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Race for the playoffs: Two games with major playoff implications tonight

Ryan Clowe, Jon Quick

With the season winding down and the playoff picture sorting itself out, we’ll be taking a look at the night’s games and how they’ll potentially affect the playoff races. This is ProHockeyTalk’s “Race for the Playoffs.”

Eastern Conference

x-1. Philadelphia 103 pts (3 GR)
x-2. Washington - 103 pts (3 GR)
y-3. Boston - 99 pts (4 GR)
x-4. Pittsburgh - 100 pts (3 GR)
x-5. Tampa Bay - 99 pts (3 GR)
6. Montreal - 91 pts (3 GR)
7. Buffalo - 90 pts (3 GR)
8. NY Rangers - 89 pts (3 GR)
9. Carolina - 87 pts (3 GR)
10. Toronto - 84 pts (3 GR)

y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Boston @ NY Rangers - 7:30 p.m. ET

Boston has the Northeast Division under wraps and a top three seed guaranteed. They’ve still got a shot at moving up in the Eastern Conference and earning a better seed than third overall however and that’s their motivation in this game. They’d also love to put a hurting on the Rangers chances of the playoffs. The Rangers are coming off a big shootout win over Philly yesterday afternoon but the Sabres win over Carolina in overtime put the Rangers back in eighth place just two points ahead of the Hurricanes for eighth in the East.

Both teams have something at stake in this game, but for the Rangers it’s a bit more intense with their shot at the postseason hanging on each of their final three games. If the Rangers lose to Boston, they’ll have games at home against Atlanta and New Jersey to try and win to stay in the postseason picture. As it is, fans of Carolina and Toronto are huge Bruins fans on this night.

Western Conference

p - 1. Vancouver - 113 pts (3 GR)
y-2. Detroit - 102 pts (3 GR)
x-3. San Jose - 101 pts (4 GR)
4. Los Angeles - 96 pts (4 GR)
5. Phoenix - 96 pts (3 GR)
6. Nashville - 95 pts (3 GR)
7. Anaheim - 93 pts (3 GR)
8. Chicago - 92 pts (4 GR)
9. Calgary - 91 pts (2 GR)
10. Dallas - 89 pts (4 GR)

p- clinched Presidents’ Trophy
z - clinched conference title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Los Angeles @ San Jose - 10 p.m. ET

For the Kings their task is simple on paper. A win in any form puts the Kings into the playoffs. Earning just a point gets them right on the precipice of the postseason but would require a loss of any kind by Dallas to put them into the postseason. For San Jose, a win regardless of whether it’s in regulation or not wraps up the Pacific Division and a top three seed in the Western Conference playoffs. While the Sharks have the division essentially wrapped up, their battle lies with Detroit for the #2 seed in the conference. A Sharks loss keeps the window open ever so slightly for the Kings or Coyotes to have a shot at the divisional crown. Either way, expect a playoff-like atmosphere between these two teams with so much at stake.

The Sharks roll into this one winners of three in a row while the Kings have won five of their last six. Expect both teams to come into this one on fire and ready to roll.