NHL scores 2017: The Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls are starting to fall behind

With one week remaining in the season, the Bruins are pulling away.

Apr 2, 2017, 1:00 PM UTC

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Chaos in the Eastern Conference was quite the norm this season. Yet as we inch closer to the end of the season — this is your one week warning, folks — the waters are starting to calm.

The West is all but won, with the Predators a point or a Kings loss away from clinching that last wild card spot. As for the East, Saturday brought some interesting developments all in the name of the status quo.

The big news is that the Bruins might actually do this thing, guys. Unlike years past, it looks like they’ll be strong enough down the stretch to hold a playoff spot. Sorry if I just jinxed you, Boston. Still, their dominant 5-2 win over the Panthers has us convinced that Brad Marchand is going to drag the Bruins into the playoffs without breaking a sweat.

As for the other Eastern Conference postseason hopefuls, the Lightning and Hurricanes both lost equal heartbreakers. Tampa Bay tied the game late yet once again, but fell to the Canadiens offense in overtime. The Hurricanes then were held scoreless by Kari Lehtonen to see their 13-game point streak disappear.

The Lightning now fall to four points off the pace, and the Hurricanes six, but each with a game in hand. It’s not an insurmountable lead with five games left, but their destiny is not their own.

Meanwhile, the Bruins are chugging along like a well-oiled machine with a four-game win streak. Time to see if they can close this thing out in the bottom of the ninth.

Scores

Bruins 5, Panthers 2
Predators 3, Wild 0
Jets 4, Senators 2
Maple Leafs 5, Red Wings 4
Canadiens 2, Lightning 1 (OT)
Flyers 3, Devils 0
Stars 3, Hurricanes 0
Oilers 3, Ducks 2 (OT)

Three Things We Learned

1. Auston Matthews is driving the Maple Leafs upward

A three-point performance from Matthews pushed Toronto into a tie for second place in the Atlantic Division with Ottawa’s loss. The Maple Leafs’ surge is one to behold, but it’s Matthews himself who is driving Toronto to the top of the Atlantic. The rookie has 11 points in his last eight games, and his 38 goals are the highest total for an American rookie in NHL history.

2. The Flyers had a bad goaltending scare

Michal Neuvirth collapsed in the opening moments of the Flyers game versus the Devils on Saturday, prompting a scary scene in Philadelphia:

Neuvirth was conscious when he was stretchered off the ice to head to a local hospital. There was no report on what caused the collapse, but there were reports that Neuvirth wasn’t feeling well in the locker room before the game. Steve Mason didn’t play on Saturday due to illness.

3. Ten seconds doomed Minnesota

After seemingly turning a corner on Thursday in a 5-1 win over Ottawa, the Wild reverted back to their bad habits in a 3-0 loss to the Predators. Two goals in 10 seconds were the difference for Nashville, as a goaltender’s duel was broken with tallies from Filip Forsberg and Kevin Fiala in the loss.