Many playoff races are coming right down to the wire. And while the three top teams in the Atlantic Division are expected to qualify for the postseason, the order in which they'll finish remains a mystery.

What's at stake? The winner of the division draws a first-round matchup against a wild-card team -- likely the Ottawa Senators. The teams that finish second and third will square off with one another, with the No. 2 seed having home-ice advantage.

When Sunday's games begin, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be in the No. 1 spot, with 92 points in the standings. The Florida Panthers are second, having earned 91 standings points in one fewer game (72) than the Tampa Bay Lightning (73).

By season's end, if there is a tie in points, the first tiebreaker is regulation wins; currently, the Lightning hold the edge with 37, while the Leafs have 36 and the Panthers have 35.

Florida is the first of the three clubs in action next, as it will host the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, NHL Network). The Leafs continue their West Coast road trip by visiting the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+), while the Lightning play Tuesday at the New York Islanders.

The Panthers have two games remaining against the Leafs (Wednesday in Toronto, April 8 in Sunrise) and one against the Lightning (April 15 in Tampa Bay). Toronto plays its last regular-season game against Tampa Bay on April 9 in Central Florida.

Overall, the Leafs have the toughest remaining strength of schedule of the three teams (opposing win percentage of 51.3%, 11th toughest in the league); the Panthers are next (49.5%, 21st), and the Lightning have the easiest road (47.6%, 25th).

Stathletes projects the Lightning to have the highest chances of winning the division (44.5%), followed by the Panthers (33.9%) and Leafs (21.6%).

Is that how everything will play out? Stay tuned.

There are less than three weeks left until April 17, and we'll help you track it all with the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide details on all the playoff races, along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today's schedule
Yesterday's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Florida Panthers vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 New York Rangers
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Sunday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

Montreal Canadiens at Florida Panthers, 1 p.m. (NHL)
Buffalo Sabres at Washington Capitals, 3 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks at Winnipeg Jets, 3 p.m.
Utah Hockey Club at Chicago Blackhawks, 4 p.m.
Ottawa Senators at Pittsburgh Penguins, 5 p.m.
New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes, 5 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Anaheim Ducks, 8 p.m.
San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings, 10 p.m. (ESPN)

Saturday's scoreboard

Philadelphia Flyers 7, Buffalo Sabres 4
Tampa Bay Lightning 5, New York Islanders 3
St. Louis Blues 2, Colorado Avalanche 1
New Jersey Devils 5, Minnesota Wild 2
Vegas Golden Knights 3, Nashville Predators 1
Ottawa Senators 3, Columbus Blue Jackets 2
Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Los Angeles Kings 1
Detroit Red Wings 2, Boston Bruins 1
Edmonton Oilers 3, Calgary Flames 2 (OT)
New York Rangers 6, San Jose Sharks 1
Dallas Stars 5, Seattle Kraken 1

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 103.3
Next game: @ ANA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Florida Panthers

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 103.6
Next game: vs. MTL (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 9
Points pace: 102.2
Next game: @ NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Ottawa Senators

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 94.5
Next game: @ PIT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.6%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 85.4
Next game: @ FLA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 28%
Tragic number: 19

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 83.1
Next game: @ STL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 2.3%
Tragic number: 16

Boston Bruins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 76.5
Next game: vs. WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 9

Buffalo Sabres

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 75.2
Next game: @ WSH (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 10

Metro Division

x - Washington Capitals

Points: 103
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 10
Points pace: 117.3
Next game: vs. BUF (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 10
Points pace: 104.8
Next game: vs. NYI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

New Jersey Devils

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 7
Points pace: 92.9
Next game: vs. MIN (Monday)
Playoff chances: 97.9%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Rangers

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 8
Points pace: 85.3
Next game: vs. MIN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 18.7%
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 85.4
Next game: vs. NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 28.7%
Tragic number: 19

New York Islanders

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 84.3
Next game: @ CAR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 24.7%
Tragic number: 18

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 76.5
Next game: vs. OTT (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 9

Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 7
Points pace: 75.4
Next game: vs. NSH (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 7

Central Division

x - Winnipeg Jets

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 116.8
Next game: vs. VAN (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Dallas Stars

Points: 100
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 112.3
Next game: @ SEA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Colorado Avalanche

