Perhaps the writing was on the wall as early as the fourth game of the season.The Tampa Bay Lightning - who pushed the Pittsburgh Penguins to seven games in the 2016 Eastern Conference finals - now sit four points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs in the race for the final wild-card spot.Related - Playoff Percentages: Idle Leafs, Isles rejoice as Bruins, Lightning falter againWith that in mind, here's a quick look back at three losses that could prove to be very costly if the Lightning ultimately miss the playoffs.Oct. 20 vs. ColoradoAfter kicking off the regular season with three straight wins, the Lightning dropped a 4-0 decision to the Avalanche on home ice.It was difficult to foresee just how far Colorado's season would fall downhill from that point on, but the Avalanche are now a full 20 points behind the Arizona Coyotes at the bottom of the NHL standings, on track for the worst season of any team in the shootout era.Losing a game to Colorado in 2016-17 is a bad result, by any measure.Jan. 21 @ ArizonaAs mentioned, the Coyotes are the next-worst team in the NHL after Colorado, and have scored only 2.36 goals per game.On this day, however, Arizona dropped five goals on the Lightning, all of which were allowed by a since-traded Ben Bishop on just 17 shots against.For their part, the Lightning managed 48 shots, but puck luck clearly wasn't on their side, resulting in a tough-to-swallow 5-3 defeat.March 21 vs. ArizonaDespite playing without star center Steven Stamkos for most of the season - while enduring a host of other injuries and playing the role of seller at the trade deadline - the Lightning entered Wednesday's game against Arizona with a chance to make up some ground in the playoff race.The result? Another 5-3 loss at the hands of the Coyotes. To make matters worse, the Lightning held a 3-2 lead heading into the third period."There's been a lot of frustrating games this year, so this ranks up there," head coach Jon Cooper said afterward, per the Associated Press. "How important the game is to us .... That 3-2 lead at home in a must-win for us, to give it up like we did, it's frustrating, to say the least."It's not over yet, but things look bleak with 10 games remaining on the schedule. And while a lot of factors have contributed to Tampa Bay's slide, it's easy to look back at those three games as missed opportunities.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here they go again?After two years of missing the playoffs as a result of late-season swoons, the Boston Bruins aren't about to let go of their hold on a postseason berth.So says defenseman Torey Krug, whose seventh goal of the season wasn't enough to keep the team from dropping a third straight game Tuesday in Ottawa."Haven't thought about it. Haven't talked about it," Krug said of the past two seasons' failures, per Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com. "It's a different feeling this year. It's not going to happen. I know we have a lot of pride in this room, the guys that have been through it. There's no other option except making sure we stay on course and take care and do our jobs."Boston had a chance of securing a playoff spot on the final day of 2015-16, only to lose 6-1 to the Senators on home ice. And in 2014-15, a three-game losing streak to end the season kept the Bruins two points out of the final spot.Despite the recent losses, Boston remains third in the Atlantic Division with a 78 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to Sports Club Stats.The Toronto Maple Leafs, however, are one point back and have two games in hand, and could very well bump the Bruins into the second wild-card spot and a much less desirable first-round matchup. The New York Islanders sit four points back, also with two games in hand, thereby posing a real threat of bumping the Bruins from the playoff picture entirely.For Krug, the answer is simple: take things one game at a time, beginning Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning."There's no other option except winning that game," he said.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames rookie Matthew Tkachuk was suspended two games for an ugly elbow on reigning Norris Trophy winner Drew Doughty on Sunday, and while many believe he's on track to build an unfavorable reputation throughout the league in his debut season, one franchise legend thinks otherwise.Related: Doughty calls out Tkachuk: 'He's a pretty dirty player, that kid'Theo Fleury, the diminutive right winger that played 791 games for the Flames and amassed 1,088 points in his lengthy career, said he "loved" the play and thinks Tkachuk's suspension will benefit him in the future."He's smart," Fleury told Sportsnet's Mark Spector. "What he did the other night was, he sent a message to the entire league. Yeah, it cost him two games, but I'm sure it will benefit him down the road."The more room you get on the ice, the more you have to do the things you do best. By creating some unpredictability, you get more room."Fleury, listed at 5-foot-6, broke into the NHL in an entirely different era, when plays like Tkachuk's were much more common. Yet, the 1989 Stanley Cup champion went as far as saying a current small and skilled Calgary winger should take notes."Johnny Gaudreau needs to take a lesson from him," Fleury said. "Johnny can be neutralized because of his size. If he were a little meaner with his stick and elbows, he might get a little more room out there."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Max Pacioretty isn't picking up what Gary Bettman is putting down.On Tuesday, the NHL commissioner stated people should assume the league will not be shutting down in order to allow player participation at the 2018 Winter OIympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, citing an inability to quantify any benefit for doing so in the past.Respectfully, the Montreal Canadiens captain and 2014 Team USA member disagrees."People want to see us go, we want to go," Pacioretty said, per Eric Engels of Sportsnet. "I think it helps the league. I know it helps the league."For me, it’s a no-brainer that players should be there and players should go."In regards to what Bettman said Monday, Pacioretty sees it as part of the negotiation process."(Bettman) is a smart guy. That's what you do. You never try and fold or give up too much too easily. That's what smart negotiators do, but players want to go, and we've heard rumblings of owners wanting players to go. It's no surprise. We'll see what happens, but I expect us to be there."It was reported in November the NHL offered to extend the current collective bargaining agreement with the players in order to ensure Olympic participation, a notion that was soundly rejected.While Bettman hasn't slammed the door shut, clearly some middle ground needs to be found in order to make it happen.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the playoff race, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.It was a busy Tuesday night in the NHL, and if the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs were scoreboard watching, they had a blast.Meanwhile, it was a tough night in the state of Florida. After losses in must-win games, the Tampa Bay Lightning's chances to make the playoffs are slightly below 11 percent, while the Panthers are at 0.2 percent - lowest among teams that still have a mathematical shot.Here are the evening's biggest swings with respect to playoff odds, with all the significant action happening in the East:Eastern ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeLeafsOff78.3%+4.9%IslandersOff29%+4.9%HurricanesW 4-3 vs. Panthers4.4%+2.5%BruinsL 2-3 vs. Sens78%-6.3%LightningL 3-5 vs. Coyotes10.8%-7.9%Western ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeBluesW 4-2 vs. Avalanche99.6%+0.3%FlamesL 2-4 vs. Capitals99%-0.3%To see percentages for the entire NHL, visit Sports Club Stats.