The West may still be the stronger conference, but the rising talent in the East cannot be ignored.A number of playoff teams from the Atlantic and Metropolitan Divisions are led by young stars looking to dominate the conference for the next decade.Here are three playoff teams from the Eastern Conference with a solid base for the future:Florida PanthersWhile their rise to the top of the Atlantic Division has seemingly come out of nowhere, the Panthers have shown signs of improvement in each of their past two seasons, and their blend of rising stars and veteran leadership has them primed for success for years to come.Outside of Jaromir Jagr and Jussi Jokinen, the team's offensive core comes from players 25 and under in Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Vincent Trocheck, and Reilly Smith all hitting the 50-point mark.It's a similar story on defense with Brian Campbell providing the veteran presence for an impressive young group starring Calder winner Aaron Ekblad.As long as Roberto Luongo continues to play at a high level, it shouldn't be long before prospects Lawson Crouse and Mike Matheson are joining one of the best teams in the East.Tampa Bay LightningWhile there are questions surrounding a number of their forwards heading into the offseason, it's hard to find a team with more young talent at every position than the Lightning.25-year-old Victor Hedman looks set to anchor the team's blue line for the next decade while veterans Anton Stralman, Jason Garrison, and Braydon Coburn are all locked up long term.In goal, the team boast's one of the league's best netminders in Ben Bishop and one of the position's best prospects in 21-year-old Andrei Vasilevskiy.Steve Yzerman's biggest decisions will be directed up front with captain Steven Stamkos hitting free agency at the same time rising stars Nikita Kucherov and Vladislav Namestnikov become RFA's. Though Jonathan Drouin's future remains in doubt, it's hard not to envy the wealth of depth in Tampa Bay.There's no doubt the Lightning will be a postseason mainstay for years to come, but this offseason will reveal which players get to be a part of it.Philadelphia FlyersIn his second season as Flyers general manager, Ron Hextall maintains that his focus is still on the long term, but with his team's surprising success, he can't help but be optimistic that a deep playoff run may come sooner rather than later.Forwards Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds, and Sean Couturier are all under 30, and more importantly, are all locked up through 2019.Calder Trophy candidate Shayne Gostisbehere was a revelation on the team's blue line this season, while prospects Ivan Provorov, Samuel Morin, and Travis Sanheim will all look to join the most promising defense core the Flyers have seen in years.Most importantly, a solid season in net from the duo of Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth may have proven goaltending will no longer be the team's Achilles heel.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The hockey world lost an icon Monday, as Philadelphia Flyers chairman and founder Ed Snider died at age 83 after a two-year fight with cancer.Flyers' players, along with several teams across the NHL were quick to pay homage to one of the most influential men in hockey:

The Philadelphia Flyers announced Monday the death of team founder Ed Snider from complications relating to cancer.He was 83."Mr. Snider was an icon - the father of the Philadelphia Flyers hockey club, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, a risk-taker and a true visionary in the sports and entertainment industry," the Flyers wrote. "He was widely respected and admired for his passion, his vision, and his leadership, not only on the ice, but in the game of life as well."Snider was responsible for bringing the Flyers to the NHL in 1967. They were the first NHL expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, in 1974, and repeated as champions in 1975. In 2005, he created the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation to provide inner-city children in the Philadelphia area with the opportunity to learn to play hockey.As his children shared in a statement through the team, he remained a fan of his team until the very end:

