NHL Playoff Picture 2023: Kings Clinch Postseason Berth; Updated Standings
The Los Angeles Kings are headed to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The host Vancouver Canucks struck first on Sunday night, but Alex Iafallo scored twice to lead the Kings to a 4-1 victory, which secured the Kings' second playoff berth in as many years.
With the win, the Kings also leapfrogged the Edmonton Oilers to take the No. 2 spot in the Pacific Division.
Although the Eastern Conference playoff participants are mostly decided—only the wild-card spots are up for grabs, with six teams already having clinched—the Kings are just the third team in the West to guarantee themselves a place in the postseason.
With 11 days remaining in the regular season, there are seven spots left in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here are the updated standings for both conferences following Sunday's results.
Atlantic Division
Metropolitan Division
Wild-Card Race
Central Division
Pacific Division
Wild-Card Race
Only one playoff matchup is confirmed. The Maple Leafs and Lightning will be meeting for the second year in a row as Toronto looks to win its first playoff series since 2004.
The final two weeks of the regular season will determine the rest of the first-round pairings.
At the bottom of the Eastern Conference bracket, the Islanders, Penguins and Panthers sit within two points of one another in a three-way battle for two wild-card spots.
On the other side of the league, the Flames have gone 6-2-2 in their last ten outings in order to draw within two points of the Jets for the last spot in the West.
The top three squads in the Pacific Division (Vegas, Los Angeles and Edmonton) are within two points of one another, while the top three teams in the Central (Minnesota, Colorado and Dallas) are within one.
Meanwhile, Anaheim and Chicago are neck-and-neck in a race to the bottom of the standings. Both teams have lost eight games in a row. Whoever ends the season with fewer points will have the best chance to draft WHL phenom and likely No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard.