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CHICAGO - Daniel Sedin scored a power-play goal 2:12 into overtime and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 on Tuesday night to end a six-game skid.With his twin brother Henrik Sedin screening goalie Scott Darling, Daniel Sedin connected on a high, long shot. The score withstood a video review for goaltender interference and snapped the Blackhawks' five-game winning streak.Chicago rookie Ryan Hartman scored his second goal of the game with 1:03 left in the third period to tie it at 4. The Blackhawks rallied with three goals in the third period to send it to overtime.Vancouver's Brandon Sutter scored two goals to end a 13-game drought. Sutter, along with Henrik Sedin and Reid Boucher, connected on three of the Canucks' first five shots as Vancouver pounced on Chicago mistakes to build a 4-1 advantage.Ryan Miller made 40 saves as the Canucks were outshot 44-15.Marian Hossa scored his 23rd goal and Richard Panik his 20th in the third period to help Chicago storm back late for a second straight game.Chicago All-Star Corey Crawford made just six saves on 10 shots before being relieved by Darling after Sutter scored his second goal - and 17th of the season - at 2:15 of the third.The Blackhawks' Central Division lead over Minnesota dropped to six points after the Wild's 3-2 win over San Jose.The fading Canucks entered having lost four straight in regulation and were 0-4-2 in their last six.Vancouver had been outscored 21-9 in the six-game slide and 15-5 in the last four.The Canucks cashed in on Chicago lapses and scored on three straight shots late in the first and early in the second to take a 3-1 lead.After slipping to the crease uncovered, Henrik Sedin opened the scoring with 59.5 seconds left in the first. Crawford had no chance on his point-blank backhand deflection of Daniel Sedin's snappy feed from the right boards.Sutter made it 2-0 just 1:33 into the second after Blackhawks rookie Nick Schmaltz lost the puck just inside the Chicago blue line. Jayson Megna whipped it down low to Sutter, who moved in alone and faked Crawford to the ice.Hartman cut it to 2-1 with a power-play goal at 3:15, beating Miller with a nifty fake after darting down the slot alone to cap a slick passing play with Hossa and Schmaltz.Panik came inches from tying it during a power play two minutes later, but his close-in shot clanked off the left post.Instead, Boucher scored on the Canucks' next shot at 7:45 to make it 3-1. After slipping behind Chicago's defense, he cut toward the crease and tipped in Christopher Tanev's feed.Sutter made it 4-1 when he completed a 2-on-1 break with Jack Skille.Hossa's one-timed drive from the right circle at 5:48 cut it to 4-2. Panik narrowed it to 4-3 on a screened shot from the high slot at 2:22 later.NOTES: Blackhawks D Johnny Oduya was back after being rested on Sunday versus Colorado. ... Chicago C Artem Anisimov sat out his fourth game with a lower-body injury. ... The Sedins combined on goals for the 703rd and 704th times, second only to Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri. ... Before the game, the Blackhawks held a moment of silence for former Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krause, whose death was confirmed Tuesday by the NBA team.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers continued their 2016-17 slide Tuesday night, dropping a 3-2 contest to the Winnipeg Jets to earn the 13th loss of their past 20 games.Flyers goaltender Steve Mason didn't mince words after the loss, calling out his mates for failing to capitalize on the Jets' shorthanded blue line - Winnipeg played with six defensemen sidelined by injury."It was up to us to make them feel uncomfortable," Mason said after the game, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Sam Carchidi. "We're also facing a goaltender who hadn't had a start in two months, and I don't think we made it hard enough for him."We need a better effort."The Flyers fired 26 shots at Jets netminder Michael Hutchinson, putting just two behind him (the second tally coming in the final two seconds, with the game all but sealed up). Mason faced 33 shots in total, stopping 30.But it wasn't just the Tuesday-night loss that irked the veteran netminder."We keep playing like this and we'll be mathematically eliminated before you know it," Mason said. "We've got to stop this win-one-lose-one (habit). We have to have some growth on the team here."With the loss in tow, the Flyers rank second-last in their division with 74 points. They haven't been eliminated just yet, as they sit seven points out of the East's final wild-card spot with 10 games remaining on their season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild's funk is over. The Sharks' continues.Minny snapped its five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over San Jose, and it was a significant victory for Devan Dubnyk, who tied a franchise record for wins in a season with his 37th."I've been waiting for a while," Dubnyk said, according to the Star Tribune's Michael Russo. "It felt like a long month."Dubnyk hadn't tasted victory since March 10, as the Wild allowed three or more goals in each of their five losses during their struggles. In other words, Minnesota wasn't playing Wild hockey."We can stop talking about the other stuff now," he added. "This is what we're about."Five of the game's four goals Tuesday were scored in a wacky two-minute sequence in the second period:Dubnyk finished the game with 21 saves.The Sharks, meanwhile, are struggling to wrap up the Pacific Division. San Jose's lost four in a row, and the offense has dried up, with only eight goals scored in those four losses.The Flames are five points back of San Jose, while Edmonton and Anaheim are only four back, and the latter two have a game in hand.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Everything is coming up Jaccob Slavin this month.The Carolina Hurricanes defenseman is in the midst of an incredible streak, picking up 11 points in 12 March games, tying him with Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson for the most points this month by a defenseman.Of course, the streak was highlighted by Slavin's first career hat trick when he recorded four points March 13 against the New York Islanders.Nevertheless, Slavin is not only having an impressive month, but a great sophomore season. After posting a respectable 20 points in 63 games last season as a rookie - good enough for fifth among first-year defensemen - Slavin has already upped that mark by 10 points while playing in all but one of Carolina's games this season.Slavin has quickly become one of Carolina's premiere defensemen, leading the club in rearguard scoring and averaging the team's most ice-time per game.The 22-year-old is just coming into his own, but if this season and - more specifically - this month, have proven anything, it's that Slavin could be on his way to becoming one of the NHL's best young talents.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils are playing out a lost season, but they went at the New York Rangers hard as ever Tuesday night.A chippy affair, which Rick Nash said featured "kind of a playoff atmosphere," ended in a 3-2 overtime win for the Devils thanks to a couple of ridiculous saves by Jersey 'tender Cory Schneider.Not only did Schneider use his toe to keep the puck out of the net after Kevin Hayes' impressive backhand deke, he then robbed the Rangers forward using his arm, after Hayes tried to sweep the rebound into the net.The play went the other way, and the rest is history, with Joseph Blandisi tucking in the winner on his backhand.Also history: Schneider's nine-game personal losing streak. He hadn't won in over a month. He earned this one.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's looking increasingly likely that playoff hockey won't be played in Florida this spring.Tuesday night was excruciating for the state's two teams, as the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning dropped must-win games against teams they simply had to beat: the Carolina Hurricanes and Arizona Coyotes.Goaltending was the reason why on this night:Goalie SV% Saves SAReto Berra (FLA).8402125Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL).8823034In fact, with the Panthers' 4-3 loss to Hurricanes, Carolina's now jumped Tom Rowe's club in the Eastern Conference standings. The Canes are hot: 6-1-3 in their last 10, and now six points back of the second wild-card spot, currently held by Toronto.They've featured prominently in the Panthers' season, going 2-0-1 against the club. Fired head coach Gerard Gallant's final game with the Panthers was a 3-2 loss to Carolina, back on Nov. 27.The Panthers won the Atlantic Division last season. This time around, they're fighting tooth and nail just for a chance to sneak back into the dance.The Lightning, meanwhile, have now lost three in a row after a 5-3 setback to Arizona, and are stuck at 77 points, with the Maple Leafs owning a game in hand.

