With a combination of results on Tuesday, the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues clinched the two wild-card spots in the Western Conference, eliminating the Calgary Flames from postseason contention.

On the other side of the continent, the Columbus Blue Jackets won in regulation against the Philadelphia Flyers, keeping their slim chances intact. Will Wednesday see the clinching of team No. 16 in the playoff field, or will Thursday's games be the determinant?

Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens
7 p.m. (ESPN+)

This is the most important game of the night by a considerable margin. With a win of any variety, or a loss in overtime/shootout, the Canadiens clinch the second Eastern wild-card spot. The only thing that keeps the Blue Jackets' hopes intact is a regulation loss for Montreal. It's unclear what type of roster the Habs will face from the Canes, as the latter have been locked into the No. 2 in the Metro for a while now.

Anaheim Ducks at Winnipeg Jets
7 p.m. (ESPN+)

The Ducks will finish no lower than ninth in the draft lottery order -- they enter this game with 79 points, and the teams lower than them have 82 or more. But a loss here followed by wins Thursday by the Penguins and Sabres could get them as high as seventh. The Jets recently locked up the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top regular-season team (and No. 1 seed for as long as they last in the playoffs).

Detroit Red Wings at New Jersey Devils
7:30 p.m. (TNT)

The Wings are currently 12th in the draft lottery order, with 83 points and 29 regulation wins, and can move up as high as 10th (if the Islanders win Thursday, and they lose their next two games). Like the Hurricanes, the Devils have been locked in to their playoff position for a while now, and it is Carolina against whom they match up in Round 1.

Dallas Stars at Nashville Predators
8 p.m. (ESPN+)

Two teams at opposite ends of the Central Division, and neither can make a move based on the results of this game; the Stars will open the playoffs in the No. 2 spot in the Central against the No. 3-seeded Colorado Avalanche, while the Predators are locked in to the No. 3 position in the draft lottery order.

Vegas Golden Knights at Vancouver Canucks
10 p.m. (TNT)

And here are a pair of Pacific Division teams whose results tonight will not change the standings. The Golden Knights clinched the No. 1 seed in the Pacific Division recently, and the Canucks are locked in as the No. 15 team in the draft lottery order.

Edmonton Oilers at San Jose Sharks
10:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

... and here's another pair of Pacific teams that are already locked in as well. San Jose has been in the No. 1 spot in the draft lottery order for quite some time, a position they clinched recently. Meanwhile, the Oilers will be the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division bracket, taking on the No. 2-seeded Los Angeles Kings in Round 1.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today's schedule
Yesterday's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Florida Panthers
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Wednesday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m.
Anaheim Ducks at Winnipeg Jets, 7 p.m.
Detroit Red Wings at New Jersey Devils, 7:30 p.m. (TNT)
Dallas Stars at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m.
Vegas Golden Knights at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m. (TNT)
Edmonton Oilers at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday's scoreboard

New Jersey Devils 5, Boston Bruins 4 (OT)
Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Buffalo Sabres 0
Chicago Blackhawks 4, Ottawa Senators 3 (OT)
Columbus Blue Jackets 3, Philadelphia Flyers 0
Tampa Bay Lightning 5, Florida Panthers 1
Washington Capitals 3, New York Islanders 1
St. Louis Blues 6, Utah Hockey Club 1
Minnesota Wild 3, Anaheim Ducks 2 (OT)
Calgary Flames 5, Vegas Golden Knights 4 (SO)
Los Angeles Kings 6, Seattle Kraken 5

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

y - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 106
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 1
Points pace: 107.3
Next game: vs. DET (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 103.3
Next game: @ NYR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Florida Panthers

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 0
Points pace: 98
Next game: N/A
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Ottawa Senators

Points: 95
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 1
Points pace: 96.2
Next game: vs. CAR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 90.1
Next game: vs. CAR (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 89.6%
Tragic number: N/A

e - Detroit Red Wings

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 85.1
Next game: @ NJ (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Buffalo Sabres

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 78.0
Next game: vs. PHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Boston Bruins

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 76
Next game: N/A
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Metro Division

z - Washington Capitals

Points: 111
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 1
Points pace: 112.4
Next game: @ PIT (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 99
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 2
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: @ MTL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - New Jersey Devils

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 1
Points pace: 92.1
Next game: vs. DET (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 88.1
Next game: vs. NYI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 10.4%
Tragic number: 1

e - New York Rangers

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 84.0
Next game: vs. TB (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - New York Islanders

