ALL 30 NHL TEAMS PLAY ON FINAL SATURDAY OF 2015-16
All 30 NHL teams play on the same day for the first time since last year’s regular-season finale (April 11, 2015).
Of today’s 15 games, eight will have an impact on seeding for the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs:
* Detroit (41-29-11, 93 points) and Boston (42-30-9, 93 points) battle for third place in the Atlantic Division – and potentially the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference – during a pair of concurrent matinees. The Red Wings visit the Rangers (45-27-9, 99 points), who also are looking to improve their playoff positioning, at Madison Square Garden, while the Bruins play host to the Senators (37-35-9, 83 points) at TD Garden.
* Pending the outcome of the earlier Red Wings/Bruins games, the Flyers (39-27-14, 92 points) attempt to wrap up a playoff berth – or at least give themselves the opportunity to do so on Sunday – when they face the rival Penguins (48-25-8, 104 points), winners of eight straight as well as 14 of their past 15, at Wells Fargo Center.
* Dallas (49-23-9, 107 points) and St. Louis (49-23-9, 107 points) try to clinch the Central Division and Western Conference titles during a pair of concurrent games. The Stars play host to the Predators (41-26-14, 96 points) at American Airlines Center, while the Blues welcome the Capitals (55-17-8, 118 points) to Scottrade Center.
* Los Angeles (48-28-5, 101 points) and Anaheim (44-25-11, 99 points) continue to vie for the Pacific Division crown. The Kings face the Jets (34-39-8, 76 points) at STAPLES Center, while the Ducks visit the Avalanche (39-38-4, 82 points) in a matinee at Pepsi Center.
* Pending the outcome of the earlier Rangers game, the Islanders (45-26-9, 99 points) attempt to lock up the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan Division when they play host to the Sabres (34-36-11, 79 points) at Barclays Center.
Kukla's Korner Hockey
NHL Short Notes
FRIDAY’S RESULT
Home Team in Caps
Columbus 4, BUFFALO 1
KORPISALO GUIDES BLUE JACKETS PAST SABRES
Joonas Korpisalo made 34 saves, including 17 in the second period, to lead the Blue Jackets to their third victory in their past four games.
* Korpisalo picked up his 16th win of the season, third among rookies behind Anaheim’sJohn Gibson (20) and Montreal’s Mike Condon (20).
* Brandon Saad reached the 30-goal milestone for the first time in his four NHL seasons (30-21—51). He has scored six times in his last five outings (6-1—7).
MILESTONES & BENCHMARKS
* Three members of the Sabres made their NHL debuts: goaltender Jason Kasdorf (26 SV) and forwards Evan Rodrigues and Cole Schneider. The team last had three (or more) players make their League debuts in the same game on Oct. 8, 1992, whenPhilippe Boucher, Viktor Gordiouk, Yuri Khmylev and Richard Smehlik did so vs. QUE.
* Schneider – a Williamsville, N.Y., native – became the sixth player born in the Buffalo area to play in a regular-season game with the Sabres. The others: Justin Bailey,Marcus Foligno, Patrick Kaleta, Tim Kennedy and Scott Thomas.
LOOSE PUCKS
Eleven of the Blue Jackets’ 18 skaters registered a point . . . Sabres forward Sam Reinhart scored his 23rd goal of the season, tied for third place among rookies (w/ Dylan Larkin) . . . The Blues signed defenseman Joel Edmundson to a two-year contract extension . . . ICYMI: Gary Bettman and Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic rang the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange in advance of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
TODAY’S CLINCHING SCENARIOS
Click here for the various clinching scenarios for today’s games.
PLAYOFF PICTURE COMES INTO FOCUS
Two postseason berths, two division crowns, one conference title, eight playoff positions and all eight First Round matchups remain to be decided entering the final two days of the 2015-16 regular season:
SNEAK PEEK AT SATURDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Ottawa @ Boston, 12:30 p.m., SN1, RDS, NESN+
Detroit @ NY Rangers, 12:30 p.m., FS-D, MSG
Pittsburgh @ Philadelphia, 3:00 p.m., NBC, SN1
Anaheim @ Colorado, 5:30 p.m., SN1, PRIME, FS-SD, ALT
Calgary @ Minnesota, 7:00 p.m., CITY, FS-N
Tampa Bay @ Montreal, 7:00 p.m., SN, TVAS, FS-F
Carolina @ Florida, 7:00 p.m., FS-SE, SUN
Toronto @ New Jersey, 7:00 p.m., CBC, MSG+
Chicago @ Columbus, 7:00 p.m., WGN, FS-O
Buffalo @ NY Islanders, 7:30 p.m., MSG-B, BELL TV, MSG
Washington @ St. Louis, 8:00 p.m., NHLN-US, CSN-DC, FS-MW
Nashville @ Dallas, 8:00 p.m., FS-TN, FS-SW+
Edmonton @ Vancouver, 10:00 p.m., CBC
Winnipeg @ Los Angeles, 10:00 p.m., SN, PRIME
Arizona @ San Jose, 10:30 p.m., FS-A, CSN-CA+
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the above information was provided by the NHL PR department
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