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The Stanley Cup playoff picture came into sharp focus Wednesday night as the Montreal Canadiens grabbed the final postseason spot and the Winnipeg Jets clinched the Presidents’ Trophy. Elsewhere, playoff-bound teams like the Carolina Hurricanes and Dallas Stars showed signs of concern, while eliminated teams ended their seasons on high notes.
Let’s break down the key performances and playoff implications across the NHL.
Canadiens 4, Hurricanes 2: Guhle’s Double Seals Playoff Berth
Kaiden Guhle scored twice and Nick Suzuki added a goal and an assist as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2, officially locking up the second Eastern Conference wild card spot.
Goaltender Sam Montembeault stopped 27 shots, and Jake Evans added an empty-netter to seal the win. The Canadiens will face the Washington Capitals in the opening round.
Carolina, who rested several starters, continued their late-season slump, falling to 1-5-1 in their past seven. Taylor Hall and Tyson Jost scored, while Pyotr Kochetkov made 17 saves.
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Jets 2, Ducks 1 (OT): Scheifele Lifts Winnipeg in Finale
The Winnipeg Jets, already crowned Presidents’ Trophy winners, wrapped up the regular season with an overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks thanks to Mark Scheifele’s one-timer at 1:11 of the extra frame.
Neal Pionk also scored for Winnipeg, and Connor Hellebuyck was sharp with 30 saves.
Troy Terry scored for Anaheim, which dropped its fourth straight to close the season. Ville Husso kept them in it with 42 saves, but Winnipeg proved too strong down the stretch.
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Predators 5, Stars 1: Nashville Ends Strong, Dallas Reeling
Ryan O’Reilly tallied a goal and two assists to help the Nashville Predators crush the playoff-bound but slumping Dallas Stars, who’ve now lost seven in a row.
Juuse Saros stopped 29 shots, and Nashville also got goals from Jordan Oesterle, Jakub Vrana, Jonathan Marchessault, and Justin Barron.
Dallas scored just once through Mason Marchment, assisted by Tyler Seguin, who returned from a 58-game injury absence. However, star forward Jason Robertson left with a lower-body injury—another blow to a team spiraling into the playoffs.
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Red Wings 5, Devils 2: Detroit Plays Spoiler
Despite missing the postseason for the ninth consecutive year, the Detroit Red Wings ended their season with a third straight win—this time over the playoff-bound New Jersey Devils.
Goals from Jonatan Berggren, J.T. Compher, Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat, and Marco Kasper powered Detroit to a statement win. Alex Lyon stopped 28 shots.
The Devils tried to mount a third-period comeback with goals from Erik Haula and Dawson Mercer, but it wasn’t enough. New Jersey has now lost four of their last five as they prep for a tough first-round series against Carolina.
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What’s Next?
With the regular season nearly complete, here’s a look at the upcoming playoff dynamics:
- Montreal vs. Washington: Can Guhle and Suzuki keep up the magic?
- Winnipeg’s Cup Path: Presidents’ Trophy winners haven’t had the best luck in recent years—will the Jets change that?
- Dallas’ Woes: Will they snap their losing streak or get bounced early?
- Carolina Concerns: Resting players or red flags ahead of the playoffs?
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