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 38
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 8
Points pace: 103.1
Next game: vs. CGY (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 8
Points pace: 96.4
Next game: @ NJ (Monday)
Playoff chances: 96.5%
Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 7
Points pace: 95.1
Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 89.8%
Tragic number: N/A

Utah Hockey Club

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 85.4
Next game: @ CHI (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.6%
Tragic number: 8

e - Nashville Predators

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 69.6
Next game: @ PHI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 18
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 57.3
Next game: vs. UTA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 9
Points pace: 110.1
Next game: vs. EDM (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 10
Points pace: 101.4
Next game: vs. SJ (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 9
Points pace: 100.0
Next game: @ VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 95.9%
Tragic number: N/A

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 9
Points pace: 91.0
Next game: @ WPG (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 6.4%
Tragic number: 13

Calgary Flames

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: @ COL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 10.8%
Tragic number: 14

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: vs. TOR (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 6

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 8
Points pace: 75.4
Next game: vs. DAL (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Points pace: 55.8
Next game: @ LA (Sunday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: An "x" means that the team has clinched a playoff berth. An "e" means that the team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL's Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.

1. San Jose Sharks

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 14

2. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 51
Regulation wins: 18

3. Nashville Predators

Points: 62
Regulation wins: 23

4. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 24

5. Seattle Kraken

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 25

6. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 19

7. Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 20

8. Boston Bruins

Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23

9. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23

10. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 26

11. New York Islanders

Points: 74
Regulation wins: 25

12. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 23

13. Montreal Canadiens

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 24

14. Utah Hockey Club

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 24

15. Calgary Flames

Points: 80
Regulation wins: 26

16. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 81
Regulation wins: 26

Ajax's director of football has opened the door to a possible return for Christian Eriksen when his Manchester United contract expires at the end of the season.

Marijn Beuker, who was appointed as Ajax's sporting director in 2023, confirmed the club's interest in the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder in an interview with ESPN but said the 33-year-old's return could not block an academy player's path to the first team.

Eriksen joined Ajax's academy in 2008 and made his debut two years later at the age of 18. He spent three years in Amsterdam, winning the Eredvisie title in each of his three seasons and scoring 25 goals in 113 appearances.

He left to join Spurs in 2013 before spells at Inter Milan and Brentford followed. He joined United as a free agent in 2022.

"He is one of the players who has performed fantastically with us in the past that we are thinking about," Beuker told ESPN. "There will be multiples in the media. Other names mentioned are those of Dusan Tadic and Daley Blind.

"Such players are always an option. To look at it. It has to fit into the phase we are in, though. In the salary structure. You also don't want to block youth players coming up. That we are open to thinking about it is clear. Only it has to fit into the overall picture for the future."

Eriksen has said he expects to leave United at the end of the season as a new contract has not been forthcoming.

"I haven't been told anything and since I haven't, I assume the collaboration will end," he said in an interview to Danish outlet TV2.

"That's how I interpret it. Everyone knows my contract is expiring, so I expect there's only one way this will go.

"I haven't thought much about it. In my mind, I'm prepared to find something new. What that will be, I haven't decided yet.

"I don't have anything specific that I really want to try, so I'll see what comes along and what fits me and my family."

The Denmark international has made just 14 appearances in all competitions under United boss Ruben Amorim since his appointment in November.

An autographed Shohei Ohtani relic card from last season's historic 50/50 effort became the first of the Los Angeles Dodgers star to sell for more than $1 million at auction early Sunday morning.

The sale of the on-card-autographed, 1-of-1 numbered Ohtani card features the Major League Baseball logo from the pants he wore in September 2024 while hitting his 49th, 50th and 51st home runs and stealing his 50th and 51st bases against the Miami Marlins. It sold for $1.067 million at Heritage Auctions, including buyer's premium, and is by far the most ever paid for an Ohtani card.

The card, however, fell short of unseating the $1.1 million Paul Skenes MLB debut patch autograph card as the most expensive non-Mike Trout modern baseball card.

Following Ohtani's establishment of the 50/50 club on Sept. 19, 2024, Topps acquired the pants and batting gloves that he wore. Topps then created a set dedicated to Ohtani's achievements, which included refractor cards, short prints, autographs, autographed relics -- all in a variety of numberings -- and Dynasty Black relics, of which there are only three cards: all on-card autographs, all numbered 1-of-1. The Dynasty Black autograph cards consist of one boasting a massive batting glove swatch, one including swatches of both the pants and batting gloves, and the now-$1.067 million card.

