Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz: Canadiens try again to clinch berth against Blackhawks

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Buzz, a daily look at the races for the 2025 NHL postseason.

There are four 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.

Here are the Stanley Cup Playoffs clinching scenarios for April 14.

On Tap

There are six games on the NHL schedule Monday, three with playoff implications:

Chicago Blackhawks at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, Prime, CHSN)

The Canadiens (39-31-10) will clinch a playoff berth if they win in any fashion as they make their third attempt to secure a postseason spot. They have a three-point lead on the Columbus Blue Jackets and each has two games remaining. Montreal would face the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference First Round. The Blackhawks (23-46-11) have been eliminated from playoff contention.

New York Rangers at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MSG)

The Panthers (47-29-4) will finish either second or third in the Atlantic Division and still have a chance for home-ice advantage in the first round against either the Toronto Maple Leafs or Tampa Bay Lightning. They are two points behind the second-place Lightning, who would clinch a top-two spot in the division if Florida loses in regulation. The Rangers (37-36-7) have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Los Angeles Kings at Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. ET; TVAS, Prime, NHLN, FDSNW)

The Kings (46-24-9) and Oilers (47-28-5) will play each other in the first round for the fourth straight season, that much we know. But who will have home-ice advantage? Los Angeles leads Edmonton by two points and has a game in hand and would clinch second place in the Pacific Division with a win of any fashion.

If playoffs started Monday

Eastern Conference

(1A) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (WC1) Ottawa Senators
(2A) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (3A) Florida Panthers
(1M) Washington Capitals vs. (WC2) Montreal Canadiens
(2M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (3M) New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

(1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) Minnesota Wild
(2P) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3P) Edmonton Oilers
(1C) Winnipeg Jets vs. (WC2) St. Louis Blues
(2C) Dallas Stars vs. (3C) Colorado Avalanche

About last night

There were nine games on the NHL schedule Sunday, six with playoff implications:

Ottawa Senators 4, Philadelphia Flyers 3 (OT): Tim Stutzle scored twice, including the game-winner in overtime for the Senators (44-30-6), who clinched the first wild card in the East and will play either the Maple Leafs or Lightning in the first round of the playoffs. The Flyers (33-37-10) have been eliminated but are 5-1-1 since Brad Shaw replaced John Tortorella as coach.

Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Carolina Hurricanes 1: Auston Matthews scored his 399th NHL goal, and the Maple Leafs (50-26-4) remained four points ahead of the second-place Lightning in the Atlantic. With the win, Toronto will finish either first or second in the division and has home-ice advantage for at least the first round. The Hurricanes (47-28-5) will finish second in the Metropolitan Division and play the Devils.

Tampa Bay Lightning 7, Buffalo Sabres 4: Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel each scored twice for the Lightning (46-26-8), who moved two points ahead of the Panthers for second in the Atlantic and remained four points behind the Maple Leafs. All three teams each of two games left. The Sabres (35-38-7) have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Columbus Blue Jackets 4, Washington Capitals 1: Jet Greaves made 29 saves for the Blue Jackets (38-33-9), who stayed in contention for a playoff berth by completing a sweep of the home-and-home set against the Capitals (50-21-9), the No. 1 seed in the East. Columbus is three points behind Montreal for the second wild card in the East and would be eliminated if the Canadiens win in any fashion Monday. Alex Ovechkin scored his 896th NHL goal for Washington.

Edmonton Oilers 4, Winnipeg Jets 1: Corey Perry had a goal and an assist, and Stuart Skinner made 17 saves for the Oilers, who moved within two points of the Kings for second place in the Pacific. Despite the loss, the Jets (55-22-4) won the Presidents’ Trophy for having the best record in the NHL during the regular season. They will have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

Calgary Flames 5, San Jose Sharks 2: Yegor Sharangovich scored twice for the Flames (39-27-14), who extended their point streak to six games (4-0-2) and moved within two points of the Blues for the second wild card in the West, and three behind the Wild for the first wild card. Calgary has a game in hand on each. The Sharks (20-49-11) have been eliminated from playoff contention.