The NHL playoff field entered Sunday’s games with three open postseason berths, a division title up for grabs and home-ice advantage in one certain and another likely first-round series still undecided.
And none of that was decided.
So what could it take to nail down the final Stanley Cup playoffs bracket?
With the regular season ending on Thursday, NHL playoff races could come down to a tiebreaker to determine the final seedings and the eight first-round series.
Here’s an explanation of the NHL tiebreaker procedures and how they could affect NHL playoff races during the final days of the regular season:
What is the tiebreaker procedure for the NHL playoffs?
If two or more teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:
Regulation wins
Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
Total wins
Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded.
Goal differential
Total goals
How tiebreakers could affect Pacific Division race
The No. 2 Los Angeles Kings and No. 3 Edmonton Oilers are headed toward a fourth consecutive first-round meeting. Edmonton won the previous three series. Los Angeles is 31-5-4 at home this season so it would like to hold on to the second spot and have home-ice advantage.
Los Angeles has a two-point edge and a 41-35 lead in regulation wins. That means Edmonton can’t win the tiebreaker and would have to finish ahead of the Kings in points to get home-ice advantage in the first round. The teams play in Edmonton on Monday.
How tiebreakers could affect Atlantic Division race
The No. 1 Toronto Maple Leafs have a four-point edge on the No. 2 Tampa Bay Lightning, and each has two games left. They’re tied in regulation wins at 40 and the Maple Leafs lead in ROW (48-43) and overall wins (49-45). The Lightning’s only chance for a division title is to win their final two games and the Maple Leafs to lose theirs in regulation. Assuming one Lightning win in that scenario is in regulation, Tampa wins the division.
The Lightning lead the No. 3 Florida Panthers by two points in the standings and have an insurmountable lead in the tiebreakers. The defending champion Panthers can only get the No. 2 seed and home-ice advantage in the first round if it finishes ahead of the Lightning in points. The teams meet Tuesday in Tampa Bay.
How tiebreakers could affect Western Conference wild-card race
The Wild (95), Blues (94) and Flames (92) are in the hunt. Minnesota and St. Louis have one game left and Calgary, with two games left, potentially could pass both teams in points to make the playoffs. All three teams play Tuesday.
If Calgary wins out and Minnesota loses in OT/shootout to be tied at 96, Minnesota would have the edge in regulation wins. St. Louis leads Calgary 31-30 in regulation wins and but has an insurmountable lead in ROW. Calgary’s best bet to make the playoffs is to win out and hope Minnesota loses in regulation or St. Louis loses its finale.
The Blues can’t pass the Wild in regulation wins. St. Louis would have to top Minnesota in points to finish ahead of that team.
How tiebreakers could affect Eastern Conference wild-card race
The Montreal Canadiens (88) and Columbus Blue Jackets (85) are in the running. If Columbus wins its final two games and Montreal loses two in regulation, the Blue Jackets clinch. If Montreal picks up a point and the teams finish with 89 points, it would depend on how Columbus won. The Canadiens currently lead in regulation wins 29-28 and have an insurmountable lead in ROW. The Blue Jackets would need two more regulation wins in that scenario to clinch.
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
