* The Avalanche and Hurricanes, who have both spent 100% of game days in a playoff position this season, clinched their division titles with wins on Tuesday, with Colorado also securing the No.1 seed in the Western Conference.
* Colorado’s victory locked in a First Round matchup between the Stars and Wild, who will compete for home-ice advantage over the final nine days of the regular season, starting with a head-to-head meeting Thursday.
* Wednesday’s three-game slate includes a doubleheader on NHL on TNT and HBO MAX, beginning with a matchup between the playoff-bound Sabres and Rangers and ending with a battle between two of the NHL’s top point getters when Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks host Connor McDavid and the Oilers.
AVALANCHE, HURRICANES CLINCH TITLES IN WINS
The Avalanche (51-16-10, 112 points) clinched the Central Division and Western Conference title by virtue of defeating the Blues in any fashion shortly after the Hurricanes (50-22-6, 106 points) defeated the Bruins to secure the No. 1 seed in the Metropolitan Division. Colorado and Carolina are the only two teams to have spent 100% of game days in a playoff position this season.
* Valeri Nichushkin (2-0—2) scored twice and Martin Necas (1-0—1) found the back of the net with the winner as the Avalanche defeated the Blues in the second half of a back-to-back against the club. Colorado earned its League-leading 27th road win of 2025-26 – its second-highest single-season total in franchise history behind 2022-23 (29).
* Colorado clinched its 15th division title in franchise history, which trails only Boston (27), Montreal (24), Detroit (19), Chicago (16) and Philadelphia (16) – four of which are Original Six franchises – for the most among all clubs. Overall, the Avalanche have spent 153 game days atop the Central Division – their most since 2000-01 (171) – which includes an active streak of 136 game days (dating to Oct. 31).
* Carolina battled back from multiple deficits before former Hurricanes draft pick Morgan Geekie scored his second career hat trick to help the Bruins overcome a two-goal deficit of their own, setting the stage for Jaccob Slavin’s fourth career overtime winner – the most by a Hurricanes/Whalers defenseman.
* The Hurricanes, who have held first place in the Metropolitan Division for 118 game days in 2025-26, won their division for the eighth time in franchise history and third since Rod Brind’Amour took over as head coach in 2018-19, tied with the Capitals for the most among all Metropolitan teams during that span.
Avalanche’s win confirmed First Round matchup between Stars, Wild
The Avalanche’s win also confirmed that the Stars (46-20-12, 104 points) will play the Wild (45-21-12, 102 points) during the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Dallas and Minnesota will compete for home-ice advantage over the final nine days of the campaign, starting with a pivotal head-to-head to conclude their four-game season series tomorrow (9 p.m. ET on ESPN+, Hulu).
* The Stars and Wild will play their third head-to-head playoff series following six-game wins by Dallas during the 2023 and 2016 First Round. The most recent matchup was capped by Jake Oettinger (Lakeville, Minn.) ousting the Wild in his home state and Wyatt Johnston scoring the first of his three career series-clinching goals (also Game 7 of 2025 R1 & Game 7 of 2023 R2), which are tied with Al MacAdam and Mike Modano for the most in franchise history entering the playoffs.
* Johnston (2-0—2) and Jason Robertson (1-1—2) propelled the Stars to their second multi-goal, third-period comeback win of the season as the latter notched his second career 90-point campaign (46-63—109 in 2022-23). Robertson (41-50—91 in 78 GP), who matched the most 90-point seasons in franchise history, also notched his third career 50-assist campaign to tie Mike Modano (3x) and Mike Ribeiro (3x) for the most in Stars team history.
* Vladimir Tarasenko, who tallied the game-winning goal for the Wild on Tuesday, helped the Blues eliminate the Stars during the 2019 Second Round. He is one of three players on Minnesota’s roster who earned a series win versus Dallas en route to capturing a Stanley Cup (also Zach Bogosian: 2020 SCF & Robby Fabbri: 2019 R2).
SENATORS, BLUE JACKETS, PREDATORS MAKE THEIR CASE FOR A WILD CARD SPOT
The Blue Jackets kept pace with the Senators, who occupy Wild Card 2, as they slightly separated themselves from the rest of the pack in a logjammed Wild Card race in the Eastern Conference that features five teams separated by five points while the Predators moved into the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, which has changed hands 14 times since March 1.
* Zach Werenski (1-1—2) assisted on Adam Fantilli’s tying goal in the final 17 seconds of regulation before potting the shootout-deciding goal to give the Blue Jackets (39-27-12, 90 points) a crucial win over the Red Wings (40-29-9, 89 points), who they were tied with in the standings entering the contest. Werenski’s second point of the night was his 80th of the season – he became the third American defenseman in NHL history to reach the mark in consecutive campaigns, following Phil Housley (2 from 1991-92 – 1992-93) and Brian Leetch (2 from 1990-91 – 1991-92).
