What’s at stake in Tuesday night’s NHL games

Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

With one foot in the frying pan and the other one in a pressure cooker, it all comes down to this …

At least for the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are all the Golden Knights have ever known in their five-year existence, but they can be eliminated from playoff contention for the first time in franchise history with a regulation loss on Tuesday night in Dallas – against the team they are chasing.

It is appointment television in ‘Big D’ on Tuesday.

Get your popcorn ready. Because that is just one of more than a handful of games with playoff implications on Tuesday. The Presidents’ Trophy is up for grabs, the Metropolitan Division title is on the line, there is a potential playoff preview between Nashville-Calgary, along with seeding and home-ice implications in a number of series.

Buckle up.

Here are the scenarios for each game:

> Vegas Golden Knights at Dallas Stars
8:30 p.m. ET
American Airlines Center
TV: Bally Sports Southwest, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain
Playoff implications:

The Stars will clinch a playoff berth with a win in regulation.
The Golden Knights will be eliminated from playoff contention with a regulation loss.
The Kings and Predators will also clinch playoff berths with a Dallas regulation win.
The Kings (idle) will clinch a playoff berth if Dallas wins in any fashion.
The Canucks will be eliminated from playoff contention if Dallas earns one point or more.

> Detroit Red Wings at Toronto Maple Leafs
7:00 p.m. ET
Scotiabank Arena
TV: Sportsnet Ontario, Bally Sports Detroit Xtra
Playoff implications:

The Maple Leafs will clinch the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Division (and home-ice in the first round) if they get at least one point against Detroit OR Columbus defeats Tampa Bay.
The Maple Leafs – Lightning first-round matchup will be locked in if Tampa Bay defeats Columbus in any fashion AND Florida defeats Boston in regulation.

> Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins
7:00 p.m. ET
TD Garden
TV: Bally Sports Florida, NESN
Playoff implications:

The Panthers will clinch the President’s Trophy (and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs) if they defeat Boston in any fashion AND St. Louis defeats Colorado in any fashion OR if they earn one point in Boston and St. Louis defeats Colorado in regulation.

> Carolina Hurricanes at New York Rangers
7:00 p.m. ET
Madison Square Garden
TV: MSG Network, Bally Sports South
Playoff implications:

The Hurricanes can clinch the Metropolitan Division if they defeat the Rangers in any fashion.
With a regulation win, the Rangers will be two points back of the Canes with two games to play for the top spot in the Metro.

> Columbus Blue Jackets at Tampa Bay Lightning
7:00 p.m. ET
Amalie Arena
TV: Bally Sports Sun, Bally Sports Ohio
Playoff implications:

The Maple Leafs – Lightning first-round matchup will be locked in if Tampa Bay defeats Columbus in any fashion AND Florida defeats Boston in regulation. (Home ice in that series can be decided on Tuesday night with Toronto earning one point against Detroit or Columbus defeats Tampa Bay.)

> Edmonton Oilers at Pittsburgh Penguins
7:00 p.m. ET
PPG Paints Arena
TV: ESPN, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Pacific, TVA Sports (Quebec)
Playoff implications:

The Oilers will clinch the No. 2 seed in the Pacific Division (and home-ice in the first round) if they defeat Pittsburgh in any fashion.
The Oilers – Kings first-round matchup will be locked in Dallas defeats Vegas in any fashion.

> New York Islanders at Washington Capitals
7:00 p.m. ET
Capital One Arena
TV: NBC Sports Washington, MSG+2 Network
Playoff implications:

The Capitals can leapfrog the Penguins for the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan Division if they defeat the Islanders in any fashion AND the Penguins lose to Edmonton in regulation.

> Calgary Flames at Nashville Predators
8:00 p.m. ET
Bridgestone Arena
TV: Bally Sports South, Sportsnet West
Playoff implications:

The Predators can clinch a playoff berth via five scenarios:
- If they defeat Calgary in regulation; OR
- If they defeat Calgary in overtime AND Vegas fails to defeat Dallas in regulation; OR
- If they defeat Calgary in a shootout AND Vegas fails to defeat Dallas in regulation or overtime; OR
- If they get one point vs. Calgary AND Vegas loses to Dallas in any fashion; OR
- If Vegas loses to Dallas in regulation.

> Arizona Coyotes at Minnesota Wild
8:00 p.m. ET
Xcel Energy Center
TV: Bally Sports North Xtra, Bally Sports Arizona Xtra2
Playoff implications:

The Wild are already locked in to face St. Louis in the first round. They can put a stranglehold on the No. 2 seed in the Central Division (and home-ice in the first round) with a win in any fashion AND a St. Louis regulation loss in Colorado.

> St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche
9:30 p.m. ET
Ball Arena
TV: ESPN, Sportsnet 360 (Canada), TVA Sports (Quebec)
Playoff implications:

The Avalanche, who already clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, can remain alive in the President’s Trophy chase with a win in any fashion.
The Blues will remain in the hunt for the No. 2 seed in the Central (and home-ice in the first-round against Minnesota) no matter what happens on Tuesday night.

> Seattle Kraken at Vancouver Canucks
10:00 p.m. ET
Rogers Arena
TV: Sportsnet Pacific, Root Sports Northwest+
Playoff implications:

The Canucks are no longer in control of their playoff fate. Any one point gained by Dallas or lost by the Canucks will eliminate the Canucks from playoff contention.

Other games with no playoff implications:

New Jersey Devils at Ottawa Senators, 7:00 p.m. ET
Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m. ET

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