The 2016-17 campaign has been a resurgent one for the Winnipeg Jets' offense, with Mark Scheifele continuing his ascent and Patrik Laine establishing himself among the game's next great snipers.But the club's depth hasn't been half bad either. Mathieu Perreault continued to add to that bolstered depth scoring on Tuesday night, coming up with a goal and an assist during Winnipeg's 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.The 29-year-old's line rolled over the Flyers as mates Scheifele and Blake Wheeler added a combined six points as well, giving the line an impressive eight points on the night.

Anthony Mantha took matters into his own hands Tuesday.The Detroit Red Wings forward scored a sensational overtime goal, putting the puck through Alex Galchenyuk before whipping a wrist shot over the catching glove of Al Montoya, capping a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.For Mantha, it was his 15th goal of the season and snapped a six-game pointless skid.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

T.J. Oshie is poised to be compensated very well in free agency this summer, according to teammate Alex Ovechkin.The Washington Capitals forward hit the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his career in the second period Tuesday against the Calgary Flames, and as such will be in line for a big raise, at least Ovechkin seems to think so."It's huge, especially his last year of the deal. Ka-Ching," Ovechkin said, according to Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.Related: Watch: Oshie scores 30th of season after picture perfect passing playOshie is in the final year of a five-year, $20.875-million contract.Ovechkin could be onto something regarding the new deal, as with his 30 goals coming in just 59 games, Oshie owns the NHL's fifth-best goals per game average.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel has been diagnosed with a concussion, according to head coach Mike Sullivan.Guentzel was forced from the Penguins' Tuesday night tilt with the Buffalo Sabres after absorbing a blindside hit from defender Rasmus Ristolainen midway through the first period. Ristolainen was subsequently ejected from the game.The young winger was bloodied by the hit, and didn't return to the game.Guentzel has thrived this season on captain Sidney Crosby's wing, posting 11 goals and 25 points through 34 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

BOSTON - Kyle Turris scored twice and Craig Anderson made 33 saves as the Ottawa Senators beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 on Tuesday night to end a four-game losing streak.Mike Hoffman had two assists for the Senators, who moved six points ahead of Boston for second place in the Atlantic Division with their first win since March 11.Tom Pyatt also scored for Ottawa, which never trailed and went up for good on Turris' goal 4:04 into the third period.Torey Krug had a goal and an assist, and David Krejci also scored in Boston's third straight defeat. The Bruins were coming off a 4-2 loss at Toronto on Monday night and never recovered from a flat start back at home Tuesday.Tuukka Rask made 19 saves for Boston.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Not everyone on the Minnesota Wild has stumbled during the team's recent skid.The club has gone 2-7-0 in its last nine games, but defenseman Matt Dumba has been playing some of his best hockey.With a goal against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night, the 22-year-old has now picked up six points in his last eight games dating back to March 5 - not including the two games he missed March 7 and 10 with an illness.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Dumba's 10th goal of the season matched his career high, which he hit in 81 games last season, while his 30 points are already four points more than his previous high of 26 - also hit last season.He has quickly become one of the Wild's most trusted D-men, averaging the third-most ice time on the team, while leading all Wild defenders in goals and power-play goals, and sitting second in power-play points.Despite the team's recent struggles, it will be playoff-bound in less than a month, and can push on knowing at least one of its young stars is upping his game at the right time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

WASHINGTON - Alex Ovechkin had a goal and two assists, T.J. Oshie scored his 30th of the season and the NHL-leading Washington Capitals defeated the surging Calgary Flames 4-2 on Tuesday night.The top line of Ovechkin, Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom dominated all game. Ovechkin led all players with a season-high 11 shots, finally beating Flames goaltender Brian Elliott late in the third period for his 29th goal.Evgeny Kuznetsov and Kevin Shattenkirk also scored, and Backstrom had three assists as the Capitals snapped Elliott's franchise-record winning streak at 11 games. Elliott kept his team in it by stopping 36 shots as Calgary lost for just the fifth time in 22 games.Playing his 300th career game, counterpart Braden Holtby celebrated his bobblehead night by making 29 saves for Washington, which has 102 points.Sean Monahan and former Capitals winger Troy Brouwer scored for the Flames.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The defending champs are headed back to the dance.After some phenomenal theatrics from captain Sidney Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins clinched a playoff spot for the 11th straight season with a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.The victory gave the Penguins 101 points on the season, leaving them one point behind the Washington Capitals for first in the league. As of right now, the Metropolitan is the only division to see its top three clubs already clinch.If the top tier of the Metro rankings hold, the Penguins will face the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round. However, with Columbus, Pittsburgh, and Washington all separated by just two points, all three remain in the running for the division title and a favorable wild-card matchup.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You'll be talking about Torey Krug at the old watercooler Wednesday.One day after the legendary Bobby Orr's 69th birthday, Krug honored the Boston Bruins Hall of Famer with a beautiful end-to-end rush that resulted in his seventh goal of the season.It appeared as though Krug was going to lose the puck after he took the Ottawa Senators' zone, but he used his backhand to stretch and keep the puck on his stick, before shifting quickly to his forehand and going roof on Craig Anderson.Pretty goal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Taylor Hall picked up one of the prettier goals of his season on Tuesday night.The New Jersey Devils forward gave his club a 2-1 advantage over the New York Rangers in the second period when - after corralling a pass from Kyle Palmieri - Hall fired a perfectly-placed wrist shot over the blocking glove of Antti Raanta, all while falling to the ice.The goal was Hall's 18th of the season and gives him six points in his last six games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

