The Boston Bruins recovered nicely from an ill-timed slump with four straight victories and look to add another when they visit the Western Conference-leading Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. The Bruins knocked off Florida 5-2 on Saturday afternoon with two goals from Patrice Bergeron and lead Tampa Bay by four points for the second wild-card spot in the East with four games to play while the Lightning have five left, including one in Boston on Tuesday.

The wind may have been taken out of the sails of the New York Islanders after seeing superstar John Tavares limp off the ice in their last contest. With their captain's status declared week-to-week because of a lower-body injury, the Islanders look to forge ahead and keep alive their flickering postseason hopes Sunday afternoon when they open a four-game road trip against the Buffalo Sabres.

St. Louis clinched a playoff spot with Friday's 2-1 shootout loss at Colorado and stretched its point streak to eight games (6-0-2), but there's much more to accomplish as the Blues host the Nashville Predators on Sunday afternoon in a key Central Division clash. The clubs each have 91 points after Nashville's 3-0 victory over Minnesota on Saturday, with St. Louis sitting third via the tiebreaker and the Predators needing one point to clinch a postseason berth.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have an opportunity to jump into second place in the Metropolitan Division, while the Carolina Hurricanes' chances of making the playoffs are fading fast. Carolina looks to make a quick recovery after suffering its first regulation loss since March 7 when it visits Pittsburgh on Sunday.

The slumping Minnesota Wild appear locked into a second-place finish in the Central Division, so they have the luxury of worrying only about working out the kinks over their final four games beginning with Sunday's contest against the visiting Colorado Avalanche. Minnesota cannot catch first-place Chicago and sits seven points ahead of St. Louis and Nashville, and meets the Blues or Predators - whoever finishes third - in the first round of the playoffs.

The Tampa Bay Lightning face a must-win game in their quest for an Eastern Conference playoff spot when they host the Dallas Stars on Sunday in the second contest of back-to-back sets for both teams. The Lightning lost 2-1 in overtime to Montreal on Saturday but earned a point in their fifth straight contest (4-0-1) and trail Boston by four for the second wild card with one game in hand.

Coach Barry Trotz dismissed the Washington Capitals' first-period performance as "junk" in their last outing, perhaps a result of being in the midst of a season-high five-game road trip that spans across all four time zones of the continental United States. Trotz and the jet-setting Capitals look to hit the ground running and inch closer to their second consecutive Presidents' Trophy on Sunday when they visit the second-place Columbus Blue Jackets in the finale of the season series.

The San Jose Sharks looked as though they would cruise to the Pacific Division crown midway through last month but a few weeks later are barely holding on to third place with four games left. The Sharks attempt to stop the bleeding during a puzzling 1-8-0 stretch when they visit the struggling Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night for the opener of a home-and-home set.

The Philadelphia Flyers have heated up as they make what likely is a futile run for a playoff berth, but they may have to continue with their third-string goaltender. Philadelphia could be without both Steve Mason and backup Michal Neuvirth on Sunday as they attempt to extend their winning streak to five games when they visit the New York Rangers.

The Anaheim Ducks look to reclaim first place in the Pacific Division while the Calgary Flames attempt to climb into third when they host the opener of a home-and-home set on Sunday. Calgary clinched a playoff berth with Friday's 5-2 triumph over San Jose and inched within one point of the Sharks for third in the division.

Los Angeles isn't dead yet as it hosts the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday, but the Kings face a tall task in order to avoid missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. Los Angeles won at Vancouver 2-0 on Friday for its second straight victory and needs to win its final five games while Nashville, which defeated Minnesota 3-0 on Saturday, must lose its last four contests in regulation.