The opening round of the NHL postseason will feature a matchup between two franchises that haven't won a single playoff series since 1996, as the Atlantic Division champion Florida Panthers take on the New York Islanders.Related: Capitals-Flyers, Stars-Wild, Red Wings-LightningFlorida took the first two meetings between the squads this season, but the Islanders won their most recent game less than a month ago.A battle between Jaromir Jagr and John Tavares should make for an entertaining series.Tale of the tapePanthersStatisticIslanders103Points1002.83 (8th)Goals per game2.77 (11th)2.44 (7th)Goals against2.57 (13th)16.9% (23rd)Power play18.3% (17th)79.5 (24th)Penalty kill84.5% (4th)48.7% (20th)Corsi49.5% (18th)8.8% (2nd)5-on-5 SH%8.1% (6th)93.2% (3rd)5-on-5 SV%92.6% (15th)Jagr: 66Leading scorerTavares: 70Key PlayersRoberto LuongoOne of the biggest keys to the young Panthers' rise this season has been the presence of their veteran goaltender - who, in his first-ever playoff series in Florida, will face the team that drafted him fourth overall in 1997.After being traded by the Islanders, Luongo rose to stardom from 2000-06 in his first stint with the Panthers, but was never able to reach the postseason until moving to Vancouver.Now with a Stanley Cup Final run under his belt, the 37-year-old will be leaned on heavily, but Florida should feel good about the veteran's .931 save percentage against the Islanders this season.Brian CampbellWhile appearing in his 1,000th NHL game earlier this week, the 36-year-old defenseman also set a franchise record by playing his 375th consecutive game with the Panthers.Campbell, who led his team in ice time this season, will skate beside 20-year-old Aaron Ekblad through the first playoff series of his career, while anchoring their power-play unit against one of the league's top penalty-killing teams."He's reliable every night," head coach Gerard Gallant raved prior to game No. 1,000 and his consistency will be key on a blue line where every other defenseman - outside injured captain Willie Mitchell - is under 30.John TavaresA first-round series victory may not mean more to a single player on either team than the 25-year-old center.Set to make his third Stanley Cup playoffs appearance, Tavares has been productive with 11 points in 13 career postseason games, but a series win may be enough to convince Kyle Okposo - arguably the most talented linemate he's ever had - to remain in Brooklyn with his unrestricted free agency pending.He's entering the playoffs in incredible form with nine points in his past four games and 12 in his last seven, and no player can make more of a difference at the offensive end than the Islanders captain.ScheduleDateTime (ET)LocationNetworksThu. April 148 p.m.FloridaCNBC/Sportsnet/TVAFri. April 157:30 p.m.FloridaNHL Network/SN360/TVASun. April 178 p.m.New YorkNBCSN/Sportsnet/TVAWed. April 208 p.m.New YorkUSA/Sportsnet/TVAFri. April 22*TBDFloridaTBDSun. April 24*TBDNew YorkTBDTues. April 26*TBDFloridaTBD*If necessaryCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals stormed out of the gate this season and never looked back, collecting their sixth division title in the last nine years.Related: Panthers-Islanders, Stars-Wild, Red Wings-LightningWith the regular season behind them they now take their fight to the postseason. A first-place finish in the Eastern Conference has pinned them against the Philadelphia Flyers an opponent that got the upper-hand in their last postseason meeting in 2008.The Flyers will be no pushover this time around either, as the team managed to split the season series against the Capitals.Alex Ovechkin continues to score at will and Braden Holtby just tied an NHL record, Flyers will need to push back and push back hard if they stand a fighting chance against the beast of the East.Tale of the TapeCapitalsStatisticFlyers120Points963.02 (2nd)Goals per game2.57 (22nd)2.33 (2nd)Goals against2.56 (12)21.9% (5th)Power play18.9% (11th)85.2% (2nd)Penalty kill90.5% (20th)51% (14th)Corsi50.6% (16th)8.3% (3rd)5-on-5 SH%7.1% (21st)92.9% (11th)5-on-5 SV%93.4% (1st)Kuznetsov: 77Leading scorerGiroux: 67Key PlayersEvgeny KuznetsovOvechkin will enter the postseason with a near point per game resume in playoff games and we shouldn't expect much less from the team's captain this time around.So what will be key for the Capitals - as they look to prove this season's monstrous regular season was no fluke - is secondary scoring.Though Evgeny Kuznetsov's production was far from secondary this season -leading the team with 57 assists and 77 points - the 23-year-old still largely occupies the team's second line.Kuznetsov really began to turn heads last season once the playoffs began. After a mediocre regular season saw him amass just 11 goals and 37 points, he shared the team lead with five goals in the postseason.He finished behind only Oveckin and Nicklas Backstrom on the team with 18 power play points and tied for the most overtime markers this season. He is young, but if he can once again elevate his game like he did last playoffs, he could be what makes the Capitals offense too much to handle.Steve MasonSteve Mason's playoff resume is short.While the 27-year-old has 405 regular season games to his credit, his playoff workload includes just nine games.In his two separate postseason appearances, Mason has failed to make it out of the first round. His first taste coming with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2009 saw him rack up a dismal .878 save percentage and a 4.27 goals-against average.However, turn the clocks ahead five years and his second instalment fared much better. In five games with the Flyers in 2014 Mason did all he could constructing a .939 save percentage and a 1.97 goals-against average.The Flyers managed just the 24th most goals for this season so simply put, the pressure will be on for the team to keep the puck out.The key will be what kind of Steve Mason will we see in the postseason, the 2009 edition or the much more impressive 2014 version.ScheduleDateTime (ET)LocationNetworksThu. April 147 p.m.WashingtonNBCSN/CBC/TVASat. April 167 p.m.WashingtonCNBC/CBC/TVAMon. April 187 p.m.PhiladelphiaCNBC/CBC/TVAWed. April 207 p.m.PhiladelphiaNBCSN/CBC/TVAFri. April 22*TBDWashingtonTBDSun. April 24*TBDPhiladelphiaTBDWed. April 27*TBDWashingtonTBD* If necessaryCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After the two franchises teamed up for an alumni game against the Chicago Blackhawks in February, the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild will be playoff opponents for the first time in the opening round of the postseason.Related: Panthers-Islanders, Capitals-Flyers, Red Wings-LightningThe Western Conference champion Stars took four of five regular-season meetings against the Wild, but three of those wins came in overtime.The Wild are entering the playoffs winless in their past five games, with three of those losses coming against non-playoff teams.Tale of the TapeStarsStatisticWild109Points873.23 (1st)Goals per game2.60 (18th)2.78 (19th)Goals against2.49 (9th)22.1 (5th)Power play18.5 (15th)82.3 (10th)Penalty kill77.9 (27th)52.6 (3rd)Corsi47.9 (23rd)8.0 (7th)5-on-5 SH%7.6 (15th)91.7 (27th)5-on-5 SV%93.1 (6th)Ja. Benn: 89Leading scorerKoivu: 56Key PlayersJamie BennWith Tyler Seguin's status for Game 1 still unknown, the Stars captain will have even more pressure on him to score.Thankfully for Dallas, it just so happens the 26-year-old has more points against the Wild this season than against any other team, recording three goals, six assists, and a plus-6 rating over five games against the division rival.The Stars don't lack for offensive depth with Jason Spezza, Patrick Sharp, and even defenseman John Klingberg - but Benn will be the key in powering the Stars through to the second round. Kari Lehtonen/Antti NiemiThe biggest question mark surrounding the Central Division champs is goaltending, with the Stars allowing more goals this season than any other playoff team.But both netminders finished their seasons with confidence as Lehtonen has won nine of his last 12 starts, while 2010 Cup winner Niemi has an impressive .942 save percentage in his last four.They may not be too concerned as the Wild have scored just four times across four games since April 1, but whichever goalie is handed the No. 1 job will need to be sharp against Zach Parise and company.Ryan SuterSince signing with the Wild prior to the 2012-13 season, the veteran defenseman has averaged 28:43 of ice time per game - a full minute more than his nearest competitor, Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators.Expect more of the same in the first round, as Suter averaged 31 minutes per game in five games against the Stars.After matching or setting new career highs in goals (8), assists (43), and shots on goal (188) this season, it will be Suter's defensive play - tasked with shutting down the Stars' high-powered offense - that will be critical if the Wild hope to pull off the upset.ScheduleDateTime (ET)LocationNetworksThu. April 149:30 p.m.DallasNBCSN/SN360/TVA SportsSat. April 168 p.m.DallasNBCSN/Sportsnet /TVA SportsMon. April 188:30 p.m.MinnesotaCNBC/Sportsnet/TVA SportsWed. April 209:30 p.m.MinnesotaNBCSN/SN360/TVA SportsFri. April 22*TBDDallasTBDSun. April 24*TBDMinnesotaTBDTue. April 26*TBDDallasTBD* If necessaryCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was a formality, but it's official.Patrick Kane is the NHL's 2015-16 Art Ross Trophy winner, becoming the first American-born player to take the honor. In his ninth season, Kane was never better, setting a Chicago Blackhawks record by notching a point in 26 straight games."There's been some great seasons by American-born players," Kane said, according to the Chicago-Sun Times' Mark Lazerus. "I'm lucky and fortunate to be the first one to win it."It's Kane's first Art Ross, and it was a career year across the board for the winger. Kane, a 20-goal scorer in every season he's been in the league, hit 40 for the first time, obliterating his previous career high of 30 goals by finishing with 46 - second only to Alex Ovechkin.Playing with rookie Artemi Panarin, the likely Calder Trophy winner, Kane racked up a career-best 60 assists, as Panarin finished with 30 goals.Kane is the only player this season to reach the century mark, his 106 points bettering his best season by 18 points. He's the fourth player to hit 100 or more points in the last five non-lockout seasons, joining Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Daniel Sedin.There's more: Kane's 1.29 points per game ranked first in the league - and it wasn't even close. Jamie Benn, last year's Art Ross winner, finished second at 1.09. Kane's 37 power-play points were also most in the league, and his 17 power-play goals and nine game-winning goals ranked second.A banner season, no doubt. And it's only going to get better - another Stanley Cup may be in the cards, along with a Hart Trophy."I take a lot of pride in (being the first American to win the Art Ross), but I also take a lot of pride in doing it with the Blackhawks," Kane said. "I owe a lot to my teammates, coaches and the organization as I couldn’t have done this without them. This has been a special season, but we still have a lot to accomplish as a team and I look forward to another long run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Started from the bottom, now they're here. (Sorry.)The Anaheim Ducks are Pacific Division champions. Again. The club locked up its fourth straight division crown - and fifth in franchise history - after beating the Washington Capitals 2-0 on Sunday. The Ducks finish with 103 points to the Los Angeles Kings' 102, a remarkable turn of events considering Anaheim's early-season struggles.

