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NHL playoff picture: Jets' loss opens door for Kings; Bruins, Senators both win

Greg M. Cooper / Reuters

The Winnipeg Jets are in a precarious position after losing to the New York Rangers, leaving the Los Angeles Kings with an opportunity to overtake them in the Western Conference wild card race. In the East, the Boston Bruins all but eliminated the Florida Panthers while the Ottawa Senators kept pace.

Here's how the playoff picture looks after Tuesday's action:

Eastern Conference

Atlantic

Team GP Points
X - Montreal 77 102
X - Tampa Bay 78 101
Detroit 76 93

The Tampa Bay Lightning had an ideal chance to claim the division lead but lost to the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs instead, while the Detroit Red Wings lost to the Ottawa Senators in a shootout.

Metropolitan

Team GP Points
X - N.Y. Rangers 76 103
Pittsburgh 76 95
N.Y. Islanders 77 95

The Rangers are back on top of the Eastern Conference after their victory against the Jets. A loss by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday would put the Rangers within two points of clinching the division.

Wild Card

Team GP Points
Washington 77 94
Boston 77 91
Ottawa 76 88

Boston, Ottawa and the Washington Capitals all won. Washington is only a point away from matching the Penguins and the New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division, while Boston is two points behind Detroit.

Current Matchups

Montreal (A1) vs. Washington (WC1)

Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Detroit (A3)

NY Rangers (M1) vs. Boston (WC2)

Pittsburgh (M2) vs. NY Islanders (M3)

Western Conference

Central

Team GP Points
X - Nashville 78 103
St. Louis 76 99
Chicago 76 98

The Nashville Predators earned a point from their shootout loss against the Vancouver Canucks. The St. Louis Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks are idle until Thursday.

Pacific

Team GP Points
X - Anaheim 78 105
Vancouver 77 95
Calgary 77 91

Vancouver's win prevented the idle Anaheim Ducks from clinching the division for the third straight season.

Wild Card

Team GP Points
Minnesota 76 95
Winnipeg 77 90
Los Angeles 76 88

The Kings play the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday and a victory would move them ahead of the Jets because they have more regulation and overtime victories.

Current Matchups

Nashville (C1) vs. Minnesota (WC1)

St. Louis (C2) vs. Chicago (C3)

Anaheim (P1) vs. Winnipeg (WC2)

Vancouver (P2) vs. Calgary (P3)

Race for Last

Team GP Points
Buffalo 76 50
Arizona 77 54
Edmonton 76 59
Toronto 77 64
Carolina 76 67

The Maple Leafs are five points away from Edmonton after their latest unnecessary win. Toronto faces the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday.

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