T.J. Oshie is a 30-goal scorer.That might not sound too surprising, but the Washington Capitals winger's 30th of the season - scored Tuesday night against the Calgary Flames - in fact marked the first time he's ever reached that plateau.Oshie's career-best tally came off a brilliant play started by Nicklas Backstrom and finishing with an Alex Ovechkin cross-ice feed to No. 77 in front of the net.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With every passing day, the Las Vegas Golden Knights inch closer to playing their first NHL game.With his team set to take the ice next season, and the expansion draft on the horizon, general manager George McPhee held court with season-ticket holders Monday, writes the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Steve Carp, and talked shop on a number of fronts.Here are five takeaways:Money is no object"Money's not a problem," McPhee said.The club's doing its due diligence with respect to scouting and free agency, and will spend what it needs to spend in order to ice a competitive hockey team."Our owner, Bill Foley, is not afraid to spend to get the right player, and it's our job to identify who those players are."Seeking an innovative bench bossVegas plans to hire its head coach after the regular season, McPhee said. The last day of the schedule is Sunday, April 9, with the playoffs beginning Wednesday, April 12."We want someone who is very current with the game, someone progressive on how the game should be played."Jerseys coming soonMcPhee said the Golden Knights expect to unveil their jerseys in June, and that they'll be available for purchase ahead of the expansion draft.Data-driven approachCount the Golden Knights as believers in analytics. McPhee said the club will use every tool at its disposal to put the best team on the ice, including advanced stats, in the hopes of striking the perfect team-building balance.Affiliate updateWhile it hasn't been confirmed, it's expected the AHL's Chicago Wolves will serve as Vegas' affiliate beginning next season. An announcement is expected next month."We're in a good place with our (AHL) club," he said.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sidney Crosby scored arguably one of the finest goals of his incredible career Tuesday night against the Buffalo Sabres.No. 87 went end to end, slicing through four different Sabres, before using a one-handed backhand to record his 41st of the season behind poor Robin Lehner, who could never have imagined that kind of abuse.Here's the goal:Twitter lost its damn mind, all the adjectives were flying, because as much as we talk about Crosby, Connor McDavid, Brad Marchand, and Patrick Kane and the races for the Art Ross and Hart trophies, we were reminded once again Tuesday that there is Crosby and then there's everyone else.Some of the best reaction:

Sidney Crosby, man.The best player on earth and Pittsburgh Penguins captain was at it again Tuesday, going end to end against Buffalo, cutting through four Sabres, before casually one-handing a backhand past Robin Lehner for his 41st goal of the season.Like, come on.The beauty of Crosby, all these years later, is that he still has the ability to surprise. What a talent.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen was ejected from his club's Tuesday-night match with the Pittsburgh Penguins after taking out winger Jake Guentzel with a questionable hit.The play came midway through the first period, as Ristolainen laid out the young Penguins winger while the latter skated without the puck, with his head turned.Guentzel was bloodied by the hit, stumbling as he attempted to leave the ice. Ristolainen was given a five-minute interference major for the incident, as well as a game misconduct.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the 2017 NHL postseason just weeks away, an interesting imbalance has crept up among the league's top clubs.In both conferences, offenses have turned out to be significantly lopsided, with the top three playoff-bound clubs from one division outscoring all three teams from the other.Just take a look at the West. On one side, the Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild, and Nashville Predators - the Central Division's top three - all have at least 212 goals, while not even the top scorer in the Pacific Division has reached that minimum mark:Team (Central) Goals Scored Team (Pacific) Goals Scored1. Chicago2181. San Jose1962. Minnesota2322. Edmonton2093. Nashville2123. Anaheim186The same goes for the East, where the Metropolitan Division's Washington Capitals, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Pittsburgh Penguins have outscored the offensive class of the Atlantic Division.Team (Metropolitan) Goals Scored Team (Atlantic) Goals Scored1. Washington2281. Montreal1992. Columbus2282. Ottawa1883. Pittsburgh2493. Boston207This isn't simply an annual occurrence given how the league is set up. Last season, the offensive production was far more mixed - the top team in the Atlantic would have ranked third among Metropolitan goal-scorers, while two of the Pacific's top three teams outscored two of the Central's. The 2014-15 campaign shows a similarly mixed output within each conference.It seems 2016-17 has just been a strange one.Needless to say, that discrepancy doesn't bode well for the playoff hopefuls from the Pacific and Atlantic divisions. They'll be spared in the first two rounds, as none of these top-three clubs will face their counterparts from their conference's other division (the second- and third-ranked teams will face each other, while the division champ will get a wild-card opponent).But things should get interesting come conference finals time.For example, whoever emerges from the pile of Washington versus their wild-card draw, and Pittsburgh versus Columbus, will match up against the best of Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, and the other wild-card club - a daunting task to say the least.However, interestingly, this divisional discrepancy could favor one wild card team in particular.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)The New York Rangers hold the first eastern wild card spot, and - in seemingly typical Metro fashion - have crushed the Atlantic's wild-card team (the Toronto Maple Leafs) by netting 15 more goals. In fact, New York's 231 goals rank higher than even Washington or Columbus.If the playoffs started today, the Rangers would enter the mix on the Atlantic's side of things, giving Montreal a taste of the Metro's offensive prowess as early as Round 1 - potentially an easier postseason path for New York.There are certainly no guarantees, and it takes far more than prolific goal-scoring to march through the playoffs, but it's clear this season's lopsided offense should throw an interesting wrench into the postseason.And the two divisions on the lower end of this goal-scoring imbalance won't have much ground to stand on in terms of hoping those highly offensive clubs are lacking in defensive play.A quick look at the starting netminders for the top Metropolitan and Central teams should do away with that thought fairly quickly - all but one of them (Nashville's Pekka Rinne) boast save percentages ranking in the league's top 10.Good luck.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman continues to sing a somber tune.Bettman spoke at the Sport Business Summit in New York on Tuesday where he echoed the sentiment that as things stand it is looking more and more like NHLers will not be participating at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea."There are no negotiations ongoing," Bettman said, according to Steve Keating of Reuters. "We were open to having discussions on a variety of things that might mitigate the damage to our season but that had no resonance."As things stand now people should assume we are not going."Bettman reiterated the fact that the league would have to shut down its season for two weeks in February if it were to allow players to participate in the games. He also remained adamant that the league would not benefit from doing so."Remember, this is February, there is no baseball, no football, it is just us and basketball and we just disappear," said Bettman. "We don't get content for the NHL Network, we don't get content for our social media platforms and NHL.com."Why did we do it five times? Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time but we have been unable to quantify any benefit from it."It should be noted that no formal decision has been made and as it stands no hard deadline for a final decision exists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tyler Bozak played the hero Monday night.The 31-year-old scored a late power-play marker that propelled the Toronto Maple Leafs to a crucial 4-2 victory, and, more importantly, helped the club complete a series sweep of the Boston Bruins.Related: Leafs earn 2 huge regulation points vs. Bruins, sweep season seriesThe win helped the Maple Leafs inch within a point of the Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division, and was just another example of Bozak's importance to the team.He has long been considered Toronto's best faceoff man. So the fact that his 56.27 percent success rate is by far the best mark on the team, and makes him one of just two Maple Leafs centers to possess a success rate of 50 percent or better, should come as no surprise.Then there are his offensive contributions.This year, the media frenzy caused by the Maple Leafs' rookie class has allowed Bozak to fly under the radar. While it hasn't been a topic of discussion, the longtime Maple Leaf is in the midst of a career season.He's just three goals away from hitting the 20-goal mark for the second time in his eight-year career, a point away from tying his previous career high, and two power-play points back of his career best, and his 31 assists are his highest single-season total.What also shouldn't be forgotten is how vital Bozak has been to rookie Mitch Marner's development. He has seemingly taken Marner under his wing, and has assisted on 11 of the 19-year-old's 17 goals.

