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Maple Leafs, Hurricanes can clinch playoff spots on Wednesday
As the Stanley Cup Playoffs creep closer, the picture is starting to become clearer. On Wednesday, two more teams can join the fray.
As the Stanley Cup Playoffs creep closer, the picture is starting to become clearer.
On Wednesday, two more teams can join the fray.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes each need just one point to cement their spots in the playoffs.
But they’ll both be in tough to do so.
Toronto remains in a three-way battle to claim the Atlantic Division against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.
The Leafs and Panthers will square off Wednesday (Sportsnet, 7:30 p.m.) in a game that could see Toronto book its playoff berth and move four points up on the Panthers with just seven games to go — or fail to clinch its spot in the post-season while falling back into a tie for the division lead.
Carolina, meanwhile appears locked into second place in the Metropolitan. With 94 points in 73 games, it is a distant 11 points back of the division-leading Washington Capitals but also seven points up (with three games in hand) on third-place New Jersey.
The Hurricanes face the Capitals on Wednesday night, needing just to force overtime to lock up their post-season spot.
Washington is the lone Eastern Conference team already in the playoffs, while the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights are into the dance in the West.