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 83.0
Next game: @ CBJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 79.0
Next game: vs. WSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 77.0
Next game: @ BUF (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Central Division

p - Winnipeg Jets

Points: 114
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 1
Points pace: 115.4
Next game: vs. ANA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Dallas Stars

Points: 106
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 107.3
Next game: @ NSH (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 0
Points pace: 102
Next game: N/A
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Minnesota Wild

Points: 97
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 0
Points pace: 97
Next game: N/A
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - St. Louis Blues

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 0
Points pace: 96
Next game: N/A
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

e - Utah Hockey Club

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 89
Next game: N/A
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Nashville Predators

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 66.8
Next game: vs. DAL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 61
Next game: N/A
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

y - Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 108
Regulation wins: 45
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 1
Points pace: 109.3
Next game: @ VAN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Los Angeles Kings

Points: 105
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 1
Points pace: 106.3
Next game: vs. CGY (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Edmonton Oilers

Points: 99
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 100.2
Next game: @ SJ (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

e - Calgary Flames

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 95.2
Next game: LA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Vancouver Canucks

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: vs. VGK (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 80.0
Next game: @ WPG (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 0
Points pace: 76
Next game: N/A
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 52
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 52.6
Next game: vs. EDM (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: A "p" means that the team has clinched the Presidents' Trophy as the top team in the regular season. A "z" means that the team has clinched the top record in the conference. A "y" means that the team has clinched the division title. An "x" means that the team has clinched a playoff berth. An "e" means that the team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the No. 1 pick. More details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL's Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.

1. San Jose Sharks

Points: 52
Regulation wins: 14

2. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 61
Regulation wins: 20

3. Nashville Predators

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 23

4. Boston Bruins

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 26

5. Seattle Kraken

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 28

6. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 21

7. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 28

8. Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 23

9. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 79
Regulation wins: 24

10. New York Islanders

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 28

11. New York Rangers

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 34

12. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 29

13. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 29

14. Utah Hockey Club

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30

15. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 28

16. Calgary Flames

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 30

Eugene Melnyk believed in the Ottawa Senators -- bullishly, unabashedly and with trademark bravado.

It's what made the Senators' late owner such a lightning rod around the league. And his stance was firm until he passed away that Ottawa would rise again to be a playoff contender.

"I truly believe that we are a Stanley Cup winner within four years," Melnyk said in 2020. "It can happen any time, but within four years."

The declaration was bold, and totally befitting Melnyk's persona. At the time, Ottawa hadn't reached the postseason since falling in Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference finals. The Senators went from being one goal away from a Stanley Cup Final to racking up one losing season after another.

Melnyk backed up his audacious words with a reported 112-page plan devised with then-general manager Pierre Dorion on how Ottawa would clear the high bar Melnyk had newly set. They were prepared to spend right to the salary cap in pursuit of his vision.

What else was written in that document may never be known publicly. What is obvious is that Ottawa failed rather spectacularly in living up to Melnyk's expectations.

For seven long years the Senators struggled. There were definitive highs and sweeping lows. And now, at last, a breakthrough.

The Ottawa Senators are officially playoff contenders again, staking their claim on Sunday to the Eastern Conference's first wild-card slot.

It wasn't the prettiest of landings; Ottawa actually punched their ticket after a dreadful 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. But because the Montreal Canadiens beat the Detroit Red Wings that same night, the Senators clinched anyway.

They don't ask how, right?

But seriously. How did the Senators do it, exactly? That's a long story. But there are at minimum a few key elements that pushed Ottawa over the top -- and brought them one critical pace closer to possibly making good on Melnyk's prediction of a championship-caliber future.

"It's a good first step for this group," GM Steve Staios said of reaching the postseason. "I'm really excited for our players. From day one when they came into training camp you could see that there was this motivation."

THE SENATORS DIDN'T get back to the playoffs before Melnyk passed in 2022. Dorion -- who came on board with the Senators right before that magical run to the conference finals -- failed to guide Ottawa back into the postseason before he was fired in 2023.

The freefall Ottawa took from Eastern Conference darlings to basement dwellers was baffling. The Senators finished the 2017-18 season in 30th place to signal the start of a surprisingly swift rebuild. Top defenseman Erik Karlsson was traded to San Jose in September 2018, before the start of a miserable season which ultimately pushed away Matt Duchene, Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel -- all three veterans were traded by the 2019 deadline. The Senators were in last place by March 2019 and head coach Guy Boucher was axed. Ottawa was desperate for change.

