Lightning, Sabres, and Canadiens Are Still Fighting For Atlantic Crown and It Gets Wild Monday Night

The Tampa Bay Lightning, Buffalo Sabres, and Montreal Canadiens all punched their playoff tickets over the weekend, and now the real fight is on: which one of these three takes home the Atlantic Division title? After Sunday's games, the Lightning are sitting pretty in first with 102 points and 39 regulation wins through 76 games. The Sabres are right on their heels in second with 100 points and 38 regulation wins through 77 games. The Canadiens round out the top three, also with 100 points but only 32 regulation wins through 77 games.

Here's the thing that matters most right now: every single one of these teams still has a real shot at the regular season crown. The projections from Stathletes give the Lightning the edge, expecting them to finish with 109.5 points, followed by the Canadiens at 107.4 and the Sabres at 105.7. But with seven or fewer games left for each team before the regular season wraps on April 16, nothing is locked in yet.

Monday's Matchup Between Lightning and Sabres Is Must-Watch Hockey

The Lightning head to Buffalo on Monday night at 7 p.m. ET on NHL Network for what will be the final regular season meeting between these two Atlantic powers. You might remember their last game: Buffalo won 8-7 in an absolute circus that featured 102 combined penalty minutes. Expect more fireworks.

What's Left on the Schedule Could Decide Everything

Buffalo's remaining slate includes games against the Rangers, Blue Jackets, Blackhawks, and Stars. Two of those teams are headed for the lottery, one is on the playoff bubble, and one might already know their playoff seeding by the time they face the Sabres.

After Monday, the Lightning face the Canadiens again on Thursday, then close out their schedule with the Senators, Bruins, Red Wings, and Rangers. That's three more matchups against playoff teams, one against a bubble team, and a finale against a lottery-bound squad. The Canadiens draw the Panthers, Blue Jackets, Islanders, and Flyers on top of that Lightning rematch. It's tougher than Buffalo's remaining road, but not quite as brutal as what Tampa faces.

The stretch run starts tonight. These three teams are separated by points you can count on one hand, and every single game matters now.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.