<p>We’ve reached the eventful final stretch of the NHL season. At this point, something significant is on the line virtually every day, whether it’s a playoff spot or division title to clinch or a major individual milestone. At Daily Faceoff, we’re here to break down exactly what you need to know between now and the end of the regular season April 17.</p>



<p>So what’s at stake across the five-game slate for Wednesday, April 2?</p>



<p>– The <strong><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/carolina-hurricanes/line-combinations">Carolina Hurricanes </a></strong>(45-24-4) will clinch a playoff spot – and a top-three position in the Metropolitan Division – if they earn a single point at home against the Washington Capitals.<br><br>– The <strong><a href="https://theleafsnation.com/">Toronto Maple Leafs</a></strong> (45-25-4) will clinch a ninth consecutive playoff berth if they earn a single point in a crucial home tilt against the Florida Panthers.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="133"></div>



<p>– Thanks to Tuesday’s thrilling overtime victory, the Montreal Canadiens blocked a number of clinching scenarios among Atlantic Division teams. Even though the Panthers and Lightning each have a magic number of 1, their clinching will depend on Montreal’s Thursday result. Even if the <strong><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/florida-panthers/line-combinations">Panthers</a></strong> (44-26-4) win tonight, they won’t clinch.</p>



<p>– The Washington Capitals’ <strong>Alex Ovechkin </strong>buried career goal No. 891 Tuesday, moving him within three of tying Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record and within four of beating it. Ovechkin should be excited to draw the Hurricanes on the schedule tonight; he’s faced them more than he has any other team, scoring 51 times in 91 games.</p>



<p>_____</p>



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<p>The Sheet&nbsp;is live! Hosted by Jeff Marek, this brand-new show is your daily deep dive into the biggest hockey stories, trends, and insights across the NHL, PWHL, junior hockey, and beyond. Streaming every weekday at 3 PM ET on the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;Daily Faceoff YouTube channel</a>,&nbsp;The Sheet&nbsp;features exclusive interviews with top hockey figures, from industry executives to Olympic champions. Don’t miss out—subscribe to Daily Faceoff on YouTube and follow @TheSheetHockey on social media to stay up-to-date with all the latest from the world of hockey.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="191"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Recently by Matt Larkin</h2>



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