NHL Playoff Push: Wild, Stars, Avalanche Make Moves

Flyers wins Devils

The Stanley Cup playoffs are taking shape: Avs, Hurricanes, and more make headlines.

Wild, Stars, Avalanche, and more make moves in the playoff push...

The Eastern Conference playoff race is heating up, with Wild Card teams neck and neck and the Atlantic Division in a three-way tie between the Tampa Bay Lightning, Buffalo Sabres, and Montreal Canadiens, all with 102 points. The Sabres recently snapped a 14-year playoff drought, and the Lightning are looking to secure their 12th playoff spot under coach Jon Cooper.

The Atlantic Division is seeing a shift in hierarchy, with the Sabres and Canadiens making pushes for the top spot. The Lightning, despite their consistent performance, haven't won a playoff series since 2022. Meanwhile, the Wild Card race is intense, with Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators holding strong positions, while Detroit Red Wings face uncertainty with a nine-year playoff drought.

Flyers Surge Past Devils 5-1, Extend Winning Streak to Three 

The Flyers won their third straight game, beating the Devils 5-1 and pulling away from the Islanders in the Metro Division. Trevor Zegras led the charge with a goal and an assist, bringing his season totals to 25 goals and 40 assists. Zegras's goal got the Flyers off to a 2-0 lead, and Tyson Foerster added a pair of goals, including one assisted by Zegras for his 40th helper.

The Flyers earned their 40th win, a first since the 2019-2020 season. That year, they lost in the second round of the playoffs. If they win their remaining four games, it'll be their most wins since the 2011-2012 season, when they had 47.

The Devils fell to 40-35-7 and are officially out of the playoff picture for the 11th time in 14 seasons.

Blue Jackets Edge Red Wings 4-3 in Shootout, Leapfrog in Wild Card Race 

Columbus beat Detroit 4-3 in a shootout, leapfrogging the Red Wings in the standings. Zach Werenski led the charge with a goal and an assist, including the game-winner in the shootout. The Blue Jackets now have 90 points, one point ahead of Detroit and New York, which both have 89.

Senators Cruise Past Lightning 6-2, Strengthen Wild Card Bid 

The Senators took a big win, boosting their total to 92 points and solidifying their spot in the Wild Card chase. They're now ahead of Columbus (90), Detroit (89), NY Islanders (89), and Washington (87), who are all battling for a playoff spot.

The Senators stormed back from a 3-2 deficit, scoring three straight goals with Jake Sanderson netting two and Brady Tkachuk racking up four assists. The Lightning, meanwhile, are tied with Montreal and Buffalo for the Atlantic Division lead with 102 points each, and four games left to play.

Canadiens Stun Panthers 4-3 in Shootout, Keep Division Hopes Alive 

The Habs edged the Panthers in a shootout thriller, keeping their Atlantic Division hopes alive. Nick Suzuki scored with 21 seconds left to send it to OT, and Montreal came out on top in the shootout.

Cole Caufield scored the game-winner in the shootout, beating Daniil Tarasov to seal the win. The Canadiens' next game is a huge matchup against the Lightning on April 9th, which could decide the Atlantic Division fate.

Hurricanes Edge Bruins 6-5 in OT, Secure Top Spot in East 

The Canes beat the Bruins 6-5 in overtime, with Jaccob Slavin scoring his first goal of the season to seal the win. Carolina now has 106 points, securing the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. This is their fourth 50-win season in five years, and they've made it to at least the second round of the playoffs each time.

Boston remains comfy in the top Eastern Conference Wild Card spot with 96 points. Morgan Geekie led the charge with his second career hat trick.

Avalanche Clinch Central Division Title, Top Nichushkin 

The Avs won 3-1 against the Blues, securing the Central Division title for the fourth time this decade. Valeri Nichushkin led the charge with two goals, bringing his season total to 17.

The Avalanche are chasing franchise history if they win out - they'd tie the record for 56 wins set by the 2021-2022 team. A couple more wins would get them to 53, the second most in franchise history. St. Louis's Robert Thomas scored their only goal, with just 19 shots on goal.

Stars Rally Past Flames 4-3 in OT, Stunning Comeback

The Stars pulled off an incredible rally, overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the third period. Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson tied it up, and Dallas won it in OT.

The Stars were held to 15 shots in regulation, but exploded for 11 in OT. Meanwhile, Calgary was shut out in OT, failing to get a single shot on goal.

Wild Rally Past Kraken 5-2, Set Up Stars Showdown 

The Wild rallied for four unanswered goals after trailing 2-1, securing a win over the Kraken. Minnesota will face Central rival Dallas Stars in the first round of the playoffs.

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