The Eastern Conference playoff picture is finalized.
The Boston Bruins beat the New Jersey Devils 4-0 on Tuesday, clinching the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and setting up a Round 1 matchup with the Buffalo Sabres.
Boston's victory also means the Ottawa Senators are locked into the second wild-card spot and will play the conference's No. 1-seeded Carolina Hurricanes in Round 1.
The other two opening-round matchups in the Eastern Conference were determined Monday, although Tampa Bay secured home-ice advantage over Montreal with the Canadiens' regulation loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. Here's the full picture:
- Buffalo Sabres (A1) vs. Boston Bruins (WC1)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (A2) vs. Montreal Canadiens (A3)
- Carolina Hurricanes (M1) vs. Ottawa Senators (WC2)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (M2) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (M3)
The Sabres and Bruins last met in the playoffs in 2010 - which also marked Buffalo's last division title - when Boston won the Round 1 series in six games. Ottawa and Carolina have never faced off in the postseason.
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Saturday. Final seeding in the Western Conference has yet to be determined.