The Nashville Predators are no strangers to offensively-inclined defensemen.Between former captain Shea Weber, No.4-pick turned trade chip Seth Jones, and present stars P.K. Subban and Roman Josi, the Predators have watched more than a few highlight-reel plays take shape from their blue line.But often lost among that mix is blue-liner Ryan Ellis. Perhaps his under-the-radar status has helped him, as the 26-year-old has turned in a career-best campaign in 2016-17, showing more of the promise he teased during his junior days.Through 62 games, Ellis has potted 14 goals and 34 points, both marks ranking as the highest he's ever posted. He broke away from his previous best point total on Monday night, tallying two goals against the Arizona Coyotes to move into previously unexplored offensive territory.That increased production isn't simply the result of a talented cast of characters around him. He has the benefit of playing alongside the talented Josi, but given that over 40 percent of Ellis' points have been netted via his own goal-scoring rather than piling up helpers, it's fair to say he's pulling his own weight, offensively.But that shouldn't come as a surprise.While the young rearguard is rarely discussed in conversations of the game's next wave of great offensive defenders, Ellis' resume suggests he could be a part of that group.This is a player who finished his junior hockey career by stockpiling 101 points in just 58 games for the OHL's Windsor Spitfires. And he tallied at a clip of 1.27 points per game over the three seasons before that.The most intriguing aspect of that elite production? He didn't get any help in terms of natural physical gifts. Even after nearly six seasons in the professional hockey ranks, offseason training and all, Ellis measures in at just 5-foot-10, 180 pounds.It's his skill that's gotten him this far, and 2016-17 has served as yet another indication that Ellis has plenty more to give in that department.That's fantastic news for the Predators, as injuries and a needed time of adjustment have led to a tumultuous showing from Subban during his first go-round in Nashville.In the meantime, Ellis has stepped up, leading all Predators defensemen in goals, while ranking third in points and average ice time (seeing a career-high 24:04 per night).He's coming on at just the right time for Nashville. As the club heads into the home stretch, preparing for a tough playoff run that will likely pit it against the dominant Minnesota Wild, Ellis has turned it up, posting five goals and nine points through his past 10 games.Surely a welcome turn, as the Predators will need all the help they can get come playoff time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Is the Rangers-Islanders rivalry waning? Judging by resale ticket demand for Wednesday’s game at Madison Square Garden, it appears so.On TicketIQ, a search engine that pools data from over 90 percent of the resale market, the final regular-season meeting between the teams will be the cheapest of the four Rangers home games remaining this season.As it stands now, the average price for Rangers vs. Islanders tickets at Madison Square Garden is $269. Following Wednesday’s game, the Rangers welcome the Flyers in between two games with the Penguins over the next two weeks. None of those three games averages below $300 on the resale market.Fans looking for the cheapest tickets Wednesday can find them in Section 212 for $107 each. An April 2 matchup with the Flyers will be the second cheapest remaining game at MSG, with tickets starting from $115 each. Additional savings on tickets can be found by downloading the TicketIQ app.The Rangers and Islanders have met in Midtown Manhattan 19 times since the 2010-11 season, when TicketIQ began tracking resale ticket data. Wednesday’s game will be the ninth most expensive matchup over that time, with a Jan. 13, 2015 meeting serving as the top-priced affair ($437 average/$163 get-in price).The Rangers look to even their season series with the Islanders at two games apiece with a win Wednesday. The Islanders have won consecutive matchups against their crosstown rival, keeping the Rangers winless at Barclays Center since moving from Nassau County last season.While the Rangers are poised to clinch the first wild-card spot, the Islanders will be playing meaningful hockey down the stretch. As of Tuesday night, they sit three points behind the Maple Leafs, who own the second wild card. There is little breathing room, too, as the Lightning and Flyers trail by one and three points, respectively.TicketIQ is a leading event ticket search engine with one simple goal: providing consumers with the most transparent and affordable buying experience. We aggregate listings from hundreds of certified sellers across every major sporting, music and theater event - including deals from Ticketmaster's Official Exchanges and our Low Price Guarantee listings. Start discovering and saving now.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In November, 93.7 The Fan host Colin Dunlap revealed that his five-year-old daughter, Darran, had been diagnosed with leukemia after complaining of hip pain.The family has been flooded with support since, including from one of Pittsburgh's biggest sports legends, Mario Lemieux, who sent this letter to Darran on Monday along with an autographed puck:

