Keeping an Eye on NHL Playoff Races

The already close NHL Western Conference race could really tighten up tonight as the leading Blues and second-place Sharks are both in action.

St. Louis, which leads the conference with 103 points, is on the road for a game with Toronto, while San Jose, which is two points back of the Blues, is at Edmonton. The game with the Blues is big for the Maple Leafs as well as they start the day tied for the final playoff berth in the East with 80 points. The team Toronto is tied with, Detroit, is on the road for a game with Columbus this evening. The Blue Jackets are only two points back of the Wings and Leafs for that final playoff spot.

Pittsburgh has a chance to close in on Boston in the Eastern Conference standings as the Penguins are home to Phoenix and the Bruins are off. Boston tops Pittsburgh by seven points while this evening's opponent, the Coyotes, is eighth in the West with 80 points. Dallas stands just a point back in the race for the final playoff berth in the West and the Stars are in Chicago tonight.

The rest of the games tonight feature the Kings at Washington, Carolina at home to the Islanders, Buffalo at Montreal, the Panthers hosting the Senators and Colorado at Nashville.