DJ Smith took over Ottawa's bench for the 2019-20 season and attempted to turn the youthful Senators around -- Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris and Drake Batherson were already in the lineup then, and by 2020 Ottawa had drafted first-rounders Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson.

Dorion upped the ante in 2022 in an effort to end the rebuild, trading for Alex DeBrincat (then a pending restricted free agent) and Cam Talbot, and signing free agent Claude Giroux to bolster the Senators' chances. Ottawa missed the playoff that next season by six points.

DeBrincat, though, had seen enough. He told the Senators he wasn't open to signing a long-term deal, so Dorion traded him to Detroit. Talbot wasn't retained, either. Suddenly the Senators were in the swing of significant turnover from seemingly every corner -- following Melynk's death in 2022, the franchise was sold in June 2023 to businessman Michael Andlauer. A new era -- at least in that respect -- had begun. But it was a bumpy beginning.

Near the start of the 2023-24 season, Ottawa was reprimanded by the league and docked a first-round draft pick for their invalidated 2021 trade involving Evgenii Dadonov and the Anaheim Ducks. That punishment cost Dorion his job in November 2023; Staios, who was Ottawa's president of hockey operations at the time, took on GM duties, too.

The Senators' on-ice performance was reprehensible amid the background drama. Their woeful 11-15 record put Smith out by December, to be replaced by former coach and team advisor Jacques Martin. Despite Ottawa's depth of young talents, the Senators slumped again to finish seventh in the Atlantic.

There were three key philosophical shifts thereafter that led them from the basement to the postseason, with the long-term belief that this is just the beginning of a new era of contention.

Ottawa trusted the process

Stutzle didn't hold back after the Senators clinched their postseason berth. In fact, he probably spoke aloud what most of his teammates were thinking.

"We've been through some s--- here," Stutzle said, directly following that loss to Columbus. "Some tough years. I'm just really proud of the guys, how we're all hanging in here. I don't think there's a team who deserves it more than us. I think we worked really hard this year."

Ottawa's current success wouldn't have come about -- or feel nearly so good -- if it weren't for a challenging recent history.

When Thomas Chabot debuted in 2016-17 with the Senators, they had missed the playoffs only four times since 1996-97. The young blueliner thought he would see plenty of postseason action in the NHL. Instead, it would take over 500 career games before Chabot was assured his first crack at Game 83.

"You're not going to see me smile a whole lot after a loss," Chabot joked when the Senators secured their spot, "but, man, it feels great."

Tkachuk can relate. The Senators captain has more than 500 pro games under his belt and over 400 career points. He's tried willing Ottawa to the postseason in prior seasons, and they've come up frustratingly short. Tkachuk's commitment to the Senators was never in doubt though -- something he doubled down on when trade rumors began circulating earlier this season.

The Senators were still clawing their way up the standings in early February when Tkachuk found himself linked by media reports to the New York Rangers.

Andlauer was furious, and even wanted the Rangers investigated for soft tampering with Ottawa's top forward. Tkachuk let his play do the talking as he continued to lead the Senators up front. The whole situation though was an unneeded distraction for the Senators, and directly opposed to an internal strategy focused entirely on leveraging its young core towards that elusive playoff return.

But those rising stars couldn't get there alone. It's veterans like Giroux and David Perron who have supported the club's maturation with critical leadership. Giroux has been in the fold since signing as a free agent in 2022, proving he hadn't lost a step by pumping in 35 goals and 79 points the following season. The 35-year-old has continued to play a considerable role in Ottawa's offense, and keeps the group even-keeled when inevitable roadblocks crop up.

"Some games maybe we weren't at our best. But we've been finding ways," Giroux said. "When you're not playing your best and you're finding ways to win, that's a good sign. You can just tell that everybody wants to play the right way. It's fun to play that way."

Giroux can also lean on past playoff experience -- although he hasn't had much of it in the last decade. Since the 2012-13 season in Philadelphia, Giroux has been to the postseason just five times, most recently as part of Florida's 2021-22 campaign. And he's never won a Stanley Cup.

Perron has, with St. Louis in 2019, along with a Cup Final run with Vegas the year prior. He knows what it takes to scale that mountain. And while it's hard to predict the Senators will be making it all the way there this year, an initial stride towards that loftiest of goals is a crucial stage of Ottawa's development.

