Late-season swoons have kept the Boston Bruins out of the playoffs in each of the last two years, but they battled back from another slide in their pursuit of nailing down a postseason berth. Boston has answered a four-game skid with a three-game winning streak entering Saturday afternoon's matchup against the visiting Florida Panthers.

The Minnesota Wild can go a long way toward picking their poison in the postseason on Saturday afternoon when they visit the Nashville Predators. Minnesota, which likely will finish as the second seed in the Central Division, can further cement its home-ice advantage for the first round with a victory over Nashville while a loss possibly could propel the Predators into the playoffs for a date with, well, the Wild.

Having squandered a bevy of chances to move atop the Atlantic Division race, the Ottawa Senators suddenly are fighting to maintain a grip on second place and home-ice advantage for the postseason. Mired in a three-game losing streak, the slumping Senators continue their five-game road trip with a visit to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.

Rookie Auston Matthews has scored a goal in each of his last three contests to highlight his eight-game point streak and has also found the back of the net three times in as many meetings with the Detroit Red Wings this season. The 19-year-old looks to bolster the Toronto Maple Leafs' bid for a postseason berth on Saturday night as the Original Six rivals play their last contest at historic Joe Louis Arena.

The Montreal Canadiens sealed a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs and look to continue securing an Atlantic Division title when they visit the surging Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. The Canadiens won three straight contests, allowing four goals combined, and lead Ottawa by six points atop the division while playing one more game than the Senators.

The Philadelphia Flyers are on a bit of a roll, but it very well may be too late for them to sneak their way into the playoffs. Philadelphia, which trails Boston by six points for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with five games remaining, looks to stay alive when it hosts the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

Their postseason hopes left for dead four weeks ago, the resurgent Carolina Hurricanes will attempt to continue their improbable run for a playoff berth when they host the Dallas Stars on Saturday night in the finale of a four-game homestand. The Hurricanes, riding a 13-game point streak, trail Boston by four points for the second wild card with a game in hand.

Connor McDavid is the modern-day face of the Edmonton Oilers and the 20-year-old phenom couldn't be happier as the ascending club moved within one point of first place in the Pacific Division. The NHL leader in assists (63) and points (91), McDavid looks to send the red-hot Oilers to their fifth straight victory overall and eighth in a row at Rogers Place on Saturday when they host the Anaheim Ducks.