* All four First Round matchups in the Eastern Conference are now locked in following the Tuesday slate: Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1), Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3), Carolina (M1) vs. Ottawa (WC2) and Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Philadelphia (M3).
* The Mammoth have five 100-point players through their first two NHL seasons. Those five skaters all found the score sheet against the Jets and helped the club secure Wild Card 1 in the West, with a First Round matchup against the Golden Knights or Oilers waiting in the wings.
* The penultimate day of the regular season features a pair of national broadcasts when the Stars and Sabres meet on TNT, while the Maple Leafs and Senators battle on Sportsnet. The six-game slate will be capped with Vegas hosting Seattle and hoping to clinch the first seed in the Pacific Division.
FINAL TWO FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS IN THE EAST LOCKED IN
The Eastern Conference’s final two First Round matchups were set in stone Tuesday night: the Bruins’ victory against the Devils secured a meeting between Boston (WC1) and Buffalo (A1), which also locked in an opening round series between Carolina (M1) – the top seed in the Conference – and Ottawa (WC2).
* David Pastrnak (0-1—1) factored one of his team’s four goals to reach the 100-point mark for the fourth consecutive season – tied with Nikita Kucherov (4 dating to 2022-23), Nathan MacKinnon (4 dating to 2022-23) and Leon Draisaitl (4 from 2021-22 to 2024-25) for the second-longest streak among active players behind Connor McDavid (6 dating to 2020-21). He also tied Kucherov and Draisaitl for the third-longest such run by a player born outside North America, behind only Peter Stastny (6) and Jari Kurri (5).
* The Sabres and Bruins will play their ninth head-to-head playoff series and first since Boston’s six-game win in the 2010 Conference Quarterfinals – the Bruins have a 6-2 record through the eight previous meetings, including victories versus then-Sabres forward Lindy Ruff during the 1988 Division Semifinals, 1983 Division Finals and 1982 Division Semifinals. Buffalo’s wins were in the 1999 Conference Semifinals and 1993 Division Semifinals, the latter of which was capped by Rick Jeanneret’s legendary “May Day! May Day! May Day!” call when Brad May had his overtime clincher to complete the sweep.
* For more #NHLStats about matchups ahead of the First Round, click here and use the drop-down menu to peruse each team.
* Brandon Bussi recorded his 31st career win and helped Carolina (53-22-7, 113 points) finish second in the League standings – tied for its best finish in franchise history (also 2022-23). Only six goaltenders in League history had more wins than Bussi in their first NHL season: Bill Durnan (38 in 1943-44), Ron Hextall (37 in 1986-87), Roman Cechmanek (35 in 2000-01), Steve Mason (33 in 2008-09), Frank Brimsek (33 in 1938-39) and Mike Liut (32 in 1979-80).
* The Hurricanes and Senators will play their first head-to-head playoff series. Carolina has an all-time record of 8-7 in its first series against a franchise, while Ottawa is 7-5.
TOP PRODUCERS HELP MAMMOTH LOCK IN WILD CARD 1 IN WEST
Nick Schmaltz (2-0—2) Logan Cooley (1-1—2), Clayton Keller (0-1—1), Dylan Guenther (0-1—1) and Mikhail Sergachev (0-1—1) are the only five players with 100 or more total points for the Mammoth in the past two seasons and they each found the score sheet as Utah secured the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The Mammoth will either play the Golden Knights or Oilers in the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* The Mammoth enter their first-ever postseason among rare company as one of only three franchises in NHL history to feature five players with 100-plus points through their first two seasons, alongside the Nordiques (6) and Whalers (5).
* Keller collected a secondary helper on a must-see passing play in the third period to reach the 60-assist mark for the second time in as many seasons. He became the 12th American player in NHL history to record consecutive 60-assist campaigns, and the sixth active.
FLYERS YOUTH SPARKS VICTORY ON HOME ICE
Philadelphia’s youth led the way against Montreal, with Matvei Michkov (1-2—3), Porter Martone (1-1—2) and Oliver Bonk (1-1—2) each registering multi-point performances to lift the Flyers to victory in their final game of the regular season. In the process, their regulation win helped the Lightning secure the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Division and home-ice advantage versus the Canadiens.
* Michkov recorded his eighth career three-point game and tied Bill Barber and Mel Bridgman for the fourth most by a Flyers player at age 21 or younger. Michkov (20-31—51) became the eighth Flyers player to start their NHL career with consecutive 20-goal seasons and the first since Simon Gagne (3 from 1999-00 – 2001-02).
* Martone recorded two points and tied Sean Couturier (6 GP in 2011-12), Mike Ricci (6 GP in 1990-91) and Peter Zezel (6 GP in 1984-85) for the second-longest point streak by a Flyers teenager, behind Eric Lindros (7 GP in 1992-93).
* Bonkbecame the first defenseman to score in his NHL debut with the Flyers and just the third with multiple points, following Gord Murphy (0-2—2 in 1988-89) and Behn Wilson (0-2—2 in 1978-79). Bonk is the son of Radek Bonk, who recorded 194-303—497 in 969 NHL games and was in attendance at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
PLAYERS HIT NOTABLE FEATS IN LIVE UPDATES AS SEASON WINDS DOWN
The latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates saw players accomplish notable feats in their final few games of the 2025-26 regular season.
* Martin Necas collected an assist on Nathan MacKinnon’s NHL-leading 53rd goal of the season to reach the 100-point mark for the first time in his career (38-62—100) and help the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche match a franchise record for road wins in a single campaign (29). Necas (Nove Mesto na Morave, CZE) joined his fellow countrymen David Pastrnak (29-71—100) as the second Czech-born player to reach the 100-point milestone in 2025-26 – the first campaign in NHL history to feature multiple 100-point Czech players.
* Jakob Chychrun netted another game winner with his 26th goal of 2025-26 and matched Sergei Gonchar (26 in 2001-02) for the third most in a season by a Capitals defenseman, behind only Kevin Hatcher (34 in 1992-93) and Mike Green (31 in 2008-09).
QUICK CLICKS
* Capitals will ‘support’ Alex Ovechkin as he weighs future
* Alex Ovechkin visits Blue Jackets morning skate before finale
* NHL EDGE stats behind Jonathan Quick‘s elite goaltending career
* Final ABC Hockey Saturday of regular season delivers strong viewership
VEGAS VIES FOR DIVISION TITLE ON PENULTIMATE DAY OF 2025-26 REGULAR SEASON
The second-last day of the 2025-26 regular season opens with the Atlantic Division’s No. 1-seeded Sabres (50-23-8, 108 points) battling the Central Division’s No. 2-seeded Stars (49-20-12, 110 points) in a game nationally broadcast in the U.S. on TNT. Wednesday closes with the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights (38-26-17, 93 points) looking to secure the Pacific Division title when they host the Kraken (34-35-11, 79 points) at T-Mobile Arena. Vegas aims to capture its fifth division title, which would break a tie with Washington, Colorado and Carolina (all w/ 4) for the most since the franchise entered the League in 2017-18.