"I've won [before], but I see other guys like Claude, and so many other guys [who haven't]," Perron said. "You want to do it for them. You want them to experience a run, you want to give that experience to the younger players."

Ottawa slowly, surely put themselves in position to do it now. The lean years toughened up the team's top skaters. They won't take this opportunity for granted. But they will want to expect that it becomes an annual event.

Ottawa found the right coach

The Senators needed a new voice to go along with their new owner and general manager. Travis Green -- hired in May 2024 -- was their guy.

It didn't take long for Green to recognize Ottawa was ready to put its losing ways on the shelf.

"From day one, they were open-minded, and open to wanting to win badly," Green said. "They're open to coaching, and it's the whole team. That's not always the case."

Green's prior resume included just one other full-time head coaching role -- with the Vancouver Canucks from 2017 to 2021 -- and an interim head job closing out the New Jersey Devils' 2023-24 season.

He was referencing the Senators' coachability after the club endured its most trying stretch of the season -- a 5-8-1 run through November that could have torpedoed all hopes of playoff-level traction.

"[That] was a big part of our season," Green said. "It's one thing to say you're open to coaching. It's another thing to do it. Being able to have an honest conversation and players be open to hearing things they do not necessarily want to hear. But there are certain parts of every player's game where they must be a little better. [Then they have to] agree with it, and then try to do it."

In return, Green has earned praise from Ottawa's front office for the way he's steering the ship.

"The vision that Travis had, and how he's been able to coach this group and turn it from where we were last year to be able to play the type of hockey to give ourselves a chance to make the playoffs [is huge]," Staios said.

It was how Green shifted Ottawa's mindset -- and installed a winning structure -- that brought the organization's playoff vision to life. Staios knew Green was capable of setting the Senators on a path towards winning hockey games. But lots of coaches can draw up the X's and O's. What has made Green special is how players received his messaging and actually implemented it -- which is ultimately turning the tide for Ottawa.

"I know how badly they want to win," Green said. "You don't always get into the playoffs, but being on the side of our room, I truly felt like this group was willing to do whatever it took to take the next step. Now we've gotten there."

Ottawa fixed its defense, and got the right goaltending

This was the Senators' pièce de résistance: a full-scale buy-in to the defensive side of their game.

Ottawa had to lock in at both ends of the ice if they were ever going to see the playoffs. Green provided a blueprint. The players went to work seeing it through.

"I've learned a lot from [Green], especially [with] the defensive side of things," Tkachuk said. "It's easy to see now when he shows the mistakes that we've made and how we can correct them."

Again, it goes back to Ottawa's patience. Because the Senators didn't start this season as defensive stalwarts. Ottawa opened the season with an 11-12-2 record, sitting 26th overall and eighth in goals against per game (3.20).

Emotions ran high, and often boiled over. But Green stuck to his philosophies and stood behind his players as they absorbed what he was trying to teach them. The faith Green had that he could turn Stutzle, Tkachuk & Co. into 200-foot players was a complement to his belief in their abilities. The Senators' core only needed to apply itself.

"He's got a unique way of being hard and holding players accountable," Staios said of Green. "But also developing that relationship and having a real, honest, open line of communication."

Eventually, Ottawa was on track. In the next 25 games from early December through January, the Senators showed true progress on the defensive end, going 15-8-2 and giving up the second fewest goals per game in the league (2.20).

All told, Ottawa has improved dramatically. They went from allowing 2.34 goals per game at 5-on-5 last season to just 1.84 this season. The Sens have 21 wins this season where they were outshot by an opponent, tied for fourth most in the NHL. By comparison, that's more than the Senators had their previous two seasons combined.

Ottawa had to be diligent defensively given they couldn't always rely on offense to save the day. The Senators rank 22nd this season in scoring (2.89 goals per game) and are 30th in even-strength goals (131). The club's 15th-ranked power play (22.8%) has come in handy on occasion.

Regardless, what Green is establishing in Ottawa isn't a one-and-done system. This is a foundation for how the Senators can be reborn as a team that anticipates a postseason run each year. And Ottawa's defensive upswing is owed not just to Green and the skaters up front, but to the Senators' (finally) reliable goaltending.

