DUCKS, SHARKS ALSO PUNCH TICKETS IN JAM-PACKED PACIFIC DIVISION
The Ducks (42-23-11, 95 points) and Sharks (43-26-7, 93 points) – who clinched by virtue of Edmonton’s win against Los Angeles – also earned victories to keep pace in the crowded Pacific Division:

* Corey Perry and Patrick Eaves each scored within the first 97 seconds of the game and Jonathan Bernier made 34 saves as Anaheim clinched their fifth consecutive playoff berth and 10th in the last 12 seasons. Bernier matched and established career-high win and point streaks, earning his fifth straight victory and 10th consecutive game with a point (9-0-1). Anaheim has posted a 10-2-1 record since returning from their bye week on March 3, including an active eight-game point streak (7-0-1).

* Chris Tierney (2-0—2) tied the game with 2:15 remaining in regulation and Brent Burns scored in overtime as San Jose clinched its 12th playoff berth in the past 13 seasons. Burns, who leads NHL blueliners with 28-45—73 in 2016-17, scored for the first time since Feb. 18 (16 GP) to establish a new single-season franchise record for goals by a defenseman.

RANGERS LOCK IN POSTSEASON SPOT WITH POINT IN SAN JOSE
J.T. Miller (2-0—2) scored twice to help the Rangers (46-26-5, 97 points) erase a 3-1 deficit and earn a point in San Jose, clinching the club’s seventh consecutive postseason appearance and 11th in the past 12 seasons.

OTHER EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF SPOTS REMAINS UNCLEAR
The Maple Leafs (36-24-15, 87 points), Bruins (40-30-6, 86 points) and Hurricanes (34-27-14, 82 points) each earned regulation wins to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

* Auston Matthews opened the scoring and fellow rookie Zach Hyman (1-1—2) scored the game-winning goal to help the Maple Leafs move within four points of the Senators (41-25-9, 91 points) for second place in the Atlantic Division. Matthews established a new Maple Leafs rookie record with his 35th goal of 2016-17 to become just the third rookie in the past 22 seasons to hit the 35-goal mark, joining Alex Ovechkin (52) and Sidney Crosby (39) in 2005-06.

* Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci each scored in the first period and Tuukka Rask made 24 saves as Boston opened a three-point lead over idle Tampa Bay (37-29-9, 83 points) for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The two teams close their season series on April 4 at TD Garden (BOS: 3-1-0; TBL: 1-2-1).

* Justin Faulk (0-2—2) posted his second straight multi-point game as Carolina defeated Detroit in the finale of a back-to-back set to extend their point streak to 12 games (8-0-4) and keep pace in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race. Elias notes that Carolina’s 12-game point streak matches the longest such run in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history, equaling a mark set from Oct. 12 – Nov. 11, 2005 (11-0-1).

OVECHKIN CLIMBS LISTS WITH HAT TRICK, CAPITALS HOLD ON FOR WIN
Alex Ovechkin (3-1—4) registered his 17th career hat trick and T.J. Oshie (2-0—2) scored in overtime as the Capitals survived a late tying goal by the Wild to extend their point streak to seven games (6-0-1).

* The Capitals (50-17-8, 108 points) reached the 50-win mark for the second straight season and fifth time in franchise history to maintain a three-point lead over the Blue Jackets (49-19-7, 105 points) atop the NHL standings.

* Ovechkin (558 G in 914 GP), who scored all three goals via the power play, surpassed Johnny Bucyk (555 G in 1,540 GP) and moved within two of tying Guy Lafleur (560 G in 1,126 GP) for 25th place on the NHL’s all-time goals list.

* Elias notes that Ovechkin became the third player in Capitals history to score at least three power-play goals in a game, joining Chris Valentine (Feb. 27, 1982: 4 PPG) and Mike Ridley (Oct. 11, 1988: 3 PPG). In doing so, Ovechkin (212 PPG) surpassed Gordie Howe (211 PPG in 1,767 GP) and tied Keith Tkachuk (212 PPG in 1,201 GP) for 13th on the NHL’s all-time power-play goals list.

LOOSE PUCKS
Sergei Bobrovsky (41 saves) earned his 41st victory of the season to extend his point streak to 12 games (10-0-2) and help the Blue Jackets (49-19-7, 105 points) keep pace in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy . . . Max Pacioretty (1-1—2) scored the first of four answered goals as the Canadiens (43-24-9, 95 points) opened a four-point lead for first place in the Atlantic Division . . . Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby (26 saves) became the third goaltender in NHL history to record three consecutive 40-win seasons, joining Martin Brodeur (2005-08) and EvgeniNabokov (2007-10) . . . Capitals forward Marcus Johansson (0-4—4) established career highs for assists and points in a game, while Nicklas Backstrom (0-3—3) reached the 60-assist milestone to move within two of the League lead . . . The Red Wings’ run of 25 consecutive postseason appearances officially ended. It is tied for the third-longest such run in NHL history . . . William Nylander extended his point streak to 12 games (4-10—14), equaling the longest such run by any player in 2016-17 . . . ICYMI: The NHL App debuted a new feature with team-branded app icons.

SNEAK PEEK AT WEDNESDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Chicago @ Pittsburgh, 8 p.m., NBCSN, TVAS
Los Angeles @ Calgary, 9 p.m., SN, FS-W
Washington @ Colorado, 10 p.m., ALT, CSN-DC
St. Louis @ Arizona, 10:30 p.m., SN360, FS-A, FS-MW
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PAST TWO STANLEY CUP CHAMPS COLLIDE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT RIVALRY
NBCSN’S Wednesday Night Rivalry features a matchup between the past two Stanley Cup winners as the defending champion Penguins (46-18-11, 103 points) host the Blackhawks (48-21-7, 103 points), who won in 2015, at PPG Paints Arena. The contest also includes two of the NHL’s top four scorers in Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby (42-40—82) – the League’s leading goal scorer – and Chicago’s PatrickKane (34-48—82), who each sit seven points back of Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (27-62—89) in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.

CAPITALS CONTINUE PURSUIT OF SECOND STRAIGHT PRESIDENTS’ TROPHY
The League-leading Capitals (50-17-8, 108 points), winners of six straight, continue their bid for a second consecutive Presidents’ Trophy – and home ice throughout the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs – when they visit the Avalanche (20-52-3, 43 points). Washington leads a group of four teams separated by five points atop the NHL standings (Columbus: 49-19-7, 105 points; Pittsburgh: 46-18-11, 103 points; and Chicago: 48-21-7, 103 points) as they vie for their third-ever first-place finish (also 2009-10 and 2015-16). Only two teams have captured the Presidents’ Trophy at least three times since it was introduced in 1985-86: the Red Wings (6) and Rangers (3).

the above information was provided by the NHL PR department