Perspective is important.It's no secret Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk has struggled of late. Over his past eight appearances, he's posted a 1-7-0 record while allowing 22 goals on 176 shots, good for a save percentage of .875. As a result, his overall numbers have taken a hit, potentially removing him from the Vezina Trophy conversation.To his credit, he's not sweating it."I’ve been through much worse than this," he said, per Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "I’ve got no problems about getting out of it."Indeed, there was a time when Dubnyk's NHL career seemed to be on the verge of an early end. He showed flashes but was ultimately unable to make his mark with the Edmonton Oilers - who drafted him 14th overall in 2004 - and was subsequently bounced around between a few other teams on the trade market.He found his game with the Arizona Coyotes to begin 2014-15, and grew into one of the game's top goalies after being traded to Minnesota, winning the Masterton Trophy in 2015 for exemplifying qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication, and also earning a nod as a Vezina finalist.Dubnyk's play with the Wild and the club's commitment to him has continued to be mutually beneficial over the past couple of seasons, and despite the personal slump, he's much more concerned with helping the team achieve its goals of winning when it matters most.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed forward Jeremy Bracco to an entry-level contract, the club announced Monday.Bracco, 20, was drafted by Toronto 61st overall in the 2015 draft, and spent this season split between the OHL's Kitchener Rangers and Windsor Spitfires, recording 83 points in 57 games - good for 12th in league scoring.The New York native also registered three goals and two assists for Team USA at this year's world juniors en route to winning a gold medal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As you've probably heard by now, Brad Marchand is more than a pest. The guy can score, and he can dish, too.Marchand's ascension this season - into tie for second place in the league scoring race (37G, 43A) - has surprised many in the hockey community, but he's showing few signs of slowing down.In Monday's loss to Toronto, Marchand recorded the lone assist on David Backes' first-period marker, bringing his point total to 80 on the season. He's the first Bruin to reach the number since Marc Savard in 2008-09, per NHL Public Relations.SeasonPlayerGPG-A-P2008-09Savard8225-63-882009-10Patrice Bergeron7319-33-522010-11Milan Lucic7930-32-622011-12Tyler Seguin8129-38-672012-13*Marchand4518-18-362013-14David Krejci8019-50-692014-15Bergeron8123-32-552015-16Bergeron8032-36-68*2012-13 season was shortened by lockoutFor a franchise that's made the playoffs in all but two seasons since 2009 - including a Stanley Cup title (2011) and Presidents' Trophy (2014) - it's also surprising that no Bruin has topped Marchand's 2016-17 total during their run of success.At his current pace (1.11 P/GP), Marchand projects to reach 91 points if he suits up for each of Boston's 10 remaining games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A dangerous blindside headshot that resulted in former NHLer Ryan Smyth being taken to hospital has resulted in a lengthy suspension.Kyle Sheen has been banned for 16 games by Hockey Alberta for his actions during a senior men's league playoff game, per Andrea Ross of CBC News.The hit can be seen here:"It's the first time I've seen a suspension this big since I've been involved in hockey," said Mike Tavaroli, head coach of Smyth's Stony Plain Eagles. "We feel the league and Hockey Alberta did their due diligence and came up with a suspension that was fair."Smyth was hit by Sheen after releasing a shot that found its way into the back of the net, and underwent tests to make sure he hadn't suffered a skull fracture."Ryan is progressing and hopefully we'll know more this week. I believe he tried skating today, but I haven't heard how that went," Tavaroli said."We're hopeful that we can get Ryan back in the lineup before (the season) is over."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames have made a point of expressing their disappointment with the NHL's ruling on Matthew Tkachuk's elbow to the head of Drew Doughty.The rookie forward was suspended two games for the incident involving the reigning Norris Trophy winner, and the Flames released a statement Tuesday that reveals where they stand with regards to the decision.From general manager Brad Treliving:

Frank Corrado is about to be set free.The young defenseman - acquired at the trade deadline from the Toronto Maple Leafs - has been recalled from the AHL, and is expected to make his Pittsburgh Penguins debut after skating on the third pairing with Mark Streit ahead of Tuesday's game in Buffalo.Despite calls for more playing time in Toronto, Corrado appeared in only two games for the Maple Leafs this season, and has made just 69 NHL appearances since being drafted 150th overall by Vancouver in 2011.In 39 AHL games this season, he's been good for one goal and 12 assists.His recall comes at the expense of defenseman Derrick Pouliot, who was concurrently sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.Pouliot - the eighth overall pick in 2012 - has failed to record a point in 10 games for the Penguins this season, and can't seem to stick with the big club despite a fair share of injuries on the blue line.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will be back in the lineup Tuesday versus the Carolina Hurricanes after missing four games with a concussion, head coach Tom Rowe told George Richards of The Miami Herald.The 21-year-old was injured on a high hit March 11 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, and suffered the third concussion of his young career.The Panthers currently sit eight points out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 11 games left on their scheduleIn 67 games this season, Ekblad has recorded 10 goals and 11 assists while averaging 21:30 of ice time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Tuesday, March 21 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

At just 20-years-old, Jack Eichel's will to win may stick out more than his incredibly polished skill set - and that's saying something.Despite leading the Buffalo Sabres in scoring with just 52 games played, looking back on sterling sophomore numbers isn't enough for Eichel. He wants to make the playoffs, but will have to wait at least another season with Buffalo all but dead in the Eastern Conference race."Frustrating more than anything," Eichel told Nick Cotsonika of NHL.com after defeating the Red Wings on Monday night. "Want to be a playoff team. Want to play in the playoffs. Get a taste of it. It's tough when you don't get there."Don't blame the kid for a second, though. Eichel's done more than his part.In 31 fewer games, Eichel is just six points back of the 56 he recorded last season as a rookie. His 0.96 points per game is 12th among regulars.Yet, Eichel yearns for he and his club to reach the next step."We come to the rink every day and work hard and try to get better, and you don't see the results you want," Eichel said. "It's a bit frustrating, but I think that as players everyone just needs to look in the mirror and become a better hockey player. If you have high expectations, all you can do is just improve yourself. It's all I'm going to try and do. I hope everyone takes the same mindset."If emerging as one of the NHL's most dangerous threats wasn't enough for Eichel in his second season, it appears the 20-year-old is growing into a prominent leadership role with the Sabres in the process.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things sure have changed in Edmonton.Thanks to a four-game win streak, boosted by Monday's shutout over Los Angeles, the Oilers' record is as good as it's been in quite some time.

Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin in just over three weeks, and as it stands right now, five Canadian teams are in line for the dance - a far cry from last season, when six of seven clubs picked in the top 10 of June's draft.As we wind down the stretch run, let's take a look at the men in charge, and dole out some grades for the seasons the seven general managers of Canadian teams have commanded.Calgary FlamesGrade: ATake: Brad Treliving has been on fire since the offseason, beginning with a trade for Brian Elliott, who is finally beginning to pay dividends, winning his last 11 consecutive starts.Treliving also inked cornerstones Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau to long-term contract extensions in the summer, and may have won the deadline with his acquisition of defenseman Michael Stone.Now it's time to pay him.Edmonton Oilers(Photo Courtesy: Getty Images)Grade: BTake: Peter Chiarelli still catches flak for dealing Taylor Hall and signing Milan Lucic until 2023, and while it's difficult to quantify a difference in the Oilers' team dynamic since those deals were made, Edmonton's going to the playoffs for the first time in over a decade - and that's worth something.Montreal CanadiensGrade: B+Take: Likely the busiest of all Canadian general managers this season, Marc Bergevin remains steadfast in having a firm grasp on the makeup of his team.Shea Weber has shown positive returns in Year 1, and the Canadiens are in fact deeper since making a slew of less-than-glamorous trades at the deadline.Perhaps most importantly, Bergevin's decision to let Michel Therrien go once Claude Julien became available may have saved Montreal's season.Ottawa Senators(Photo Courtesy: USA Today Sports)Grade: BTake: Pierre Dorion sure looked like a genius when Alex Burrows scored four points in his first three games as a Senator, but the two-year extension included in the acquisition remains questionable.Dorion's best move this season was hiring head coach Guy Boucher, whose clear defensive directive has helped Ottawa into a comfortable playoff position to this point.Toronto Maple LeafsGrade: BTake: The plan for Lou Lamoriello and the Maple Leafs has been the same all season long - surround the kids with veterans, and teach them how to win.With such a great infusion of youth, Toronto's roster has mostly run itself, save for a few in-season call-ups and waiver transactions, though trading for Brian Boyle looks like a win to this point.Vancouver CanucksGrade: B-(Photo Courtesy: Getty Images)Take: Jim Benning and the Canucks are looking to the future, and that's a good thing.Usually a punching bag for the deals he orchestrates, Benning quietly obtained solid returns in trading Burrows to the Sens and Jannik Hansen to the Sharks. However, the six-year, $36-million contract he awarded to Loui Eriksson in July doesn't look so good right now.Winnipeg JetsGrade: C+Take: It's been an underwhelming season in Winnipeg, as the talented roster Kevin Cheveldayoff assembled was overrun by poor goaltending.With few moves made this season, it's difficult to evaluate Cheveldayoff's 2016-17 body of work. That said, the Jets are the second-youngest team in the league, and have all the makings of an elite offense with quality blue-line pieces to boot, so it's not all that bad.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

No excuses for the Philadelphia Flyers.Sitting seven points outside of the playoff picture, the Flyers are on track to miss the postseason for the third time in five years, with nobody to blame but themselves.After the team rallied to 10 straight wins through mid-December and sat third in the hard-battled Metropolitan Division, Philadelphia has since struggled to a 14-20-5 showing.The frequent losses have not been lost on general manager Ron Hextall, who likes a lot of his team's game but recognizes that performance isn't complete without results."We're doing a lot of the things we should do," Hextall told reporters Monday. "There's some nights it seems where it's puck luck but you can't look at the whole year and say 'puck luck'."Two top concerns have risen to the surface to explain the Flyers' downward spiral:Goaltending WoesHolding an .897 team save percentage, only the Dallas Stars have a worse ratio between the pipes than the Philadelphia duo of Michal Neuvirth and Steve Mason.Mason is in his fifth season with the Flyers, with Neuvirth in his second. The Flyers brought back both shot-stoppers after they held down the fort a year ago, but neither has lived up to last season's billing:GoalieSeasonRecordGAASV%Steve Mason2016-1721-20-72.76.9052015-1623-19-102.51.918Michal Neuvirth2016-1710-10-12.91.8872015-1618-8-42.27.924Both were set to become unrestricted free agents at season's end, until Hextall made the curious move to re-sign Neuvirth, who owns an NHL-worst .887 save percentage, while the GM also kept open the possibility of re-upping Mason.By offering a raise to Neuvirth, which will see his cap hit climb to $2.5 million, the Flyers have tied their hands from making a major addition in the summer, like signing a big-ticket goaltender, such as Ben Bishop, who is likely to test free agency. Despite this year's lack of results, it appears the Flyers will return with the same goaltending hand for 2017-18.Ice Cold OffenseThe Flyers have spent much of this season digging pucks out of their own net, but haven't been around the opposition's twine as often.Philadelphia's offense has gone missing in the season's second half, with the team's top three scorers all seeing major offensive declines since the Flyers wrapped their 10-game win streak:PlayerDate RangeGamesG-A-PP/GJakub VoracekBefore Dec. 153211-22-331.03After Dec. 15396-16-220.56Claude GirouxBefore Dec. 15329-21-300.94After Dec. 15395-16-210.54Wayne SimmondsBefore Dec. 153216-13-290.91After Dec. 153913-5-180.46Jakub Voracek has gone nine games without a goal, last scoring against the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 28, while Claude Giroux has just two tallies in his last 19 outings. As for Wayne Simmonds, his scoring touch has been a little more consistent, but he isn't finding the scoresheet when not creating his own offense. Simmonds has just one helper in his last 23 contests.With just 11 games left on the season, the Flyers will need more than some puck luck to right a lost season. Goals from the team's top producers and key stops in their own end is the only fix.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Darryl Sutter knew nothing was going to come easy in the new-look Pacific Division.Following Monday's 2-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, Sutter's Los Angeles Kings remained 11 points behind the Calgary Flames, who sit fourth in the Pacific and hold the first wild-card playoff spot. Sutter envisioned improvement from the Alberta teams coming into the season, and a rough road for his team by extension."Our division was instantly better when Calgary made their goaltending changes and the evolution of this team here (Edmonton), and the size they’ve added and the mix they have," Sutter said after Monday's loss to the Oilers, per LA Kings Insider.Sutter added, "San Jose’s the defending conference champion. I knew it was going to be tough for us, and it certainly proved that."Toss in the Anaheim Ducks and the Pacific isn't quite the playground it once was for the Kings.It also doesn't help that Los Angeles isn't stepping up when it matters most.

Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the playoff race, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.Only five games on the schedule Monday night, but they featured a few playoff hopefuls.It was a good night for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, a bad one for the Boston Bruins, and a horrific one for the Los Angeles Kings.Here's a look at the most significant swings with respect to playoff hopes:Eastern ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeLeafsW 4-2 vs. Bruins73.5%+10%BruinsL 2-4 vs. Leafs84.4%-6.1%IslandersOff24.1%-2.1%Western ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeKingsL 0-2 vs. Oilers4.1-5.8OilersW 2-0 vs. Kings99.9+0.3PredatorsW 3-1 vs. Coyotes97.3%+4.2%To see percentages for the entire NHL, visit Sports Club Stats.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

EDMONTON, Alberta - Cam Talbot made 35 saves for his second consecutive shutout and seventh of the season as the Edmonton Oilers ended an eight-game homestand with a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.Patrick Maroon and Milan Lucic scored for the Oilers, who won their fourth in a row to move one point ahead of Calgary and into a tie for second place in the Pacific Division with Anaheim. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each had a pair of assists.McDavid leads the NHL with 82 points.Jonathan Quick stopped 29 shots for the fading Kings, who have lost four of five, further dashing their playoff hopes.Maroon batted the rebound of McDavid's shot out of midair and past Quick just 64 seconds into the game. It was Maroon's 25th goal of the season - his previous career high was 12.The Oilers made it 2-0 on the power play with seven minutes left in the opening period as Lucic corralled a loose puck in the crease and slid it under Quick for his 17th. The goal ended a streak of 34 consecutive penalty kills on the road for the Kings.The Oilers outshot Los Angeles 15-7 in the first, but the Kings recovered and had 28 the rest of the way as Talbot stood tall in net.The Kings had a power play late in the third, but were unable to get anything past Talbot.NOTES: The Oilers lead the five-game season series 2-1. The next time the teams face each other is March 28, also in Edmonton. ... Quick was pulled after giving up two goals on seven shots during a 5-2 loss in Calgary on Sunday. ... Talbot made his league-high 65th start of the season. His seven shutouts are the most for an Oilers goalie since Tommy Salo in 2001-02.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The race for the Pacific Division crown hasn't been won quite yet.With a shutout loss Monday in Dallas - coupled with the Edmonton Oilers' win over the Los Angeles Kings - three teams are now within five points of the San Jose Sharks in the race for the No. 1 seed in the division.The Sharks managed two goals on their current three-game skid, seeing their record fall to 5-5 in March. This is while the Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, and Oilers combined for 18 wins, five regulation losses, and two overtime and shootout defeats since the end of February.Each team has 10 games left in the suddenly log-jammed division - and there's a case for the Sharks' road being the most difficult. San Jose will complete the first of three back-to-back sets over the space of 12 nights against a desperate Minnesota Wild team on Tuesday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - Tyler Bozak scored the go-ahead power-play goal with less than two minutes left and the Toronto Maple Leafs earned a 4-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Monday night.The win pulled the Leafs (81 points) within one point of the Bruins (82 points) for third place in the Atlantic division.Toronto, holding the final wild-card position in the Eastern Conference, also has a game in hand.Morgan Rielly, William Nylander and Nazem Kadri also scored for the Leafs, who swept the season series with Boston. Frederik Andersen was sharp with 32 saves, James van Riemsdyk added two assists.David Backes and Dominic Moore scored for the Bruins, Tuukka Rask allowed two goals on 27 shots.A malfunctioning clock briefly delayed the start of the game and wasn't used until the start of the third period.Game time was announced at stoppages by the public address announcer and displayed in a corner of the videoboard - issues that were most apparent during power plays with no time counting down penalties.The opening 20 minutes were choppy as a result of the malfunctions but also entertaining. The two teams traded chances with playoff positioning on the line.The Bruins opened the scoring though just over seven minutes in.Emerging Hart Trophy candidate Brad Marchand set up Backes for the goal, one he fired as two Leafs defenders - Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev - converged without effect.Marchand earned his 80th point of the season on the play, duking it out with Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Patrick Kane, among others, for MVP as well as the Art Ross Trophy for the league's top scorer.Marchand was selected as the first star for last week by the NHL after getting five goals and nine points in three games. Backes, meanwhile, was questionable to even play after missing the morning skate with an illness.There was a playoff-like vibe to the evening with intensity and scrappy play to match.Connor Carrick, who was returning from an 11-game absence because of an injury, traded feisty blows at one point with David Pastrnak. The Bruins were perturbed a short while later when Nikita Soshnikov hit Patrice Bergeron from behind in the corner of the Boston zone.Bergeron leaped up after the hit and grabbed Soshnikov with both players drawing minor penalties.The Leafs gained energy as the period went on.After nearly scoring on a pass from van Riemsdyk, Mitch Marner dished to Rielly for the game-tying goal with less than six minutes remaining in the first. Rielly's initial attempt was stopped by Rask, but the defender's momentum carried him and the puck (off his leg) into the goal.It was the sixth goal of the season for Rielly and third in the past five games.Toronto had a two-man advantage for more than a minute late in the first, but failed to score. Brian Boyle's tip of a point shot was stopped as was Auston Matthews' shot on a drop feed from Kadri.Marchand's pesky ways were apparent early in the second, the 28-year-old goading Zaitsev into a cross-checking penalty. The Russian defenseman, noticeably frustrated, first hacked Marchand's leg after the whistle and then shoved him into the sideboards.The Leafs nearly went ahead in the opening minutes of the third - seconds on the clock successfully ticking down on the scoreboard - Zach Hyman's shot from in tight was stopped by Rask with Matthews unable to get his stick on a rebound. A few minutes later, Marner spun around and dished a one-time feed to van Riemsdyk, who whistled a shot wide.Then Boston proceeded to nearly score when Andersen bobbled a shot off the rush, the Bruins circling for the rebound.Bergeron drew the ire of the Leafs when he bumped Andersen - with help from a shove from Leo Komarov. Komarov and Bergeron traded chirps and shoves between whistles.The Leafs got a power play with less than three minutes to go in the third when Moore was whistled for interfering with Soshnikov. A day after his 31st birthday, Bozak beat Rask from the slot for the go-ahead goal - his 17th of the season.Nylander extended his point streak to eight games by scoring his 19th of the season into an empty net.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.