Maple Leafs edge Penguins to clinch playoff spot
Connor Brown broke a tie with 2:48 left and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 on Saturday night to wrap up their first playoff spot since 2013.
James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, Kasperi Kapanen and Auston Matthews also scored for Toronto, and Curtis McElhinney stepped in for an injured Frederik Andersen with 12 saves.
Toronto will play the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the playoffs if the Maple Leafs pick up at least a point in their season finale against the Blue Jackets on Sunday. CAPITALS 3, BRUINS 1: Kevin Shattenkirk scored the go-ahead goal 56 seconds after the Bruins tied it in the second period, and NHL-leading Washington sent Boston to a season-ending loss that set up a potential first-round playoff matchup between the teams. Marcus Johansson and Justin Williams also scored to help Washington win for the 10th time in 11 games.
SENATORS 3, RANGERS 1: Ottawa beat New York to wrap up second place in the Atlantic Division and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. ISLANDERS 4, DEVILS 2: Jaroslav Halak made 37 saves, Anders Lee scored twice and the New York Islanders kept their playoff hopes alive with a victory over the New Jersey Devils. JETS 2, PREDATORS 1: Blake Wheeler scored a short-handed goal with 45 seconds left in regulation to lift the Winnipeg Jets to their franchise-record seventh straight victory with a win over the Nashville Predators.
KINGS 3, BLACKHAWKS 2, OT: Drew Doughty scored 27 seconds into overtime, leading the Los Angeles Kings to a victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
STARS 4, AVALANCHE 3, SO: Tyler Seguin scored the only goal in the shootout, and the Dallas Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche.
CANADIENS 3, RED WINGS 2, OT: Alex Galchenyuk scored 1:42 into overtime, giving the Montreal Canadiens a victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
PANTHERS 3, SABRES 0: Jonathan Huberdeau scored twice and James Reimer made saves to help Florida beat the Buffalo Sabres in the Panthers’ home finale.
BLUES 5, HURRICANES 4, SO: Vladimir Tarasenko scored in the fourth round of the shootout, and the St. Louis Blues beat the Carolina Hurricanes.
Hurricanes’ Bickell, fighting MS, to retire: Carolina Hurricanes forward Bryan Bickell says he’s retiring after the season as he fights multiple sclerosis. Bickell told NHL.com before Saturday night’s game against St. Louis that he and his family decided these final two games would be his last. Carolina wraps up the season today at Philadelphia.