There are five games on the NHL schedule Wednesday, four with playoff implications:
Edmonton Oilers at Montreal Canadiens, 5 p.m. ET (NHLN, TSN2, RDS, SNW, NHL.TV):Though this game does not have playoff implications, each team is tuning up for the first round. The Oilers will play the Winnipeg Jets and the Canadiens will play the Toronto Maple Leafs. Edmonton center Connor McDavid has scored at least two points in six straight games. He leads the NHL with 102 points (33 goals, 69 assists) in 54 games.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators, 8 p.m. ET (SN, TVAS2, NHL.TV):The Maple Leafs are in contention to win the Presidents' Trophy. They first must defeat the Senators in any fashion and then will then need the San Jose Sharks to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in regulation and the Los Angeles Kings to defeat the Colorado Avalanche in any fashion. Goalie Frederik Andersen will start for Toronto after missing 23 games with a knee injury. He hasn't played in the NHL since March 19.
Vegas Golden Knights at San Jose Sharks, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN+, NBCSA+, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV): The Golden Knights can clinch the Presidents' Trophy and the No. 1 seed in the West Division if they earn one more point than the Avalanche, meaning a win and a Colorado loss of any kind, or an overtime/shootout loss and a Colorado regulation loss. Vegas is 7-0-0 against San Jose this season.
Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN+, ALT, BSW, NHL.TV): The Avalanche also have a chance to clinch the Presidents' Trophy and the No. 1 seed in the West Division. The must defeat the Kings in any fashion and hope the Sharks defeat the Golden Knights in regulation. Colorado can lock up at the No. 2 seed in the West with one point. The Avalanche have won three consecutive games and six of their past seven. They've also won four in a row against the Kings and are 5-1-0 against them this season.
Minnesota Wild at St. Louis Blues, 9 p.m. ET (NBCSN, BSMW, NHL.TV):The Wild and Blues are still awaiting their first-round opponents. Minnesota can be the No. 2 seed in the West if it wins its final two games and Colorado loses its final two in regulation. The Blues will be the No. 4 seed in the West. One will play the Golden Knights and the other will face the Avalanche. The Blues earned five of a possible six points in three straight games against the Wild from April 28-May 1 (2-0-1) and have points in five straight games against them (4-0-1).
