NHL playoff standings: A must-win for the Penguins?

The Sidney Crosby era of Pittsburgh Penguins hockey has been synonymous with success. The Pens missed the playoffs in Sid's rookie campaign of 2005-06 but have made it every season since, a streak of 16 straight springs with playoff hockey in Western PA. That run has included three Stanley Cups and one loss in the Stanley Cup Final.

Could the streak be coming to an end this season?

The Penguins enter today's game against the Boston Bruins (3 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+) one point ahead of the Florida Panthers with a game in hand, but four points behind Matthew Tkachuk & Co. in the regulation wins column.

After the matchup with the Presidents' Trophy winners, the Penguins take on the Philadelphia Flyers (who are not great but always play the Penguins tough), followed by the playoff-bound New Jersey Devils and Minnesota Wild. Thereafter, the final trio of contests does get a bit easier, with the lottery-bound Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets on the docket to close out the season.

For comparison, the Panthers take on the Blue Jackets tonight, followed by three lottery teams (Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals), before closing out against the playoff-bound Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes.

Although today's games are not must-wins for either club, the points have become all too important to squander as the final matchups are played. As it stands now, the Penguins have a 66% chance of making the playoffs, per FiveThirtyEight's model, compared with 38% for the Panthers.

Today's clinching scenarios

1. The Edmonton Oilers clinch a playoff spot if they get at least one point vs. the Anaheim Ducks, or if the Nashville Predators lose to the St. Louis Blues in any fashion.

2. The