Ottawa had churned through their share of goalies during that seven-year playoff drought. Craig Anderson made the most starts (133) in that span before departing in 2020. There were failed experiments with Matt Murray and Talbot. Anton Forsberg (with 130 starts) did his best to fill the voids and Joonas Korpisalo had a short, unsuccessful stint with the Senators too.

It wasn't until June that Ottawa reeled in the right No. 1. Staios brokered a deal with Boston to bring on Linus Ullmark, and Ullmark immediately signed a four-year extension to affirm his own commitment to the organization.

Ullmark had just won a Vezina Trophy in 2023 and shared the William M. Jennings Trophy that same season with Bruins' teammate Jeremy Swayman. That Boston decided to back Swayman as their guy going forward and not Ullmark was all the better for Ottawa; notably, the Senators are in the playoffs this season while Boston is in line for a top-5 draft pick.

Ullmark endured injury issues, but emerged as a bona fide stalwart compared to what Ottawa has been used to in the crease. Last season, the Senators boasted a collective .879 save percentage. This season, Ullmark has a 24-14-3 record, with a .911 SV% and 2.67 goals-against average. That's the third most wins ever by a goaltender in his first full season with Ottawa. And Ullmark has been a terrific partner to Forsberg, who has seen his own stats improve this season as well (10-12-2, .904 SV% and 2.66 GAA).

Now Ullmark wants the Senators' tandem to excel in a playoff scene. The veteran has his own memories of long playoff-less stretches from a seven-year run with the Buffalo Sabres. And while Ullmark did get to experience hockey's second season in three consecutive years with Boston, he still commiserates with Ottawa teammates who are just stepping on that stage now.

"I'm happy now that the guys now that have been there for a long time," Ullmark said. "Like [Chabot] and [Tkachuk], for example, to have been there the longest, and now have an opportunity to play really meaningful games and get into a position where you can battle for the Cup."

Ottawa may not hoist Lord Stanley's chalice this season, or in years to come. The point is that they're now officially in the fight. That's all Chabot wanted when he arrived in Ottawa, to be a player -- rather than spectator -- of late spring hockey.

At long last for the Senators, that dream has officially come to life.

UEFA have announced that Linkin Park will play a pre-match show before the Champions League final kicks off on May 31.

The American rock band, who released their first album in seven years in November 2024, have recorded a new remix of the iconic Champions League anthem which will be debuted on the night.

Murphy will be without James Hume for the Leinster game, but can welcome back Werner Kok, Cormac Izuchukwu and Jude Postlethwaite from injury.

He believes Saturday will be an important game for the latter duo as they try to stake a claim to be included in this summer's Ireland squad.

To do so, they will have to be part of an Ulster side that will record a rare win at the Aviva Stadium, a venue they have struggled at in recent years.

"Those two boys [Izuchukwu and Postlethwaite] have a point to prove, losing James Hume isn't ideal but a like for like replacement with Jude coming back in," Murphy added.

"Our results in the Aviva over the last while haven't been good, we have only won once in nine games.

"That is something we can think about in the back of our minds, it is a huge day for our boys who want to challenge and try get into the Ireland squad in the summer."

The 50-year-old believes that Ulster are "moving in the right direction" after a three-match winning run in March moved them up to the play-off positions in sixth spot in the URC.

That is the position they currently occupy, but it remains a congested table with 13th-placed Connacht only four points behind Ulster and Murphy knows they must pick up as many points as they can in their last four games to secure a play-off spot.

"Every point is important now, we have four games left and if we win three of those four, we definitely qualify if we win two, we could qualify so you want to get that done as soon as you can."

Scarlets, Ospreys and Dragons have yet to agree to sign a new long-term deal with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), with a set deadline passing on Tuesday night.

WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood asked the three sides to ensure they had agreed to confirm their intention to sign a new deal by "close of play" on Tuesday, following the governing body's takeover of Cardiff last week.

The Arms Park outfit were placed into temporary administration last Wednesday, with the WRU taking control of the capital-based region.

That development raised concerns about the proposed new arrangement between the WRU and the four Welsh professional sides, known as the Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA).

The PRA, which includes a new funding arrangement, is meant to form a key component of the WRU's long-term plan, which they have called the 'One Wales' strategy.

Pete Wilkins has stepped down as head coach of Connacht with "a heavy heart" after Saturday's Challenge Cup defeat by Racing 92.

The French side came out on top in a 43-40 thriller in Galway to book their place in the semi-finals.

