NHL’s playoff stretch drive: Boston Bruins win division; can they set record?
The New Jersey Devils are in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, and the red-hot Boston Bruins have clinched their first division title in three years.
The Devils had already clinched a playoff berth before their game began Saturday when the Florida Panthers lost, then they put an exclamation point on the moment by beating the Ottawa Senators 5-3. Jack Hughes scored his 40th goal of the season, Dougie Hamilton broke a third-period tie and goalie MacKenzie Blackwood, who had been injured, won in his first start since Feb. 19.
Plenty of questions remain with the end of the regular season rapidly approaching.
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Can the Bruins and Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid keep up their impressive paces to reach special territory? Who will win the races in the Metropolitan, Central and Pacific divisions? How about the wild-card races? And which team will have the best odds to win the May 8 draft lottery and get the chance to draft generational talent Connor Bedard?
USA TODAY Sports analyzes the NHL’s stretch drive, with the regular season ending April 14 (story is updated through March 25):
Will the Boston Bruins break the NHL wins record?
The NHL record is 62 by the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings and 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bruins have won six in a row since a stretch of three losses in four games. Boston, which was fastest to 50 wins and to 100 points and the first this season to clinch a playoff berth and division title, needs seven wins in its final 10 games to break the record. It plays five games at home, where it is 30-3-3. The Bruins have a combined 15-3 record against their final 10 opponents. Shutdown defenseman Derek Forbort could miss the rest of the regular season with an injury and winger A.J. Greer is eligible to return next game after serving a one-game suspension for cross-checking Montreal’s Mike Hoffman.
60 goals, reached Wednesday night, are 16 more than his previous career best. But getting the NHL’s first 70-goal season since the 1990s might be tough. He was limited to an assist Saturday by the Vegas Golden Knights. He needs 10 goals in his final nine games, but five of those games are against the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks and Arizona Coyotes, who have been eliminated from playoff contention. major trade deadline upgrades, also won and remain six points back. The Hurricanes have two games in hand and faces neither of those teams down the stretch. The Rangers will face the Devils on March 30.injured leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov, for the last eight games. Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen’s 12-game point streak ended on Saturday. The banged-up Avalanche got defenseman Cale Makar back Friday (one goal, two assists) from a two-game injury absence. The defending Stanley Cup champion Avalanche play the Wild on March 29 and the Stars on April 1.
Who wins the Pacific Division?
The Golden Knights lead the Los Angeles Kings by four points, with the Oilers another three points back. The Golden Knights had bad luck when goalie Logan Thompson reinjured himself on Thursday, but netminder Laurent Brossoit beat the Oilers in his return from injury on Saturday. The Golden Knights and Kings play on April 6 (will Jonathan Quick face his former team?), and the Oilers play Vegas one more time and Los Angeles twice. The Kings extended their point streak to 11 games Saturday, even though leading scorer Kevin Fiala missed his sixth game with a lower-body injury. He has resumed practicing in a non-contact jersey. Kings forward Blake Lizotte could miss time after being assessing a match penalty for cross-checking Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey in the face.