Wednesday's NHL playoff clinching scenarios
The Anaheim Ducks can clinch the Pacific Division title by getting a point against the Edmonton Oilers.
If the Ducks' pending title sounds like a broken record, that's because they had a chance the past two days to clinch while idle. However, the Vancouver Canucks won two in a row, and the Ducks can take matters into their own hands.
They are 3-0 this season against the Oilers, but 28th-place Edmonton has played better of late. Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have a combined 25 points over their last 10 games.
Goalie Richard Bachman has won the last two games, but he left the team because of a death in the family.
Also today:
-The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers will have to play spoiler because they've been eliminated from the playoffs. At stake, though, is the NHL scoring race. Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby leads with 79 points and Jakub Voracek is fourth with 76 points. Considering these teams' dislike of each other, you can bet the Flyers would be happy if Voracek beat out Crosby.
The Penguins can move into sole possession of second in the Metropolitan Division by getting a point. They'd also like to break the tie with the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals in regulation-overtime wins.
-In the McEichel sweepstakes, the last-place Buffalo Sabres host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto has won two in a row. Many Maple Leafs fans go to games in Buffalo, so tank-happy Sabres fans will have company cheering Toronto goals. Coach Ted Nolan hopes otherwise against the rival Leafs.
PHOTOS: Notable injuries around the NHL