The previous record for an Ohtani card was the $533,140 paid for a 2018 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autographs Orange Refractor rookie card, numbered to 25, with Goldin Auctions in November.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka claimed her second title of the year by beating Jessica Pegula 7-5 6-2 in the women's Miami Open final.

There were seven breaks of serve in a hard-fought first set, which swung the way of both players, before the Belarusian won a game to love on Pegula's serve.

Sabalenka's power got her out of trouble on a number of occasions while Pegula's struggles to hold her own serve, along with her inability to deal with the force of her opponent's game, proved the world number four's downfall.

Her frustration grew as Sabalenka took control of the second set. The 26-year-old broke Pegula at 5-2 up to win the tournament without dropping a set as she hit 31 winners in the match, compared to 12 from her rival.

Sabalenka won the Brisbane International in January but had gone into the Miami Open final having lost her previous two finals, with defeats by American Madison Keys at the Australian Open and Mirra Andreeva at Indian Wells two weeks ago.

"I'm speechless," said Sabalenka, who beat Pegula in last year's US Open final. "The last couple of finals were really tough and tight and close ones for me, so going into this one I was so focused on myself.

"I was super focused and playing point by point. It feels super special and really happy with the title - the first in Miami.

"It was back and forth the whole match. I was fighting no matter what and, even after each game she broke, I was fighting back and breaking her back."

Meanwhile, British duo Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool were in action in the men's doubles final but suffered a 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 defeat by top seeds Marcelo Arevalo-Gonzalez and Mate Pavic.

Gloucester scored nine tries in a show-stopping display as they beat neighbours Bristol 53-28 to move back up to third in the Premiership table.

Christian Wade and Seb Atkinson both scored hat-tricks for the Cherry and Whites as they completed a double over the Bears for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign.

The first half alone saw nine tries scored and 55 points shared, as Gloucester raced to an unopposed try-scoring bonus point in 17 minutes.

The home side scored another three unanswered tries after the break before James Williams managed a fourth for Bristol to ensure they left the sold-out Kingsholm with at least a point of their own.

If high-scoring entertainment is what the Premiership wants this season, fans were treated to another rip-roaring spectacle as Gloucester produced one of their most blistering displays in attack to delight the home crowd.

The debate about whether that quest to glitter in attack is coming at a detriment to defence will continue but the hosts were eye-catching almost every time they ran with the ball.

A week ago at Ashton Gate, Bristol achieved the second-fastest bonus-point score in Premiership history in just 16 minutes when they beat Exeter, and Gloucester seemingly started their own stopwatch and almost bettered it, with four rapid opening tries of their own helped by some poor Bears defending and errors.

A Bristol penalty deep in Gloucester's 22 immediately gave the hosts an opening, and Carreras chipped the ball through to a racing Wade to dab down in the corner on three minutes.

Four minutes later they had a second as Harry Bryne's ball went loose and Santiago Carreras pounced, scooping it up before cleverly sending a one-handed pass around the back to feed Josh Hathaway.

Chris Harris added their third, as another Bristol penalty gifted Gloucester a kick to touch for a line-out. Charlie Atkinson broke easily through a tackle and with Harris inside he scored next to the posts.

Nothing was going Bristol's way as Byrne's kick to restart into the swirling wind went straight out and from a Cherry and Whites scrum on halfway, the ball was passed out wide to Hathaway who raced downfield.

His long ball back inside was expertly picked out of the air one-handed by a jumping Tomos Williams, whose no-look pass then found Seb Atkinson to run under the posts for the crucial fourth score to make it 24-0.

Bath: De Glanville; Cokanasiga, Ojomoh, Redpath, Muir; Russell, Spencer; Obano, Dunn, Stuart, Molony, Ewels, Hill, Reid, Barbeary.

Replacements: Annett, Van Wyk, Du Toit, Pepper, Underhill, Carr-Smith, Butt, Coetzee.

Harlequins: Green; Isgro, Beard, Northmore, David; Smith, Porter; Baxter, Walker, Lamositele, Herbst, Lewies, Kenningham, Lawday, Cunningham-South.