The NHL regular season concluded Sunday with an Anaheim Ducks victory over the Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals and with that, finalized the Pacific Division standings.Related: Eastern Conference matchups, 1st-round scheduleHere are the four Western first-round matchups:Stars vs. Wild

One day, there should be a trophy named after Alex Ovechkin.The Washington Capitals superstar sat out Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks, but as the regular season officially concluded, Ovechkin got that which belongs to him: the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's best goal-scorer.Ovechkin finished his season in style Saturday night, scoring a hat trick to reach the 50-goal mark for the third straight season, and seventh time in his career. Only two other players in league history have hit that mark seven times, and you may have heard of them: Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy."The Great Eight" finished with a career-low 21 assists, but he can still score goals like no other player in the league. This year's honor is the sixth time he's won the Richard Trophy since its inception in 1998.It was a season to remember for Ovechkin, as his Capitals won the Presidents' Trophy. On a personal level, Ovechkin became the highest-scoring Russian-born player in NHL history, passing Sergei Fedorov, and scored the 500th goal of his career in January.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NEW YORK - Michael Raffl scored the tiebreaking goal early in the second period and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday night.Evgeny Medvedev, Shayne Gostisbehere, Scott Laughton and R.J. Umberger also scored for the Flyers, who trailed 2-0 midway through the first period. Michal Neuvirth stopped 15 shots in the teams' season finale that was a game rescheduled from Jan. 23 due to a blizzard.Nikolay Kulemin and Matt Martin scored for the Islanders, who finished with the Eastern Conference's top wild card and will face the Atlantic Division champion Florida Panthers in the first round of the playoffs.The Islanders' loss gave the crosstown-rival Rangers third place in the Metropolitan Division and a first-round matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins.Both the Flyers and Islanders had already secured postseason berths and sat their stars. The Islanders were without a multitude of players, including their top line of John Tavares, Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen. The Flyers, who will face Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington in the first round, sat forwards Wayne Simmonds and Claude Giroux, and defenseman Mark Streit.Thomas Greiss started in goal for the Islanders and stopped seven of nine shots he faced in the first period. Christopher Gibson replaced him to start the second period and finished with 15 saves.Raffl gave the Flyers the 3-2 lead as he took a centering pass from Laughton and wristed it past Gibson for his 13th at 6:38 of the second period.The Islanders had a 5-on-3 for 17 seconds later in the second period, but couldn't take advantage.Laughton scored on a snap shot from the left slot at 5:50 of the third to give Philadelphia a two-goal lead. Umberger capped the scoring with a power-play goal as he converted a rebound of Raffl's shot with 8:50 to go for his second of the season.The Flyers finished 3 for 4 on the power play and the Islanders were 0 for 4.Trailing 2-0 midway through the opening period, Gostisbehere got the Flyers on the board with a power-play goal with 8:45 left as he took a pass from Jakub Voracek and fired a shot through the five-hole on a screened Greiss for his 17th.Just 7 seconds after a slashing penalty on Ross Johnston gave the Flyers a 5-on-3 advantage, they tied it as Medvedev sent a pass to the left side to Matt Read, who sent it back and Medvedev fired a one-timer through traffic for his fourth with 8 seconds left in the period.Kulemin got the Islanders on the scoreboard first, taking a pass from Calvin de Haan, used some fancy stick work to get around two defenders and poke a backhand past Neuvirth for his ninth at 5:58.Martin doubled the lead 3:21 later as he went toward the net and redirected a pass from Ryan Pulock past Neuvirth for his career-high 10th of the season. Pulock also had a secondary assist on Kulemin's goal for his first two career assists.NOTES: The Islanders also scratched C Casey Cizikas, D Johnny Boychuk, D Brian Strait, D Nick Leddy, and G Jean-Francois Berube. D Travis Hamonic hasn't played since suffering an injury against Columbus on March 31, and C Anders Lee is out indefinitely with a broken fibula. ... Tavares finished the season leading the team in goals (33) and points (70), and Okposo was tops in assists (42). ... F Johnston was called up from Bridgeport of the AHL and made his NHL debut, a day after Brackin Kearns and Alan Quine were called up for their season debuts with New York. ... The teams split the first four games this season. The Islanders won 3-1 at home on Nov. 25 and 4-3 in a shootout at Philadelphia on Dec. 8. The Flyers won 4-0 at home on Jan. 9 and 4-1 here on March 21. ... The Flyers also sat C Sean Couturier and starting goalie Steve Mason. ... Simmonds led the Flyers with 32 goals, and Giroux was tops with 45 assists and 67 points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Eastern Conference playoff matchups are now set as the regular season came to a close Sunday, with the New York Islanders' loss to the Philadelphia Flyers finalizing the Metropolitan Division standings.Related: Western Conference matchups, 1st-round scheduleHere's are the four Eastern first-round matchups:Capitals vs. Flyers

The Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning will meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight season. The Lightning prevailed in seven games last year, but will face a Red Wings squad without two integral players - Steven Stamkos and Anton Stralman.The teams split the season series 2-2, with Tampa Bay winning the last two meetings in February and March.These will be Pavel Datsyuk's final playoffs in the NHL, so here's to some magic happening.Tale of the tapeLightningStatisticRed Wings97Points932.7 (12th)Goals per game2.5 (22nd)2.4 (4th)Goals against2.7 (17th)15.8% (28th)Power play18.8% (12th)84% (7th)Penalty kill81.6% (14th)52.2% (6th)Corsi51.7% (9th)7.9% (8th)5-on-5 SH%7% (22nd)92.9% (10th)5-on-5 SV%92.6% (14th)Kucherov: 66Leading scorerZetterberg: 50Key playersJimmy HowardThe Red Wings turned to Jimmy Howard down the stretch to run their consecutive playoff appearances streak to 25, and even though they scrapped in, it appears Howard's the man in the crease.Make no mistake: Howard did not have a good season. He played only 37 games, his .906 save percentage the worst of his career. But he was big in April, posting a .916 in five big-game starts. Petr Mrazek, who saw the crease for the majority of the season, became the backup after a nightmare March that saw him record a 3.72 goals-against average and a .884 save percentage.The biggest question facing the Red Wings: Can Howard get it done? He played only 20 minutes in last year's series, Mrazek carrying the load.Tyler JohnsonTyler Johnson's shooting percentage dropped from 14.3 percent to 8.4 percent this season, and he scored only 14 times after a career-high 29 goals in 2014-15. Without Stamkos, the onus is going to fall on Johnson to provide secondary scoring behind leading scorer Nikita Kucherov.Johnson was brilliant in last year's playoffs, scoring 13 goals and adding 10 assists in 26 games as the Lightning marched to the Stanley Cup Final. He needs to do it again.It's been a trying season, and Johnson was on the wrong end of a questionable cross-check in the Lightning's regular-season finale, so he could be hurting going into Game 1. Whether he overcomes, and whether he can put a disappointing 69 games behind him, will be a storyline to watch.Jonathan DrouinJonathan Drouin's back, and scored in both games he played in after his recall. He logged 15:41 in his first game, and 19:27 in his second.Drouin played in only six Lightning playoff games last season, going pointless and averaging only 10 minutes of ice per game. If he's given a top-six role this time around, and can contribute, perhaps the damaged relationship between the 21-year-old and his team can be repaired, after all.ScheduleDateTime (ET)LocationNetworksWed. April 137 p.m.Tampa BayNBCSN/CBC/TVA SportsFri. April 157 p.m.Tampa BayCNBC/CBC/TVA SportsSun. April 177 p.m.DetroitCNBC/CBC/TVA SportsTue. April 197 p.m.DetroitNBCSN/CBC/TVA SportsThu. April 21*TBDTampa BayTBDSun. April 24*TBDDetroitTBDTue. April 26*TBDTampa BayTBD* If necessaryCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With nothing on the line for their final regular-season game, the Washington Capitals are sitting veterans Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, and Brooks Orpik on Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks, according to multiple reports.It was reported earlier that goaltender Braden Holtby would also not play, taking away a chance at a record-breaking 49th win of the season. Philipp Grubauer will get the start.The Capitals will face the Philadelphia Flyers in the opening round of the postseason.The Ducks, meanwhile, are in need of a win to take first place in the Pacific Division, passing the Los Angeles Kings.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Braden Holtby will fall one win short in his quest to break the single-season wins record.Related: Holtby wins No. 48, ties Brodeur's record in 12 fewer gamesThe Washington Capitals netminder sat Sunday in the club's final game against the Anaheim Ducks, meaning he'll remain tied with former New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur at 48 wins in a single season."Why put our player at risk?” head coach Barry Trotz said, according to Zac Boyer of the Washington Times. "You see a number of players that have gone down in their last game around the league and for us to go for something - he shares the record, so I think the bigger plan is what we want to do as a team."It’s too important to put at risk for individual glory, so we’re not doing that."In turn, backup Philipp Grubauer made his 16th start of the season. The 24-year-old has posted a .918 save percentage and a 2.34 goals-against average this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Islanders aren't taking any chances Sunday.The Metropolitan rivals will do battle in the final game of the regular season but with both teams already guaranteed playoff spots, each is set to sit several of their key players.The Islanders will sit: John Tavares, Frans Nielsen, Casey Cizikas, Kyle Okposo, and Johnny Boychuk, while goaltender Thomas Greiss will start the game, but not finish it, head coach Jack Capuano told Newsday Sports' Arthur Staple.The decision makes sense, but heading into Sunday, the Islanders' first round opponent is yet to be decided. A loss by the Islanders would mean the team plays the Florida Panthers in the first round, while a win would set up a meeting with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will not be suiting up for Canada at the World Championships next month.The 22-year-old addressed the media at the team's end of year interviews, stating he is going to focus on getting healthy."I'm still not feeling 100 percent right now. As of right now, I'm not going to be going," Nugent-Hopkins said.Nugent-Hopkins missed 23 games between Jan. 19 and March 10 with a significant hand injury, an injury that he feels needs more rehab.The Oilers forward also suffered a concussion in the final weeks of the season which caused him to miss three games.He finished the year with 12 goals and 34 points in 55 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While Nazem Kadri's numbers were relatively modest this season, he did make quite the impression on the Toronto Maple Leafs.The team's management and coaching staff addressed the media Sunday about this season's 30th-place finish, but among the positive takeaways was the play of Toronto's 2009 first-round pick."I like the way he stands up not only for himself, but his teammates," general manager Lou Lamoriello said, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "He doesn’t allow size to get in the way. I’ve been one of his biggest fans as everybody knows. I just like the way he competes."Kadri is set to become a restricted free agent after making $4.1 million this past season, and if there's one thing he has going for him, it's the confidence of his coach."The biggest thing that Nazem proved is that he can play for Mike Babcock," president Brendan Shanahan said. "I think that he’s got a big fan in Mike Babcock."The vote of confidence bodes well for Kadri, who reiterated his desire to remain with the team long term."I think I made it clear about where I want to stay and where my heart is and that’s in Toronto," Kadri said. "At the end of the day, they make that decision (on contract length), but in terms of my play this year I’ve really progressed."While Kadri failed to break any career highs this season, he still led the team with 45 points in 76 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After watching his team finish last in the Western Conference, Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli admitted this year's roster "wasn't good enough" and let everyone know what his main focus will be in the offseason."I'm reasonably confident I will be able to address our defense in a meaningful way," Chiarelli said Sunday in a season-ending press conference, per Jason Gregor of the Edmonton Journal. He added that the team has a surplus of forwards, but that "every option" will be looked at."I like size, especially in our division," he said when asked about other areas the team could improve in.Chiarelli also said he expects to name a team captain for next season, after Jordan Eberle, Andrew Ference, Taylor Hall, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins all served as alternates this year. He also delved into another area.While Cam Talbot emerged as the team's starting goalie for the future, earning a three-year contract extension, Chiarelli added that the "job is wide open" for a new backup.The Oilers enter the offseason with the second-best odds at winning the draft lottery - for what would be the fifth time in seven years.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings appear set to make their 2016-17 season even more difficult.Center Pavel Datsyuk stated Sunday he intends to leave the NHL at the end of the postseason and head back to Russia for family reasons, according to Mitch Albom from the Detroit Free Press. It leaves the club in a tricky spot, as his $7.5-million cap hit will remain on the books.Related: Datsyuk 'done playing in NHL' after postseasonWhile Datsyuk is open to having his rights traded to a cash-strapped team in need of reaching the NHL's cap floor, his agent, Dan Milstein, indicated the Red Wings won't use that option, presumably out of respect for the player's legacy.Albom writes:

