Wild can clinch soon
Minnesota can clinch a Stanley Cup Playoff berth with one more win as the playoff race tightens with three weeks left. (nhl.com) Red Wings and Sabres are also in desperate fights for spots, making the final slate critical. (espn.com)
Minnesota’s clinch bid collapsed Saturday when Boston beat the Wild 6-3 at TD Garden; Pavel Zacha scored twice and Elias Lindholm also had two goals while David Pastrnak extended his point streak to 12 games. (nhl.com) The loss leaves Minnesota at 41-21-12 for 94 points with the regular season still underway and eight games to play according to current standings. (espn.com) The nearest Western wild-card pursuer, the Utah Mammoth, sits at 38-30-6 with 82 points and can still reach a maximum of 98 points if it wins out, so Minnesota is not yet mathematically safe. (espn.com) Minnesota’s immediate slate includes seven April dates through April 13 — vs. Vancouver (Apr. 2), at Ottawa (Apr. 4), at Detroit (Apr. 5), vs. Seattle (Apr. 7), at Dallas (Apr. 9), at Nashville (Apr. 11) and at St. Louis (Apr. 13) — forming the bulk of its final push. (media.d3.nhle.com) Buffalo sits atop the Atlantic with 98 points (45-21-8) and remains a factor in seeding, but Buffalo was edged 5-2 by Detroit on March 27 in a result that tightened the East’s race. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) Detroit followed that win by losing 5-3 to Philadelphia on March 28, leaving the Red Wings at roughly the mid-to-high 80s in points as they enter a final schedule heavy with games against direct competitors. (nhl.com) (espn.com)