Wilkins spent eight years at Connacht, who are 13th in the United Rugby Championship table, and became head coach in 2023.

"During this season, I have been having some very open and honest discussions about my future at the club.," Wilkins said in a statement.

"Although incredibly privileged to have been given the responsibility of leading the rugby programme here, the longer I have spent in the role, the further away I have found myself from the aspects of coaching not only that I most enjoy, but also that allow me to contribute most effectively to the team."

Wilkins joined Conacht in 2017 as defence coach and he moved into the role of senior coach in the 2021-22 campaign.

The following year he became head coach under director of rugby Andy Friend as Connacht reached the semi-finals of the United Rugby Championship and in 2023 he took full control after the departure of Friend.

Connacht say Cullie Tucker will remain as interim head coach for the remainder of the season and the province will begin the process of recruiting a new head coach for next season.

David Humphreys, director of performance at the Irish Rugby Football Union said Wilkins had "contributed an enormous amount of growth of the game" in Connacht.

"Irish Rugby owes him a debt of gratitude for his dedication and commitment to the province," added Humphreys.

"A quality coach and respected figure in Irish rugby, Pete can remember his time in Connacht with pride, and I hope that he will continue to progress his coaching career in the years to come."

New Zealand centre Rieko Ioane will join United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup frontrunners Leinster for the 2025-26 season.

Ioane is contracted to the Blues in New Zealand until 2027 but will take a "sabbatical" to join the Irish province on a one-season contract.

The 28-year-old, who can also play on the wing, made his New Zealand debut in 2016 and has scored 37 tries in 81 caps for the All Blacks.

"It's an exciting opportunity to play in Ireland for an iconic team, grow my game and experience something with my family," Ioane posted on his Instagram.

"Will be back refreshed and ready to rock in the second half of 2026."

Ioane is the latest All Black to make the move to Leinster after Jordie Barrett joined the Dublin-based side for the current season.

Barrett has made a big impact at Leinster and was named player of the match as Leinster hammered Glasgow Warriors to qualify for the Investec Champions Cup semi-finals.

The Blues confirmed the deal just one day after the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) announced the four Irish provinces will have to contribute 40% to Ireland's national player contracts from August 2026 - as opposed to 30%.

Leinster have by far the biggest number of nationally contracted players and will be the most financially affected by the decision.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse was suspended one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Tuesday night for cross-checking Los Angeles Kings forward Quinton Byfield.

He'll miss the Oilers' regular-season finale at San Jose on Wednesday night but will be eligible to return to Edmonton's lineup for Game 1 of its first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Kings.

Nurse had been suspended three times and fined once in his 716-game NHL career.

The incident occurred at 14:36 of the second period of the Kings' 5-0 win in Edmonton on Monday, with Los Angeles on a 5-on-3 power play and leading by four goals. Nurse and Byfield battled near the crease as the puck was frozen by Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard. Nurse brought Byfield down with a headlock and then shoved Byfield's head to the ice with a cross-check to the back of his helmet.

Byfield left the game and didn't return. He also missed the Kings' game against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday. Nurse received a five-minute major for cross-checking and a game misconduct.

In its ruling, NHL Player Safety said Nurse was in control of his stick and "makes the decision to deliver an intentional cross-check that makes head contact with a player lying on the ice."

The NHL ruled that the cross-check was delivered with enough force to earn supplemental discipline but agreed with Nurse's counterargument that the cross-check was not delivered with "exceptional force" on Byfield.

"It is only because of that fact that this incident is not met with much more harsh discipline," the ruling said.

The ruling is similar to one made in 2023 against Andrew Mangiapane, then of the Calgary Flames, who cross-checked Seattle's Jared McCann while the Kraken forward was flat on the ice. Mangiapane also received a one-game suspension after a match penalty in the game, with NHL Player Safety citing the force of the cross-check in its ruling.

The Oilers and Kings will meet in the first round for the fourth straight postseason. Edmonton won the three previous series, in seven games in 2022, six in 2023 and five games in the 2024 playoffs.

Edmonton will not have defenseman Mattias Ekholm for the upcoming series against Los Angeles, underscoring how critical it was for the Oilers that Nurse not miss any postseason time.

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Wild coach John Hynes sent retiring goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury out for overtime in what could well be the final game of his storied career, and Minnesota outlasted the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 on Tuesday night in the home team's regular-season finale.