The Tampa Bay Lightning appear to have warded off another big bite from the injury bug.General manager Steve Yzerman indicated center Tyler Johnson could be ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs after suffering an upper-body injury Saturday in Montreal, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times.The injury came at the hands of Canadiens defenseman Greg Pateryn, who will reportedly not be disciplined for what head coach Jon Cooper called an "egregious" incident.Johnson remains day to day, with the Lightning set to practice Monday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Finishing 29th in the NHL standings doesn't sit well with Connor McDavid, and the young Edmonton Oilers center made that perfectly clear as the team gathered for exit meetings Sunday."It eats me alive," he said. "If it doesn't, you shouldn't be here. I'm someone who doesn't handle losing very well."Unfortunately for both McDavid and the Oilers, the 2015 first overall pick played only 45 games this season after breaking his clavicle back in November, limiting his ability to expedite the forever-stalled rebuilding process.McDavid did prove to be the brightest of the bunch when it comes to recent Oilers lottery picks, however, recording 16 goals and 32 assists, ranking third league-wide in points per game, behind only Patrick Kane and Jamie Benn and ahead of Sidney Crosby.General manager Peter Chiarelli certainly has some big decisions to make this offseason, and his intentions may not be fully determined until after he finds out where the Oilers will pick in the draft. McDavid, of course, is a lock to remain in Edmonton for as long as possible. For now, he's off to represent Canada at the World Championship next month, where he hopes to regain that winning feeling.

The morning after the Toronto Maple Leafs finished the regular season, questions abound regarding the status of two injured veteran players.Defenseman Stephane Robidas and forward Joffrey Lupul are already questionable to come off injured reserve and suit up next season, with the former's career seemingly in jeopardy.

