Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Devils, Wild can take over 1st place

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2023 NHL postseason. There are 25 days left in the regular season and the races in each of the four divisions are tight. 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.

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On Tap

There are 13 games on the NHL schedule Tuesday, 12 with playoff implications.
Carolina Hurricanes at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Hurricanes (45-15-8) will try to hold on to first place in the Metropolitan Division, while the third-place Rangers (41-19-10) hope to stay hot and make up ground. The Hurricanes are one point ahead of the second-place New Jersey Devils with two games in hand. The Rangers, who have won four straight and six of seven (6-0-1), are five points behind the Devils and six behind the Hurricanes.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA+, BSOH, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Capitals (33-31-7) are 1-3-0 in their past four and six points behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Panthers have a game in hand. The Blue Jackets (21-41-7) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Florida Panthers at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, BSFLX, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Panthers (36-27-7) will try to extend their seven-game point streak (6-0-1). They're one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild card from the East and one behind the New York Islanders for the first wild card with a game in hand.
Minnesota Wild at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; SNW, MSGSN, BSN, BSWIX, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Minnesota (40-22-8) and New Jersey (45-18-7) each has a chance to move into first place in a tight division race. The Wild are tied with the Colorado Avalanche for second in the Central, one point behind the Dallas Stars. The Devils are second in the Metropolitan, one point behind the Hurricanes.
Nashville Predators at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Predators (34-26-8) are five points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the second wild card from the Western Conference with three games in hand. The Sabres (33-30-6) trail the Panthers by seven points for the second wild card from the East with a game in hand. Each team is 0-2-1 in its past three and coming off a 7-0 loss Sunday -- the Predators to the Rangers, the Sabres to the Boston Bruins.
Ottawa Senators at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NESN, TSN5, RDS2, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Bruins (53-11-5), the first team in the NHL to clinch a playoff berth, have won three in a row and will continue their quest for the NHL regular-season records in wins (62) and points (132). The Senators (34-31-5) are six points behind the Panthers for the second wild card from the East.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, BSSUN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The third-place Lightning (42-23-6) are three points behind the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic.
Toronto Maple Leafs at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, TVAS, TSN4)
The Maple Leafs (42-18-9) are second in the Atlantic, three points ahead of the Lightning with two games in hand. The Islanders (36-27-8) hold the first wild card in the East, one point ahead of the Panthers and in front of the Penguins, each of whom have a game in hand. Toronto and New York each has won two straight.
Arizona Coyotes at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Jets (39-29-3) are 1-3-0 in their past four and hold the second wild card from the West. They're two points behind the Seattle Kraken for the first wild card, though the Kraken have two games in hand, and four ahead of the Calgary Flames.
Seattle Kraken at Dallas Stars (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, ROOT-NW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Stars (38-19-13) will try to hold on to first place in the Central Division. They're one point ahead of the Avalanche and Wild and return home after going 4-2-0 on a six-game road trip. The Kraken (38-24-7) are 1-3-1 in their past five, including a 4-3 overtime loss to the Stars on Saturday, and hold the first wild card from the West, two points ahead of the Jets with two games in hand.
Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; BSW, SNW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Flames (31-25-15) are 2-2-2 in their past six and four points behind the Jets for the second wild card from the West.
Vegas Golden Knights at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNP, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Golden Knights (43-21-6) are 5-1-0 in their past six and will try to retake sole possession of first place in the Pacific from the Los Angeles Kings, who tied them with an 8-2 win against the Flames on Monday.

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If playoffs started Tuesday

Here is a look at the matchups for the first round as they stand entering games Tuesday:
Eastern Conference
(1A) Boston Bruins vs. (WC2) Florida Panthers
(2M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC1) New York Islanders
(2A) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (3A) Tampa Bay Lightning
(2M) New Jersey Devils vs. (3M) New York Rangers
Western Conference
(1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC2) Winnipeg Jets
(1C) Dallas Stars vs. (WC1) Seattle Kraken
(2C) Colorado Avalanche vs. (3C) Minnesota Wild
(2P) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3P) Edmonton Oilers

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About last night

There were five games Monday, all with playoff implications:
Ottawa Senators 2, Pittsburgh Penguins 1: The Penguins fell out of the second wild card from the East with their fourth straight regulation loss and are one point behind the Panthers. Dylan Ferguson made 48 saves in his first NHL start, and Drake Batherson broke a tie at 17:51 of the third period for the Senators, who ended a five-game losing streak (0-5-1) and are six points behind the Panthers.
Florida Panthers 5, Detroit Red Wings 2:Aleksander Barkov became the Panthers' all-time leading scorer by earning his 614th point with an assist, and Florida moved into the second wild card from the East by extending a seven-game point streak (6-0-1). Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists for his 31st multipoint game this season, giving him a four-game goal-scoring streak and 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in his past 14 games. Carter Verhaeghe scored twice. The Red Wings are 2-8-1 in their past 11 games and 10 points behind the Panthers with a game in hand.
Colorado Avalanche 5, Chicago Blackhawks 0:The Avalanche tied the Wild for second in the Central Division with their sixth straight win and are one point behind the first-place Stars. Alexander Georgiev made 27 saves for his fifth shutout, tying for first in the NHL with Ilya Sorokin of the Islanders and Darcy Kuemper of the Washington Capitals. Denis Malgin had two goals and an assist and Mikko Rantanen a goal and an assist. The Blackhawks have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Edmonton Oilers 5, San Jose Sharks 4 (OT):Darnell Nurse scored on a breakaway with 15 seconds left in overtime after Mattias Ekholm tied the game 4-4 at 16:13 of the third period with his second goal. The Oilers won their fourth straight game and are third in the Pacific Division, four points behind the third-place Kings. The Sharks have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Los Angeles Kings 8, Calgary Flames 2:The Kings tied the Golden Knights for first in the Pacific by extending their points streak to 10 games (8-0-2). Vegas has a game in hand. Adrian Kempe had two goals and an assist, and Carl Grundstrom scored twice for Los Angeles. Jacob Markstrom allowed six goals on 26 shots for the Flames, who remain four points behind the Jets for the second wild card from the West.