Fleury, 40, made five saves, fending off a 4-on-3 power play, in the victory. The home crowd erupted when Hynes sent out Fleury, and the netminder was right in the middle of the celebratory mob on the ice after the game.

"It was fun just to go one more time out there and play the game I love," an emotional Fleury said after the win. "It was cool."

By forcing overtime against Anaheim, the Wild officially clinched their playoff spot; they will take on the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 1. Filip Gustavsson, who started Tuesday's contest in net, likely will start all games of that first-round series, with Fleury on the bench.

Though the Wild (45-30-7) certainly could go on a deep run this postseason, it is likely Fleury will end his career having won three Stanley Cups, a Vezina Trophy and a William M. Jennings Trophy. The 2003 No. 1 draft pick also has played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Golden Knights.

"I had been sitting there for a few hours," Fleury said of his preparation to enter the game if called upon. "And Hynsey let me go in, and I'm happy I got to play a bit more."

The Wild needed some late drama just to get Fleury his overtime opportunity, as Joel Eriksson Ek scored the tying goal with 20.9 seconds left in regulation.

With an empty net for the extra attacker, Matt Boldy's pass across the slot set up Eriksson Ek at the edge of the crease. Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal stopped the first try with his stick, but a second whack at the puck got it across the line for Eriksson Ek's 14th goal of the season, setting up Fleury's entrance.

Boldy notched the winner -- his 27th goal -- with 17.9 seconds remaining in OT.

Fleury's wife and three children were at the game, just like they were last week when he got his final start and (barely) defeated the visiting San Jose Sharks 8-7 in overtime.

"I feel lucky to have another chance to play in front of them. Get a win, not give up seven goals -- that was nice too," Fleury said. "Hopefully, they remember that time."

Rookie Sam Colangelo had the go-ahead goal for Anaheim midway through the third period. Alex Killorn also scored, and Dostal stopped 37 shots for the Ducks (35-37-9), who were eliminated from postseason contention 11 days prior.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Atlanta Hawks star guard Trae Young threw a hard pass and showed off a little fancy ballhandling. Ordinarily, those are good things.

But doing it against referees was frowned upon -- and the NBA said he was "making a mockery of the game."

Young's frustration with how the Hawks' play-in game at Orlando was going finally boiled over with 4:47 left Tuesday night, when he earned a pair of technical fouls -- one for rifling a chest pass at referee James Williams, then the second moments later when he deflected the ball with his foot and then wouldn't give it up promptly to referee Pat Fraher.

"Trae Young received his first unsportsmanlike technical foul for throwing the ball at a game official," Williams told a pool reporter after the game.

Williams was then asked why Young received the second technical.

"He received his second unsportsmanlike technical foul for kicking the ball away and making a mockery of the game as we were attempting to shoot the free throw for the first technical foul, and by rule when the player receives two unsportsmanlike fouls, he's ejected from the game," Williams said.

The Hawks were down by 22 points at the time and went on to lose 120-95. Afterward, Young said he did what he did to make a statement on behalf of his teammates, such as Dyson Daniels, in a game in which he thought it wasn't an even whistle.

"Sometimes when I take my frustration out on the refs it's not just for me," Young said. "It's for my teammates. I see Dyson Daniels going; he may not be a household name yet, but he deserves the same amount of respect as some of these other guys. If you see a foul, you should call a foul. That's pretty much all it was for me."

Orlando was whistled for 25 personal fouls to Atlanta's 18, and the Hawks took 34 free throws while the Magic took 27.

"They're a physical team. I've had two teammates hurt this year in one game against them," Young said. "I'm not going to call them dirty players or anything like that. I think they have a lot of talented players. But a lot of the plays and the moments ... it's not even necessarily basketball at that point. I think that's where the frustration got."

The Hawks will host either Chicago or Miami on Friday to decide the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference and who will play No. 1 Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs. The Bulls and Heat play an elimination game in Chicago on Wednesday.

"I'm not going to let the refs frustrate me like that in our next game," Young said. "I know we've got to win or go home next game, and I'm going to be ready."

With its victory, Orlando earned the No. 7 seed and a first-round matchup with No. 2 seed Boston, the defending NBA champion.

"The importance of him keeping his cool, he addressed that already with our team," Hawks coach Quin Snyder said of Young. "He's quick to own that. But the game was out of hand at that point anyway."

Young led all scorers with 28 points.