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The homestretch of the 2023-24 NHL season is here. Eleven tickets to the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs dance have been printed, and five remain.
Much will be gained and lost by the end of the 11-game slate on Super Saturday. Here are the key matchups to watch:
Editor’s Picks
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Tampa Bay Lightning at Pittsburgh Penguins (1 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+): The Lightning have used a springtime surge to pull within two points of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the Atlantic Division’s No. 3 seed, and a win here obviously helps them in that quest. As for the Penguins, a 6-2-2 run in their past 10 games has them back in the mix for the second wild-card spot in the East — and potentially even the No. 3 spot in the Metro Division.
Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+): No. 9 on Greg Wyshynski’s ranking of current NHL rivalries, this matchup pits the top two teams in the Atlantic in a “four-point game” — the Bruins can open up a six-point lead with a win in regulation; the Panthers pull within two with a regulation W for themselves.
Winnipeg Jets at Minnesota Wild (4 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+): While the Jets have clinched their playoff berth, the Wild remain mathematically alive heading into this game. That mathematical possibility would be razor-thin following a Wild loss here.
Philadelphia Flyers at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+): Regardless of the results of the final several games, the Flyers will finish ahead of where many predicted. But that won’t ease the sting if they fall completely out of the playoffs. Getting the full two points against a basement-dwelling club like the Blue Jackets is vital.
Nashville Predators at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+): Following an 18-game points streak, the Preds looked a bit wobbly in three straight losses before pulling off a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday; did they peak too soon? Meanwhile, the Isles are making a strong final push to earn the…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/39879039/nhl-playoffs-bracket-standings-2024-super-saturday-matchups
Author : ESPN staff
Publish date : 2024-04-06 13:06:07
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