In one week, the NHL season will be over and we’ll be waiting an agonizing wait of three or four days for the NHL playoffs to begin.  The Sabres, Devils, and Canadiens are the final opponents for the Maple Leafs.

The Leafs can max out at 107 points, but the real close race is between the Bruins and the Lightning as they battle it out for the Atlantic Division lead. The Bruins have a one point lead and one game in hand on the Lightning.

Those two teams will face off against each other Tuesday night in what may be their most important game of the season; the winner will get an easier route by not playing the Maple Leafs right away. Putting off the pain for one round.

Here’s the news.

Toronto Maple Leafs Recap: Jets beat Leafs 3-1 - Pension Plan Puppets
Leafs lose the game and Travis Dermott.

Travis Dermott injured in Leafs vs Jets game - Pension Plan Puppets
After blocking a shot late in the first period, he never returned to the game.

Mission Accomplished - Centre of Leafs Nation
Young Maple Leafs Playoff Bound Again

Down Goes Brown: Saturday storylines: The dream of the all-Canadian final
Welcome to the penultimate Saturday of the regular season. We’ve got a full day ahead of us, with a dozen games in total. One of those games even features 100 per cent of an entire country’s playoff teams, so let’s start there.

Golden Knights retire No. 58 in honor of victims from Oct. 1 shooting - Knights On Ice
Before the game, Vegas honored the victims one more time, and in classy fashion.

Erik Johnson out 6 weeks, Semyon Varlamov done for the season - Mile High Hockey
Johnson with fractured bone in knee, Varlamov with undisclosed lower-body injury

Enjoy your day folks!

From The Branches