A knee injury that kept Nathan MacKinnon out of the Colorado Avalanche's final 10 games was revealed to be a left MCL sprain.The forward, who attempted to return to the lineup for a final playoff push, said he wouldn't have been able to suit up for postseason action even if the team qualified."It's not feeling great at all right now," MacKinnon told reporters Saturday. "You've got to be careful, because it could really mess up your knee if you push it."MacKinnon won't require surgery, and would be interested in playing for Canada at the World Championship in May, health permitting of course."If I can, I'd definitely be interested. But I definitely want to be pretty cautious," he said.The 20-year-old appeared in 72 games this season, recording 21 goals and 31 assists.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise is listed as day to day with an undisclosed injury that forced him to sit out the regular-season finale.As coaches are wont to do this time of year, John Torchetti wouldn't comment on whether the winger would be ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs later this week.Minnesota is set to play the Dallas Stars in the opening round, and will need all hands on deck in order to keep up with that high-flying offense.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been a long year for Jack Eichel.Over the past 12 months, he's gone from the NCAA Frozen Four Final to the 2015 IIHF World Championship to the NHL Entry Draft, then through the rigors of his first NHL training camp and his first 81 regular-season pro games.So as the Buffalo Sabres forward wrapped up his rookie season with exit meetings Sunday, he said he won't be representing the United States at the 2016 World Championship."I think it’s time for me to take a little break and unwind a little bit here, kind of take a deep breath for the first time in a while," Eichel told reporters."It’s important mentally, physically, emotionally to take some time, be with your family, collect yourself, put the hockey bag away, stay out of the gym. Just relax a little bit, rejuvenate your mind, rejuvenate your body and prepare for your offseason training the right way where you can get the maximum results to help you come back next season feeling better than ever and hopefully take that next step."Eichel will, however, resume play prior to next season's training camp as a feature member of Team North America at the World Cup.The 19-year-old recorded 24 goals and 32 assists with 238 shots as a rookie.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the playoffs now just days away, players and extreme fans will now embark on the greatest of sports traditions, the playoff beard.However, before we get to bask in some beautiful Viking-style beards and whatever Sidney Crosby grows, lets take some time to recognize some of the most beautiful flows that came from the heads of NHL greats.Here are this season's five best flows:Jaromir JagrThis season Jaromir Jagr really turned back the clock.While the Florida Panthers star - at 44 years old - lead his team with 66 points and finished second with 27 goals, he has also brought back his signature mullet which he made so famous in the early 90s.Pure beauty.Matt MartinMatt Martin's hair is a hit, fitting for the man who leads the NHL in that very category.The New York Islanders bruiser has locks that go on for days, but his rough play has not made his flow any less memorizing. Especially while Martin has participated in 11 fights this season, second amongst all skaters.Henrik LundqvistLook at Henrik Lundqvist, and now look in the mirror... sorry. The main man on Broadway is one good looking specimen and his most deadly attribute - next to stopping pucks - is his hair.Lundqvist fittingly has a flow fit for a king. The New York Rangers goaltender is never out of any game and that is because his flow always comes to play.Braden HoltbyIt must be a goalie thing.While the Washington Capitals goaltender matched Martin Brodeur's single-season record with 48 wins, there is something Braden Holtby does have the Brodeur never did, a luscious flow.Holtby's hair is one of the newest and easily one of the game's best. The secret obviously being the strange amount of water he seems to always be dowsing it with.Brent BurnsWhat do you get when you cross "beauty" with "terror"? Bear, and that is exactly what Brent Burns immortalizes with his impeccable beard-flow combo.While his beard garners most of the conversation - and anything else it comes into contact with - his flowing hear atop his head is almost just as impressive. It's quite easy to see why he has been recreated in chia pet form.Honorable MentionsSonny MilanoWilliam NylanderBoth Nylander and Milano stepped into the NHL this season and have looked good doing it. Both still have much to learn about the league and what it takes to stick with their respective clubs.But lets be honest many veterans could learn a thing or two from these rookie dews.*Note Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson and Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang were not considered due to some unfortunate hair cuts.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brooks Laich believe he'll be back with the Toronto Maple Leafs next season.The veteran forward, who's contract has one year remaining, met with management Sunday and is pretty sure his services will be retained after receiving positive feedback about his time in Toronto.Whether he'll be able to stomach watching the Washington Capitals fight for the Stanley Cup remains to be determined, however.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Greg Pateryn won't face a hearing from the NHL following an injurious hit levied against the Tampa Bay Lightning's Tyler Johnson on Saturday:

The Ottawa Senators have wasted no time in shaking up the front office.General manager Bryan Murray has announced he's stepping down as general manager, handing the reins to Pierre Dorion, who had been serving as assistant GM since 2014.

Alex Ovechkin did it again.Entering Saturday's game in St. Louis - Game 81 on the regular-season schedule - the Washington Capitals superstar winger sat on 47 goals, thereby needing a hat trick to record the seventh 50-goal season of his career.In the end, Ovechkin did indeed score three goals on the night to hit the milestone, a feat spurred on by a first-period goal scored from an all-too-familiar spot: The blocker side faceoff circle.Here's how it happened.With teammate Nicklas Backstrom (19) and Blues defenseman Colton Parayko (55) chasing the puck in the right corner, Ovechkin (8) skated unchecked around the far post, ready to take possession should it bounce his way.Having made his way to the near post, and with his eyes ever on the puck, Ovechkin watched as T.J. Oshie (77) knocked the puck loose before being tied by up Carl Gunnarsson (4) along the boards.As Backstrom gathered the puck and passed it back to defenseman John Carlson (74), Ovechkin - now shadowed by Blues forward Troy Brouwer - circled backwards around the front of the net and closer to his office.Carlson received the pass and got himself in position to either pass or shoot, drawing the full attention of no fewer than four Blues skaters, as well as goaltender Brian Elliott, who squared up to make a save attempt.Meanwhile, Ovechkin, again unchecked, positioned himself for a scoring chance.Carlson has played with Ovechkin long enough to know what to do next, and therefore made the wise choice to dish the puck to the expectant winger.To no one's surprise, Ovechkin was able to take advantage of the open space to Elliott's right, and promptly deposited the puck into the back of the net for his first of the night and 48th of the season.At this point in his career, it's astonishing Ovechkin can continue to fire at will from this spot, but here he was able to do it against a team that sits third overall in the NHL standings and tied for fourth in goals against.It's but one reason why only Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy have recorded more 50-goal seasons than Ovechkin, who, at age 30, has a ways to go before he's done terrorizing the opposition.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carey Price appreciates the love shown to him through a difficult season.The reigning NHL MVP and Vezina Trophy winner, who was limited to 12 games in 2015-16 due to a knee injury, took a moment Sunday to thank Montreal Canadiens' fans who supported him over the past several months:

