins.

Los Angeles Kings 1, Edmonton Oilers 0

Artemi Panarin scored and Anton Forsberg made 27 saves for the Kings (34-26-19), who won their fourth straight to tie their longest winning streak of the season (Nov. 9-15). Los Angeles holds the second wild card from the Western Conference. The Oilers (40-30-10) clinched a playoff berth despite the loss when the Winnipeg Jets lost 7-1 to the Flyers on Saturday. 

New Jersey Devils 5, Detroit Red Wings 3

Jesper Bratt had two goals and an assist for the Devils (41-36-3), who eliminated the Red Wings from playoff contention. Detroit (41-30-9) needed a win to have a chance at the second wild card from the East but lost for the fourth time in five games and will miss the playoffs for a 10th straight season. New Jersey was eliminated from playoff contention April 7.

St. Louis Blues 5, Chicago Blackhawks 3

The Blues (34-33-12) won for the third time in five games but were eliminated from playoff contention after the Kings defeated the Oilers earlier in the day. Tyler Tucker and Jonatan Berggren each had two assists for the Blues. The Blackhawks (28-38-14) are 1-7-1 in their past eight and have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Nashville Predators 2, Minnesota Wild 1

Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist for Predators (38-32-10), who are 4-1-1 in their past six games and remained one point behind the Kings for the second wild card from the West with two games remaining. Forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello, and defenseman Jared Spurgeon, were scratched because of rest-related reasons for the Wild (45-23-12), who will finish third in the Central Division and play the second-place Dallas Stars in the Western Conference First Round.

Dallas Stars 2, New York Rangers 0

Jason Robertson scored twice and Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for his fourth shutout of the season for the Stars (48-20-12). The Rangers (33-38-9) are 5-3-0 in their past eight and have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Carolina Hurricanes 4, Utah Mammoth 1

Jordan Staal had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (52-22-6), who clinched first place in the Metropolitan Division and increased their lead in the Eastern Conference to four points ahead of the idle Buffalo Sabres with two games left. Dylan Guenther scored his 40th goal of the season for Utah.

Florida Panthers 6, Toronto Maple Leafs 2

The Panthers (38-38-4) ended a four-game skid (1-3-1) after Tomas Nosek scored a pair of goals. William Nylander scored two goals for the Maple Leafs (32-34-14). Each team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Columbus Blue Jackets 5, Montreal Canadiens 2

Charlie Coyle scored twice and Jet Greaves made 20 saves for the Blue Jackets. Cole Caufield scored his 51st goal of the season for Montreal (47-23-10), which is third in the Atlantic Division.

Philadelphia Flyers 7, Winnipeg Jets 1

Sean Couturier had two goals and an assist for Philadelphia (41-27-12), which has won four of five. Connor Hellebuyck allowed five goals on 20 shots before he was replaced by Eric Comrie (one save) to begin the third period for the Jets (35-32-12), who are five points behind the Kings for the second wild card from the West.

Seattle Kraken 4, Calgary Flames 1

Ryker Evans had two assists for the Kraken (34-34-11), who were eliminated from playoff contention after the Kings defeated the Oilers on Saturday.

Vegas Golden Knights 3, Colorado Avalanche 2 (OT)

Jack Eichel scored at 1:19 of overtime and the Golden Knights (37-26-17) extended their point streak to eight games (5-0-3) and clinched a playoff berth. The Avalanche (52-16-11) have clinched the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top regular-season team and are 6-3-1 in their past 10 games.

Vancouver Canucks 4, San Jose Sharks 3 (SO)

Linus Karlsson scored in the sixth round of the shootout for the Canucks. Igor Chernyshov scored twice and Macklin Celebrini had two assists to reach 110 points (42 goals, 68 assists) for the Sharks (37-34-8), who are 0-2-1 in their past three games and five points behind the Kings for the second wild card from the West with three games to play.