* Brady Tkachuk (0-4—4), Tim Stützle (1-2—3), Jake Sanderson (2-0—2) and Drake Batherson (0-2—2) – four of Ottawa’s five players with 50-plus points this season – each found the score sheet multiple times as the Senators (41-27-10, 92 points) scored six times in back-to-back home games for the third time since 2007-08 (3 GP in 2022-23 & 2 GP in 2017-18). Tkachuk (also 1-3—4 on Jan. 14) became the fourth different Senators player in the past decade with multiple four-point games in a single season, following Stützle (2x; most: 3 GP in 2022-23), Batherson (3 GP in 2021-22) and Erik Karlsson (2 GP in 2015-16).
* Filip Forsberg (1-0—1) scored one of his team’s five goals and Justus Annunen turned aside all 43 shots he faced – tied for the second most in a shutout win in franchise history – to help the Predators (37-31-10, 84 points) leapfrog the idle Kings (32-26-19, 83 points) for the final Wild Card position in the West. Nashville is looking to overcome a standings deficit of 11 points to make the postseason for the second time in franchise history (also 2020-21) and is one of several teams that have faced a sizable deficit this season that are still in the chase (also STL: 14, NSH: 11, WPG: 11, OTT: 10, CBJ: 9, WSH: 8) – Buffalo (8) has already clinched.
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FLYERS STRENGTHEN GRIP ON THIRD PLACE IN METROPOLITAN DIVISION
Trevor Zegras (2-1—3) and Tyson Foerster (2-0-2) each scored two goals in the opening five minutes of the first and second period, respectively, and led Philadelphia (40-26-12, 92 points) to its first 40-win season since 2019-20, which was also the last time they made the postseason. The Flyers also created a two-point cushion for third in the Metropolitan Division and moved closer to securing a First Round matchup against the state-rival Penguins.
* Zegras (3:38) scored the second-fastest two goals to begin a game in Flyers history, behind only Brian Propp (1:58 on Feb. 27, 1982), before Foerster tallied twice in 4:58 to begin the middle frame. They marked the third time in franchise history the team scored multiple goals in the opening five minutes in each of the first two periods, following Dec. 30, 1989 and Dec. 23, 1984.
* The Flyers and Penguins would meet in the First Round if the Stanley Cup Playoffs started today. It would mark their eighth all-time postseason meeting and first since the 2018 First Round. That series concluded with a Penguins win in Game 6 that featured the first playoff contest in NHL history with opposing players each posting five or more points (Jake Guentzel: 4-1—5 & Sean Couturier: 3-2—5).
MAMMOTH, CANADIENS BENEFIT FROM TYING GOALS IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The Mammoth scored three tying goals en route to an overtime win, while the Canadiens also benefited from a late equalizer. Notes on both contests and the rest of Tuesday’s 11-game slate can be found in the latest edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates.
* After Alexander Kerfoot knotted the game at 5-5 with Utah’s third tying goal of the contest, Clayton Keller (1-1—2) ended the night with his fourth overtime goal of 2025-26, tied for the second most among all skaters behind Cole Caufield (5). The Mammoth (41-30-6, 88 points) scored three tying goals in a game for the second time in franchise history (also Oct. 10, 2024: 5-4 OT W at NYI) and bolstered their lead as the first Wild Card in the West.
* Nick Suzuki scored the tying goal with 20.1 seconds remaining in regulation and Caufield (0-1—1) collected the shootout winner as the Canadiens (46-22-10, 102 points) improved to 9-1-0 in their last 10 games. Montreal tied Tampa Bay (48-24-6, 102 points) and idle Buffalo (47-23-8, 102 points) for the most points in the Atlantic Division.
QUICK CLICKS
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* Mammoth unveil new Zamboni design: ‘Zammoth’
* Gavin McKenna top-rated pick for NHL Draft ‘by a considerable margin’
* NHL teams, players look to hit right chord with victory song
* Garnet Hathaway named the Flyers’ King Clancy nominee for the second year in a row
RACES ATOP THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC DIVISION HIGHLIGHT TNT DOUBLEHEADER
A three-game Wednesday features an NHL on TNT doubleheader beginning with the playoff-bound Sabres facing the Rangers before the Oilers and Sharks face off in a Pacific Division clash with both teams still looking to clinch a berth into the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Fans in Canada will also have a national broadcast when the Capitals and Maple Leafs battle on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
* After clinching their first postseason berth in 16 years, the Sabres now find themselves in a race for first place in the Atlantic Division as well as the Eastern Conference – the top four teams in the East are separated by just four points. Buffalo has finished first in its conference thrice in franchise history and just one time in the past 45 years (2006-07). Helping their cause has been captain Rasmus Dahlin (18-52—70): After becoming the second Sabres defenseman with multiple 70-point seasons his last time out, he can now also become the franchise’s second blueliner with multiple 20-goal seasons. Phil Housley is the only defenseman to achieve both of those feats.
* Macklin Celebrini (41-66—107 in 76 GP) who is engaged in the Art Ross Trophy race alongside his opponent tonight, aims to lead the Sharks back into the postseason for the first time since 2018-19 and can better their chances with a win against Connor McDavid (44-84—128 in 78 GP) and the Oilers. As San Jose tries to get back into a Wild Card position, Edmonton seeks to separate itself from Anaheim and Vegas atop the Pacific Division. Those three teams are separated by just one point and each have four games left in 2025-26.
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