Lightning set up for sprint to finish in Eastern Conference Playoff Race

Four teams including the Tampa Bay Lightning sit atop the NHL Eastern Conference with at least 100 points

Apr 6, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing Jason Zucker (17) watches as Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a save during the second period at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images / Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

With just over a week left in the 2025-26 NHL season, the Eastern Conference playoff contenders are scrambling for position. Buffalo is now tied with Tampa Bay on top of the Atlantic Division with 102 points after a 4-2 win versus the Lightning on Monday. Tampa Bay currently holds the tiebreaker with Buffalo due to one additional win. The Lightning and Sabres have played two straight physical and contentious games and are developing a strong disdain for one another to put it mildly.

No team in the East that currently owns a playoff spot has more than a two game winning streak, and every game this week seems to have playoff implications. Tuesday gives us a massive 11 game slate with several key matchups in the East. Tampa Bay visits Ottawa on the second night of a back-to-back. Ottawa is coming off a 6-3 win against top-seeded Carolina on Sunday night, and the Senators currently own the second wild card spot.

Boston has lost three straight and it won't get any easier as they travel south to Carolina Tuesday. The Bruins are clinging to the top wild card slot and visit a Hurricanes squad that is 28-10-2 on home ice. This will be the third and final meeting between the two in the regular season, with the teams splitting the first two head-to-head contests.

The hottest team in hockey could be the Montreal Canadiens, who had won eight straight games prior to being shut out 3-0 by the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night. Montreal has reached the 100-point mark for the first time since the 2016-17 season, and looks to start another win streak Tuesday as they host the Florida Panthers. Montreal has three games remaining on their final regular season home stand and face a Florida team eliminated from the NHL playoffs for the first time in seven years.

Cole Caufield is seeking to become only the seventh player in the illustrious history of the Montreal Canadiens to hit the 50-goal mark, with the last player to do so being Stephane Richer (51) in the 1989-90 season. The 25 year-old right wing actually has scored more goals on the road (26) then at the Bell Centre (23).

It hasn't been sunny in Philadelphia during the NHL playoffs recently as the Flyers have been merely a spectator over the last five seasons, . Philly is clinging to a invite to the dance but need a win Tuesday as they travel up I-95 to visit the New Jersey Devils. The Flyers have been given a shot in the arm with the late season addition of 19 year-old rookie Porter Martone. In his first four professional games, Martone has a goal and two assists. The teams met twice in November and split their matchups, this will be their final meeting of the season.