One day after gaining the upper hand for second place in the Metropolitan Division, the Pittsburgh Penguins can clinch the spot when they host the Ottawa Senators on Friday in their regular-season finale. Pittsburgh edged Columbus in overtime on Thursday to move one point ahead of both the Blue Jackets and New Jersey for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs with one game remaining for each team.

The Tampa Bay Lightning look to build off one of their best performances in some time when they host the NHL-worst Buffalo Sabres on Friday night in the final home game of the regular season. The Lightning won for only the second time in six outings Tuesday as they rolled to a 4-0 victory over Boston, and need two victories to edge the Bruins for the Atlantic Division title.

The St. Louis Blues have taken it on the chin with four straight losses to find themselves against the ropes in a bid to secure the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Blues aim to regain their composure on Friday when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center in the finale of a home-and-home series.

The Anaheim Ducks punched their ticket into the playoffs but their seeding remains very much up in the air with two games remaining in the regular season. The Ducks have a chance to finish as high as second place in the Pacific Division and can also remain in the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference as they prepare to host the Dallas Stars on Friday night.