Wednesday showed once again that anything can happen in the NHL, with late rallies in all three games including a sequence in California that saw three teams hold Wild Card 2 in the West during a span of 30 seconds (NSH, SJS & LAK).
* With 14 game days to decide 14 playoff spots, every matchup on tonight’s schedule includes at least one team either inside the bracket or within three points of it, with intraconference matchups in 13 of 14 games – including both contests airing on ESPN+ and Hulu (WSH at NJD & UTA at SEA).
* For the first time this season, there are Stanley Cup Playoffs clinching scenarios in the Eastern Conference: Buffalo can secure its first appearance since 2011, while perennial contenders Carolina and Tampa Bay also can ensure playing past game No. 82. Click here for details.
* Three NHL games were played Wednesday shortly after the launch of Artemis II, including one in San Jose – which has a tieback to outer space. At the 1997 NHL All-Star Game held in San Jose, the ceremonial puck drop originated from the Space Shuttle Columbia (2:45 mark of this video).
COMEBACK ATTEMPTS ACROSS THE BOARD ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT
The unpredictability of NHL games was on full display Wednesday as 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini tallied four points to spark a late rally and help the Sharks momentarily overtake three teams to move into a playoff spot. A mere 27 seconds later, 343 miles away in Los Angeles, the Kings claimed an overtime win – after surrendering a third-period lead – to displace the Sharks as Wild Card 2. That sequence of events also prevented the Wild (idle) from securing a playoff spot, something only two teams have done with only 14 game days left in the season. Earlier in the night, Vancouver – one of only two teams eliminated from postseason contention – scored eight goals to defeat Colorado, the League’s No. 1 seed since Nov. 1.
* After hitting the 100-point milestone in his last outing, Celebrini (2-2—4) added another long list of achievements Wednesday by factoring on all four goals to rally the Sharks to within a point of a playoff spot, with a game in hand. The NHL sophomore became the fourth teenager in the past 30 years to score 40 goals in a season and the first Sharks player of any age to hit the milestone in a dozen years. Teammate Will Smith (1-2—3) added three points of his own as San Jose scored a go-ahead goal in the final minute of regulation for a second straight game – a first in franchise history and the sixth instance in NHL history, following the 2018-19 Bruins (March 7-9, 2019), 2005-06 Red Wings (April 15-17, 2006), 2002-03 Senators (March 22-25, 2003), 1999-00 Maple Leafs (Jan. 27-29, 2000) and 1976-77 Sabres (Nov. 17-20, 1976).
* Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, the only remaining players from the Kings’ two Stanley Cup wins, both assisted on the overtime winner to help the Kings (30-26-18, 78 points) overtake the Predators (34-31-9, 77 points) for Wild Card 2. Nashville held that position entering play and will look to regain it tonight when the teams clash in one of two upcoming head-to-heads between the clubs (also April 6). Wednesday marked the Kings’ 29th overtime game of the season, one back of the League benchmark.
* Nathan MacKinnon became the first player to reach the 50-goal mark this season, but Brock Boeser netted his seventh career hat trick to help Vancouver win 8-6 – despite Colorado erasing a four-goal deficit to tie the game in the third period. MacKinnon, who now holds a three-goal lead in the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race, became the second player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to be the NHL’s “first to 50” in a season, following Milan Hejduk in 2002-03.
QUICK CLICKS
* Nikita Kucherov, Erik Karlsson and Pavel Zacha Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ for March
* Blues’ Jimmy Snuggerud Named NHL ‘Rookie of the Month’ for March
* NHL EDGE stats: Porter Martone’s upside after debut with Flyers
* #NHLStats: Live Updates for Wednesday
* Women in Hockey: Blake Bolden
FOURTEEN DAYS TO DECIDE 14 PLAYOFF TEAMS
With 14 game days and only 122 contests remaining in the 2025-26 NHL regular season, there still are 28 clubs in contention to secure the 14 remaining berths in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – which begin Saturday, April 18. Every matchup on tonight’s schedule includes at least one team either in a playoff spot or within three points of one.
Thirteen of 14 games Thursday are intraconference battles, including both airing on ESPN+ and Hulu:
* Sabres at Senators: The 100-point Sabres can clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2011, ending the longest wait between appearances in NHL history. The Senators, who clinched on April 8 last year to end the lengthiest stretch between postseason appearances in their history, have an opportunity to jump back into Wild Card 2.
* Penguins at Lightning: The No. 2 seeds in their respective divisions, two clubs who have claimed back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in the past 10 years will continue their push for both a playoff spot and home ice in the First Round. Tampa Bay will be in line to clinch with a win and some help. Sidney Crosby needs one point to tie Steve Yzerman for seventh place on the all-time list and three to guarantee yet another point-per-game season (he set the NHL record last year with his 20th).