Replacements: Riley, Els, Jones, Launchbury, Hammond, Schmid, Care, Benson.

Yellow Cards: Isgro, Smith.

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe

Ireland coach Scott Bemand says his players are mindful of the "incredible challenge" they will face in Sunday's Women's Six Nations game in Parma against an Italy side who defeated them in last year's championship.

The Irish looked in potential Wooden Spoon territory a year ago after they lost in 27-21 to the Italians in round two at the RDS.

Subsequent wins over Wales and Scotland secured a third-place championship finish that earned qualification for this year's World Cup but Bemand says he and his players have the height of respect for the Italians as they aim for Ireland's first away win in the competition since 2021.

Ireland go into Sunday's game after competing well against France in last weekend's opener in Belfast only to eventually lose out 27-15.

"Italy have got a more structured version of themselves these days. It used to be quite fun watching them as in anything could happen," said the Ireland coach.

"Now they've got a little bit more sensible with what they are trying to do. So we know that we're expecting a strong box-kick game and we've been preparing ourselves for that.

"Our aim, as ever, is to get our best game out there and if we do, we'll be alright but the Italians are certainly not going to roll over and make it easy for us."

Ireland followed their third-placed finish in last year's Six Nations with autumn wins over Australia and world champions New Zealand and Bemand feels his players now have a belief that wasn't there when they faced Italy a year ago amid the scar tissue from the 2023 Six Nations when the Irish lost all five of their games under previous coach Greg McWilliams.

"We said it after the game [against Italy]. You lost a game that you should have won and in the previous Six Nations they were losing games that they didn't deserve to win.

"There was a big performance step but almost with not having the permission or the confidence to do it. Now they are a group that think differently."

France: Bourgeois, Arbey, Menager (co-capt), Amedee, Llorens, Arbez, Sansus; Brosseau, Bigot, Bernadou, M Feleu (co-capt), Fall, Escudero, Okemba, T Feleu

Replacements: Riffonneau, Mwayembe, Joyeux, Zago, Berthoumieu, L Champon, A Champon, Queyroi

Scotland: Rollie, Lloyd, Orr, Thomson, McGhie, Nelson, Brebner-Holden; Young, Skeldon, Clarke, Cunningham, Bonar, Malcolm (capt), McLachlan, Konkel

Replacements: Martin, Bartlett, Poolman, Ferrie, Boyd, Stewart, Mattinson, Wills

"I haven't even scratched the surface of my potential."

Those were the words of England full-back Ellie Kildunne in November when she was named World Rugby's women's player of the year.

The 25-year-old scored 14 tries in nine tests for the Red Roses last term, and it looked, on the outside, as though maintaining form before a home Rugby World Cup - which starts in August - was all she needed to do.

But Kildunne strived to become even better.

After featuring late off the bench against Italy in York, a first start in this year's Women's Six Nations came in the 67-12 hammering of Wales at Principality Stadium in front of a record crowd of 21,186 for a Wales women's team event on home soil.

The Harlequin marked her 50th cap with a second-half hat-trick and a player-of-the-match performance to properly kick-start the biggest year of her rugby career to date.

"Pressure is definitely a privilege," Kildunne told BBC Two.

"Our potential is the unimaginable. We are going to keep getting better. I really think we are going to take it to levels that we've not been to before.

"We are just going to keep pushing until we get to a point that we just can't imagine what is next."

Two of Kildunne's tries were relatively straightforward dot downs, with the third an instinctive finish from a kick-through.

When the whistle sounded for the start of the second half, Kildunne had no tries. By the 56th minute, her hand was above her head for yet another signature lasso celebration after a third score.

Kildunne made the most carries (16) and metres (145m) in the game, but it was her kicking game which stood out.

From tidy deft chip-kicks to cause havoc in the backfield to grubber-kicks to turn the Wales defence, Kildunne has widened her game to be more than just a lethal counter-attack runner.

"She is starting to serve the team in different ways and there are going to be times that teams take away the counter-attack from her," England head coach John Mitchell told BBC Two.

"She is world-class with that plan A [running it back], but she is going to have to adapt in 2025 as certain teams will not allow her to get ball.

"We have to use her in the right way."