NHL PLAYOFF RACE HEATS UP

There is little room for error now.

“Every game feels like a playoff game at this point,” Capitals centre Nic Dowd said after Washington's 4-3 overtime win over Detroit on Tuesday. “The next game's going to feel the exact same way.”

That's the way it is right now in the NHL's Eastern Conference with three teams — Washington, Detroit and Philadelphia — vying for the final two playoff spots and separated by just three points in the standings.

While the top eight qualifying in the West is set, barring an unforeseen collapse by defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas, all eyes are on the East with three weeks left in the regular season.

“It's a lot of fun,” Detroit's Alex DeBrincat said. “As a hockey player, you want to be competitive at this time of year.”

Going into Thursday's games, the Flyers (82 points, nine games left) were third in the Metropolitan Division, the Capitals (81 points, 11 games left) held the second and final wild-card spot and the Red Wings (79 points, 10 games left) were the first team out.

New Jersey (76 points, nine games left) and the New York Islanders (75 points, 11 games left) would need significant help to get in.

Orlando Pride forward Amanda Allen, who has already been capped by the Canadian senior side, is among the 24 players summoned by Canadian under-20 coach Cindy Tye for games against the U.S. and Germany next month.

The internationals are preparing for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Colombia, which runs Aug. 31 to Sept. 22 in Bogota, Cali and Medellin.

The Canadians will face the U.S. on April 7 before taking on Germany on April 9.

NCAA president Charlie Baker on Wednesday urged lawmakers in states with legal wagering on sporting events to ban betting on individual player performances.

“Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity of competition and leading to student-athletes getting harassed,” Baker said.

Prop bets allow gamblers to wager on statistics a player will accumulate during a game.

Ohio, Vermont and Maryland are among the states that have removed prop betting on college athletes.