In the West, the Kings faced Phoenix in a potential 1st-round matchup. In the East, Montreal hoped to clinch a spot while Boston looked to help solidify theirs. The Northeast Division matchup between Buffalo and Boston at TD Garden is Thursday's Game of the Night:
1 
3Boston entered the night in dangerous 8th-place in the East, only 1 point ahead of the Rangers. At the end of the night, they find themselves in 6th with a big win over the Northeast Division Champion Sabres.
Buffalo started the scoring 11 minutes into the game with a goal from Derek Roy.
2:15 into the 2nd period, Miroslav Satan scored for Boston to tie the game at 1, the only goal of the period. Tied heading into the 3rd, the Bruins would come through in the clutch when they needed to most.
Dennis Wideman put the Bruins up 1 just under 2 minutes into the period. Tuukka Rask would hold off tough Buffalo and Mark Recchi would add an insurance goal for Boston with 3:25 left in regulation.
Patrick Lalime got the start for Buffalo in a game that didn't mean much for them. He made 31 saves, while Rask also made 31 stops for Boston.
Buffalo is 3rd-place in the East with 98 points, a point behind New Jersey for 2nd.
The Bruins' crucial 3-1 win gives them 87 points, tied with Montreal for 6th, but they hold 6th themselves because they have played 1 fewer game. They have 2 games left and are now 3 points ahead of the 9th-place Rangers who also have 2 games to go.
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2 (SO)The Kings seemed to have this game under control until the last half of the 3rd period.
After a scoreless 1st period, Drew Doughty made it 1-0 L.A. just under 8 minutes into the 2nd period. Anze Kopitar's assist on the goal was his 80th point of the season.
In the 3rd period, Jack Johnson made it 2-0 Kings with a goal just over 9 minutes in. But then back came the Coyotes with some of their magic once again.
Matthew Lombardi cut the lead in half with 7:17 left in regulation, and then with 5:53 to go, Taylor Pyatt deflected a shot past Jonathan Quick to tie the game at 2.
After a scoreless overtime, the game would head to a shootout--which Phoenix looks to have mastered this season.
Kopitar scored for the Kings and Radim Vrbata for the Coyotes in the first 3 rounds, and in the 4th round, Adrian Aucoin--their "closer"--did it again. After Jarret Stoll missed, Aucoin scored to give him 6 shootout goals in 8 attempts this season--all 6 goals were game-winners.
Jason LaBarbera got the start for Phoenix and he stopped 22 shots, while Quick made 25 saves for the Kings.
Phoenix is locked into the 4-spot, but they now have 106 points--the 4th-most in the NHL--with 1 game to play.
The Kings' point moves them to 98 and they are now in a 3-way tie for 5th-place in the West with Detroit and Nashville, but they hold it themselves because they have 3 more wins than Detroit and have played 1 fewer game than Nashville. L.A. and the Red Wings have 2 games left, while the Predators have 1 to go.
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Canadiens 2 Hurricanes 5
A win for Montreal would have meant a playoff spot, but with only 1 game left to play, they aren't out of the woods yet. They have 87 points and are tied with Boston for 6th in the East, but they sit in 7th because Boston has 2 games left. They're 1 up on 8th-place Philadelphia and 3 up on 9th-place New York. With the Flyers playing the Rangers in a home-and-home to end the season, lots of things have to go wrong for the Canadiens to miss out, but anything is possible. Carolina has 80 points, 11th in the East, and they have 1 game left.
Islanders 3 Penguins 7
It was the last regular season game ever to be held at Mellon Arena, and the Penguins said goodbye to the "Igloo" in style. Pittsburgh is now tied with the Devils for 1st-place in the Atlantic Division with 99 points. They both have the same record and each have 2 games to go. New Jersey swept the season series, though, so they hold the tiebreaker and sit 2nd, while the Penguins are in 4th.
Senators 3 Lightning 4 (SO)
Ottawa is already guaranteed 5th-place in the East, and they now have 94 points with 1 game remaining. Tampa Bay is 14th in the East with 76 points and they have 2 games left.
Devils 2 Panthers 3
Scott Clemmensen beats his former team again, as Florida stops New Jersey from extending their lead in the Atlantic Division. The Devils have 99 points and are tied for 1st in the division and 2nd in the conference with 2 games left with Pittsburgh. The Panthers are 13th in the East with 76 points and have 2 games to play.
Ducks 2 Stars 3 (SO)
In what might be his final game in Dallas if he chooses to retire, Mike Modano scored the shootout winner to help Dallas hold off their Pacific Division rivals. They move to 86 points on the year with 1 game left while Anaheim now has 87 points with 2 games left. The Stars and Ducks are 12th and 11th in the West, respectively.
Wild 2 Flames 1 (SO)
Minnesota's win gives them 83 points on the year and they are 13th in the West with 1 game left. Disappointing Calgary has 90 points, 9th in the West with 1 game left as well.
Canucks 2 Sharks 4
San Jose moves back into 1st in the Western Conference with 111 points, 2 up on Chicago, but they have 1 game left while the Blackhawks have 2 to go. Vancouver remains 3rd in the West with 101 points and they have 1 game remaining.
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Friday's Schedule:
Flyers @ Rangers, 7:00, Versus
Thrashers @ Capitals, 7:00, CSN, Versus
Red Wings @ Blue Jackets, 7:00
Ducks @ Blues, 8:00, KDOC
Blackhawks @ Avalanche, 9:00, Versus