* Bruins at Panthers: Sitting in Wild Card 1 since St. Patrick’s Day, Boston can secure a fifth straight win as it aims to distance itself from the rest of the pack. The Bruins’ current six-point edge ahead of the Blue Jackets is the largest lead Wild Card 1 has had over Wild Card 2 in the Eastern Conference the entire season. That difference has been two points or less for 88% of the 2025-26 campaign.
* Canadiens at Rangers: The Canadiens could move within two points of first place in the Atlantic Division as they take the League’s longest active winning streak (6-0-0) into Manhattan. Cole Caufield (47 goals) and Nick Suzuki (92 points) are tracking down the first 50-goal and 100-point seasons by a Canadiens player in 35-plus years. The last time Montreal had players hit each milestone in the same campaign was 1979-80 (50 goals: Guy Lafleur & Pierre Larouche; 100 points: Lafleur).
* Red Wings at Flyers: After holding a playoff spot for more than three months (Dec. 8-March 21), Detroit could have an opportunity to jump back into the bracket Thursday when they face Philadelphia – a team that now shares their point total after a recent surge. The Flyers, an NHL-best 8-2-1 since March 11, last held a playoff spot on Jan. 12 when they ranked third in the Metropolitan Division.
* Blue Jackets at Hurricanes: The scenarios are plentiful for both Columbus and Carolina as they complete a home-and-home set. The Blue Jackets could move into third place in the Metropolitan Division, maintain Wild Card 2 or fall out of the bracket on Thursday as they seek their first playoff appearance since 2020. Carolina, meanwhile, will be in position to clinch a playoff spot for a franchise-record eighth straight season.
* Capitals at Devils (ESPN+, Hulu): With only seven games remaining on their schedule, Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals continue their playoff push after claiming points in nine of their past 11 games (7-2-2 since March 9). Washington can’t jump back into the bracket – a place they last found themselves Jan. 14 – on Thursday but they could have a chance to move within a point of Wild Card 2. As the anniversary of his NHL record-setting goal approaches, Ovechkin has added more accolades recently, passing Jaromir Jagr for the most game-winning goals in NHL history (including playoffs) on Tuesday, climbing into fourth place on the all-time hat tricks list March 26 and joining Wayne Gretzky in the 1,000-goal club (including playoffs) March 22.
* Jets at Stars: After battling for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference last season, Dallas and Winnipeg are on opposite sides of the playoff race this year – the Stars were the second team to clinch and the Jets have surged into the race thanks to a 10-4-4 record since Connor Hellebuyck returned from the Olympics with a gold medal. Winnipeg’s .667 points percentage since the Olympic break ranks second in the Western Conference over that span.
* Canucks at Wild: Former Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes will face his former team for the first time as he and the Wild aim to clinch a playoff spot. Hughes needs one assist and three points to claim the single-season franchise records among Minnesota defensemen. In the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44), only two defensemen have set a major single-season franchise record (goals, assists or points) after being acquired in-season: Dmitri Mironov in 1996-97 (G, A, PTS for ANA) and Jim Mair in 1972-73 (G, A, PTS for NYI). The last player of any position to achieve that feat was forward Joe Thornton in 2005-06, who established a new Sharks record for assists in one campaign after being acquired from the Bruins.
* Blackhawks at Oilers: The second-place Oilers (38-28-9, 85 points) look to close the gap on the Pacific Division-leading Ducks (41-29-5, 87 points), who they defeated during their current four-game winning streak. Connor McDavid can extend his goal streak to at least six games for the third time in his career – only three Oilers skaters have recorded as many runs of that length: Wayne Gretzky (7x), Jari Kurri (4x) and Glenn Anderson (4x).
* Flames at Golden Knights: Vegas will look to move to 2-0-0 under new head coach John Tortorella as they push for an eighth playoff berth in nine NHL seasons. Captain Mark Stone (254-445—699 in 759 GP) sits one point shy of 700 in his career and has done so thanks to 131-257—388 (393 GP) with Vegas – the most by any Golden Knights player since joining the franchise on Feb. 25, 2019.
* Mammoth at Kraken (ESPN+, Hulu): Just like the East, the difference between Wild Card 1 and Wild Card 2 has been two points or less for 88% of the season in the West. Utah’s depth has been on full display throughout their first two seasons as Logan Cooley (45-53—98 in 121 GP) sits two points shy of becoming the franchise’s fifth 100-point performer. The Mammoth can become the third franchise in NHL history to feature five triple-digit producers through their first two campaigns, alongside the Nordiques (6) and Whalers (5).
* Predators at Kings: Los Angeles (30-26-18, 78 points) leapfrogged Nashville (34-31-9, 77 points) for the second Wild Card spot last night with a win against St. Louis, marking the first time that Kings have occupied a playoff spot since March 20. The Kings and Predators face off twice in the next five days as they jockey among a group of six teams separated by four points in the Western Conference.
