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Wayne Gretzky, Alex Ovechkin speak after latter’s record-breaking night<\/p>\n
Alex Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky for the most goals scored all time in NHL history and both legends spoke to fans after the accomplishment.<\/p>\n
Sports Pulse<\/p>\n
Editor’s note: Standings and playoff matchups have been updated below:<\/p>\n
The Metropolitan Division-winning Washington Capitals<\/a> clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference on Thursday.<\/p>\n Friday, the Edmonton Oilers<\/a>, Minnesota Wild<\/a> and Montreal Canadiens<\/a> can clinch playoff berths (see below). If that happens, 15 of the 16 slots will be filled and the only remaining question is whether the St. Louis Blues<\/a> or Calgary Flames<\/a> will grab the final spot.<\/p>\n The key games will be Minnesota at Calgary, Montreal at Ottawa and Detroit at Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n If the Wild win, both they and the Oilers will clinch a playoff spot, plus Minnesota will move two points ahead of the Blues in the race for the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n A Montreal regulation win will clinch the Canadiens a playoff spot and move them one point behind the Senators in the race for the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n A Tampa Bay win would move the Lightning one point behind the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a> and three points ahead of the No. 3 Florida Panthers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here’s a look at the NHL playoff picture<\/a>\u00a0through games of April 9:<\/p>\n Who’s in the NHL playoffs?Eastern Conference: Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators<\/a>Western Conference: Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings<\/a>, Edmonton OilersWho can clinch Friday?The Canadiens will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Senators in regulation. Update: Montreal lost to Ottawa so it did not clinch a playoff spot.The Oilers will clinch if they get at least one point vs. the Sharks or if the Flames lose to the Wild. Update: Edmonton defeated San Jose to punch its playoff ticket.The Wild will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Flames. Update: Minnesota failed to clinch after losing to Calgary.NHL games today (Friday, April 11)Montreal at Ottawa, 7Detroit at Tampa Bay, 7Pittsburgh at New Jersey, 7 | NHL NetworkSan Jose at Edmonton, 9:30Minnesota at Calgary, 10NHL Eastern Conference standings 2024-25<\/p>\n (as of games April 10; x-clinched playoff berth; y-clinched division title; z-eliminated from postseason contention)<\/p>\n Metropolitan Division<\/p>\n y-Washington Capitals (109 points)x-Carolina Hurricanes (97)x-New Jersey Devils (89)<\/p>\n Atlantic Division<\/p>\n x-Toronto Maple Leafs (100)x-Tampa Bay Lightning (98)x-Florida Panthers (96)<\/p>\n Wild card<\/p>\n x-Ottawa Senators (92)Montreal Canadiens (87)<\/p>\n Sitting outside playoff position: Columbus Blue Jackets (81), New York Rangers (81), Detroit Red Wings (81), New York Islanders (79), z-Pittsburgh Penguins (78), z-Buffalo Sabres (76), z-Philadelphia Flyers (73), z-Boston Bruins (73)<\/p>\n NHL Western Conference standings 2024-25<\/p>\n (as of games April 10; x-clinched playoff berth; z-eliminated from postseason contention)<\/p>\n Central Division<\/p>\n x-Winnipeg Jets (112)x-Dallas Stars (106)x-Colorado Avalanche (100)<\/p>\n Pacific Division<\/p>\n x-Vegas Golden Knights (105)x-Los Angeles Kings (99)x-Edmonton Oilers (97)<\/p>\n Wild card<\/p>\n Minnesota Wild (93)St. Louis Blues (93)<\/p>\n Sitting outside playoff spot: Calgary Flames (90), z-Vancouver Canucks (87), z-Utah Hockey Club (85), z-Anaheim Ducks (78), z-Seattle Kraken (74), z-Nashville Predators (66), z-Chicago Blackhawks (56), z-San Jose Sharks (51)<\/p>\n NHL playoffs if they started todayNHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket<\/p>\n Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended after games on April 10:<\/p>\n Key: M –\u00a0Metropolitan Division.\u00a0A –\u00a0Atlantic Division.\u00a0WC –\u00a0wild card<\/p>\n Washington (M1) vs. Montreal (WC2)Carolina (M2) vs. New Jersey (M3) This series has been confirmed.Toronto (A1) vs. Ottawa (WC1)Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Florida (A3)<\/p>\n The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth.\u00a0<\/p>\n NHL Western Conference playoff bracket<\/p>\n Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended after games on April 9:<\/p>\n Key: C –\u00a0Central Division\u00a0P –\u00a0Pacific Division.\u00a0WC –\u00a0wild card<\/p>\n Winnipeg (C1) vs. St. Louis (WC2)Dallas (C2) vs. Colorado (C3)Vegas (P1) vs. Minnesota (WC1)Los Angeles (P2) vs. Edmonton (P3)<\/p>\n The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth.<\/p>\n What is the tiebreaker procedure for the NHL playoffs?<\/p>\n