In perhaps his greatest acting performance yet, Leonardo DiCaprio pretended not to be at a New York Islanders game.The Oscar-winning actor was spotted sitting next to good friend and "Entourage" star Kevin Connolly at Barclays' Center on Saturday, but tried to keep a low profile by hiding underneath his hat.The Islanders have certainly experienced some growing pains over the years, but the faithful revenant among the fan base - Connolly chief among them - is set to enjoy another playoff appearance. Hopefully it won't be a titanic failure, giving DiCaprio another chance to play "catch me if you can" with the cameraman in later rounds.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The bottom of the table is set.With only two regular season games involving playoff teams remaining on the schedule, the 14 teams on the outside looking in now know their odds of landing the first overall pick at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.A trio of Canadian teams - the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks - possess a greater than 10 percent chance of winning the right to select wunderkind Auston Matthews.Here are the odds for the entire field:TeamChance To Win LotteryMaple Leafs20%Oilers13.5%Canucks11.5%Blue Jackets9.5%Flames8.5%Coyotes7.5%Jets6.5%Sabres6%Canadiens5%Avalanche3.5%Devils3%Senators2.5%Hurricanes2%Bruins1%The 2016 NHL Draft lottery will take place April 30.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators have called a press conference for Sunday morning to make a "significant hockey announcement."It's believed general manager Bryan Murray has decided to step down and shift into a role as a senior advisor, while assistant Pierre Dorion will become the seventh GM in club history, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen.Murray has served as GM since 2007, taking on the role after coaching the Senators to the Stanley Cup Final that year. The 73-year-old remains in a battle with Stage 4 colon cancer, and has reportedly been considering this move for over a year.He'll hand the job to Dorion, who's been with the Senators for nine seasons, while another familiar name may have an increased role:

Pavel Datsyuk is going home.The Detroit Red Wings center appears set to forego the final year of his contract, opting instead to return to his native Russia for family reasons."I'm thinking I go home after this season," he told Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press. "I may not be done with hockey, but - it is hard to say - I think I am done playing in NHL."Datsyuk added he wanted to make the announcement sooner rather than later to avoid any distractions now that the team has clinched a playoff spot, especially following reports last week suggesting there was a legitimate chance he would leave the NHL."Because of the rumors out there, I wanted to clear this up now before the playoffs started so I can focus only on giving my best playoff performance," he said. "And I wanted the fans to hear it from me, not someone else."The 38-year-old has one year and $5.5 million remaining on his contract, which carries a $7.5-million cap hit that will remain on Detroit's books since the deal was signed after he turned 35. The three-year pact is one that, in hindsight, Datsyuk wishes he hadn't signed."I feel very bad about it," the center said. "Looking back, I wish I had done a year-by-year contract, not a three-year contract. I stayed (last year) in respect for (team owners) the Ilitch family. I don't want to leave team in disaster. But if I have to do over again, I would sign a different deal. I didn't realize it at the time."Datsyuk's agent later corroborated his client's statement:

Derek Dorsett saved one of his best performances of the season for game No. 82, posting his second multi-point game of the year, but his night ended early after receiving a misconduct in the third period.The 29-year-old was ejected after spraying Edmonton Oilers forward Patrick Maroon - who just scored the game-tying goal - with water, while both players were sitting on their respective benches.Luckily for Dorsett, the Canucks got the last laugh with a 4-3, shootout victory.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After all 30 teams took the ice Saturday, the 16 playoff-bound teams are now confirmed, and four of eight first-round playoff series are officially set with just two games with playoff implications scheduled for the final night of regular-season action Sunday.Here's what the postseason matchups look like following Saturday's games:Eastern ConferenceTeamTeamSeason SeriesA1 PanthersW1 IslandersPanthers 2-1A2 LightningA3 Red WingsTied 2-2M1 CapitalsW2 FlyersTied 2-2M2 PenguinsM3 RangersPenguins 3-1

Every NHL team was in action Saturday, on the final marquee day and night of the regular season. And what a 13 hours of hockey it was.Let's go in order, shall we?

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom waited until the last game of the season to make the save of the year.The 26-year-old made a sensational glove stop on Edmonton Oilers forward Jordan Eberle early in the second period of Saturday's game to preserve his team's 1-0 lead.However good the save was though, the Canucks will still finish this season with the third-worst record in the league.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Justin Williams had no points, zero shots on goal, and just one hit in a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, but Washington Capitals fans weren't too concerned, especially after the 34-year-old shared his first tweet following the victory.Williams posted that he'd avoided Twitter long enough, adding an entertaining GIF of himself dancing to "Cotton Eye Joe" that was caught during a March 22 game against the Ottawa Senators.

