Stanley Cup Playoffs Taking Shape

The Stanley Cup won't be handed out until June, but this is the time when we see teams making runs at the playoffs. And you can't win the Cup if you don't make the playoffs. Race for the Cup is your daily check of where your favorite team stands as the season dwindles.

With one day left in the NHL season, we've decided five matchups for the first round of the playoffs. In the East, Boston will play Montreal, Washington gets the Rangers, New Jersey draws Carolina, and Philadelphia will battle Pittsburgh (home ice for this matchup is still up for grabs). Out West, only the Calgary-Chicago matchup has been determined. The rest will be decided on Sunday.

In the East

Eastern Conference, 4/11
1.	z-Boston Bruins	114 pts
2.	y-Washington Capitals	108
3.	y-New Jersey Devils	104
4.	x-Philadelphia Flyers	97
5.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	97
6.	x-Pittsburgh Penguins	97
7.	x-New York Rangers	93
8.	x-Montreal Canadiens	93

Eastern Conference, 4/12
1.	z-Boston Bruins	114 pts
2.	y-Washington Capitals	108
3.	y-New Jersey Devils	106
4.	x-Philadelphia Flyers	99
5.	x-Pittsburgh Penguins	99
6.	x-Carolina Hurricanes	97
7.	x-New York Rangers	93
8.	x-Montreal Canadiens	93

With the results from Saturday, six of eight spots are locked down.

New Jersey beat Carolina 3-2, and Philadelphia won on Long Island by the same score. Pittsburgh's 3-1 win over Montreal then locked the Canadiens into eighth, no matter what happens with the Rangers Sunday. It also meant Pittsburgh could finish no lower than fifth, and can still get as high as fourth.

In the West

Western Conference, 4/11
1.	z-San Jose Sharks	117 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	112
3.	x-Vancouver Canucks	98
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	100
5.	x-Calgary Flames	96
6.	x-Columbus Blue Jackets	92
7.	x-Anaheim Ducks	90
8.	x-St. Louis Blues	90

Western Conference, 4/12
1.	z-San Jose Sharks	117 pts
2.	y-Detroit Red Wings	112
3.	y-Vancouver Canucks	100
4.	x-Chicago Blackhawks	102
5.	x-Calgary Flames	98
6.	x-Columbus Blue Jackets	92
7.	x-Anaheim Ducks	91
8.	x-St. Louis Blues	90

San Jose clinched the President's Trophy with Boston's loss, so their game with the Kings (a loss) was meaningless. Vancouver secured the Northwest Division title when their game at Colorado went into overtime, but they got the 1-0 win 40 seconds into the extra session.

Columbus lost to Minnesota 6-3, ruining a chance to clinch the sixth seed on their own. Instead, they got help when Anaheim lost to Phoenix in a shootout.

Calgary beat Edmonton, 4-1, though the game had no impact on their place in the standings, win or lose.

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What's Next

Two games to watch on Sunday. Philadelphia hosts the Rangers, needing a point to secure the fourth seed in the East. If New York wins in regulation, the Flyers will be seeded fifth, and Pittsburgh will be fourth.

In the West, St. Louis travels to Colorado. The Blues need a win to secure the sixth spot in the West, otherwise they will stay in eighth.

x - Clinched Playoff Spot, y - Division Champ, z - Conference Champ; green - Rise in the Standings, red - Fall. The top three teams in each conference are division leaders.