The St. Louis Blues will turn to Brian Elliott when they open the playoffs.Head coach Ken Hitchcock announced his decision following his team's 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, a game that saw Elliott pulled after the second period after allowing four goals on 26 shots.While Elliott has received the bulk of the club's starts down the stretch, 25-year-old Jake Allen received the majority of the starts this season (44).Statistically speaking, Elliott put up the better numbers with a .930 save percentage and a 2.07 goals-against average compared to Allen's .920 and 2.35 marks.The Blues will go to battle with the reigning Stanley-Cup champs the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round, a team they went 3-2 against during the regular season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Scott Hartnell scored a power-play goal at 2:28 of overtime, and the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied for a 5-4 victory over the depleted Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night.Corey Crawford allowed five goals on 25 shots in his first game since suffering an injury on March 14.Hartnell finished with two goals and two assists as Columbus (34-40-8) closed its season with four wins in five games. Alexander Wennberg had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets, and Brandon Saad added a goal and an assist against his former team.The Blackhawks (47-26-9) were without forwards Artem Anisimov, Marian Hossa and Andrew Shaw due to injuries, and defenseman Duncan Keith was shelved by a suspension that runs through the first game of the playoffs. Captain Jonathan Toews and defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson were held out for rest ahead of the postseason.Patrick Kane and rookie Artemi Panarin each had two goals and an assist for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who head into the playoffs off a pair of overtime losses.Kane finished the season with a career-high 46 goals and 60 assists. He is set to become the first American-born player to lead the NHL in scoring and is one of the front-runners for league MVP.Hartnell picked up his 23rd goal when Cam Atkinson's shot went off him and past Crawford in overtime, ending the season on a high note for Columbus. But it was a mostly disappointing campaign for a Blue Jackets team that failed to qualify for the postseason for the 13th time in its 15-year existence.A season that many thought would take the franchise to new heights never got anywhere, crushed under the weight of an opening eight-game slide. Coach Todd Richards was fired and replaced by John Tortorella.The Blue Jackets got off to a slow start and the Blackhawks jumped all over them. Panarin set up Kane just nine seconds into game, and then scored two of his own to stake Chicago to a 3-0 lead in the first.Columbus responded with three of its own in the second. Saad completed a pretty passing sequence with his 31st of the season, extending his career high and tying it at 3 with 3 minutes left.Wennberg made it 4-3 at 3:09 of the third, one-timing a short feed from Hartnell behind the net. Kane tied it again at 9:49 with a hard one-timer from the slot.With 2:18 left, the Blackhawks had a two-man advantage for 48 seconds but Sergei Bobrovsky made big saves on Kane and Panarin. He finished with 22 saves.NOTES: Hartnell's first goal was his 300th. ... Atkinson played his 300th career game. ... Blackhawks D Viktor Svedberg left with a lower-body injury. ... It was the third time in franchise history that Columbus overcame a three-goal deficit to win. ... Panarin is the fourth rookie in franchise history to score 30 or more goals in a season- With files from theScoreCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A painful 2015-16 campaign for the Toronto Maple Leafs finally came to an end Saturday with a 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils.Related: Maple Leafs finish last, have best draft lottery oddsWith the win the Maple Leafs locked up the 30th spot in the NHL standings, giving them the best chance at landing the coveted first overall pick in this year's draft, a pick that should help bring balance to the club's future."The future of our organization is very bright," head coach Mike Babcock siad, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "There's still some pain coming, but we're going to get a lot better very fast."It's that same trade-off that those pulling for a last place finish have been craving."Short-term pain for long-term gain," said Babcock. "Don't get me wrong, it's hard to do, it's tough, it's way more fun winning."Babcock admits he isn't sure exactly how the draft lottery will play out, only that the team should have a decent pick when all is said and done."I don’t know how all the odds stack up, but I know the latest we can pick is fourth ... there you go. We got (at least) the fourth pick," said Babcock.Next to the draft Babcock feels the team will be active during free agency suggesting the outcome of that should bring almost instant success."We'll be prepared for free agency and make sure we have a team that isn't missing the playoffs," Babcock said, according to Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star.All just part of the plan.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After forward Tyler Johnson was forced from Saturday's regular-season finale against the Montreal Canadiens with an upper-body injury, Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper didn't have any kind words for defenseman Greg Pateryn, whose hit took Johnson out of the game.Related: VIDEO: Lightning's Johnson injured after late hit by Canadiens' Pateryn"That kid had a blatant disrespect for (honor and respect)," Cooper said of the hit, according to Erik Erlendsson of The Tampa Tribune. "That was egregious what happened and there is no place for it."Hopefully Johnson is going to be okay," he continued. "Those could be career-ending the way that went down."Cooper added there is lots of concern for Johnson, and thought it wasn't surprising he was held out of a meaningless game." ... if this was a playoff game he couldn't have come back, so that's where he's at," he said.The Lightning are expected to be without Steven Stamkos and Anton Stralman to begin their playoff run. Victor Hedman, Ryan Callahan, and Nikita Kucherov all sat out Saturday, but should be back in the lineup for Game 1 against the Detroit Red Wings.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars clinched the top seed in the Western Conference and first place in the Central Division by virtue of the St. Louis Blues' loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.The Stars earned a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators minutes after the Capitals defeated the Blues 5-1 to give Dallas home-ice advantage for the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs.It's the first division title for the Stars since 2005-06.Dallas finished the regular season with 109 points, while St. Louis ended their 82-game schedule with 107 points and second place in the Central.The Stars will face the Minnesota Wild in the first round, and the Blues will meet the Chicago Blackhawks.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a 19-save effort, Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby recorded his 48th win of the year against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, tying Martin Brodeur's all-time, single-season record in 12 fewer games.

With his third goal of the game against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin picked up his 50th goal of the season.It marks the third straight season and the seventh time in his career that he has hit the milestone.Ovechkin entered Saturday's contest three goals shy of the half-century mark with just two games remaining.The goal also makes Ovechkin the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in three consecutive seasons twice, doing so between 2007 and 2010 and 2013 to 2016.

Patrik Elias may have closed out his NHL career in style.The New Jersey Devils franchise-leader in goals, assists, and points picked up what could be the final goal of his storybook career.With under 16 seconds left in game 82 of the season, Elias fired the puck past Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Garret Sparks to conclude the 5-1 win.Following Saturday's game the Prudential Center crowd serenaded the franchise-great.Many expect Elias to announce his retirement in the summer as the 39-year-old's contract expires. He was limited to just 16 games this season thanks to a significant knee injury.If Saturday was indeed Elias' last hurrah, he will finish with 408 goals and 1,025 points in 1,240 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers clinched a playoff berth Saturday with a 3-1 win over the rival Pittsburgh Penguins, and all players had one man on their mind - team owner Ed Snider, who hadn't been able to attend games this season due to illness.Related: Flyers clinch final East playoff berth, eliminate Bruins"It's unfortunate Mr. Snider couldn't be here with us today," forward Wayne Simmonds said, according to Sam Carchidi of Philly.com. "Obviously this organization owes everything to Mr. Snider. If it wasn't for Mr. Snider, not one person in this dressing room would be here, so we played our hearts out."We owe him a lot, and we still owe him."The Flyers visited Snider at his California mansion during a west-coast road trip in late December. At the time, the team was middling with a 15-15-7 record. Since then, they've gone 25-12-7, and set up a first-round playoff date with the Washington Capitals."It's special to play for Mr. Snider," added Ryan White. "I've only been here a short time, but to have an owner like that, I get goose bumps just talking about it. He's the face of the franchise, and we're going to keep on doing it for him, for sure."Prior to the game, anthem singer Lauren Hart sang "God Bless America" along with a video of the legendary Kate Smith, but this time, while FaceTiming Snider - who blew kisses to Hart in return.