NHL playoff watch: Capitals-Red Wings is Tuesday's key game - ESPN

All 16 teams in the NHL's Eastern Conference will have completed their 82-game seasons by the end of April 17. At that time — and perhaps not a moment earlier — we will officially know the identities of the eight Eastern clubs moving on to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Eight of Tuesday's 13 games include Eastern teams, and no game is more vital to the race for the second wild-card spot than Washington Capitals-Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Entering the game, the Red Wings are in possession of the second wild card, with 84 points and 27 regulation wins through 77 games. The Capitals are right behind, with 83 points and 28 regulation wins through 77 games. The stakes for these two clubs are obvious: Getting two points — and better yet, another regulation win — is the goal, and denying the opponent those same things is critical as well.

But what about the other teams in the mix for that spot?

The Pittsburgh Penguins are idle after losing in overtime to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday; they have 84 points and 31 regulation wins through 78 games.

The Philadelphia Flyers visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+), and they are at 83 points and 28 regulation wins through 78 games.

In the mathematically still alive section, we have the New Jersey Devils (79 points, 32 RW), who host the Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+); and the Buffalo Sabres (79 points, 31 RW), who are visiting the Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+).

Ahead of all of these teams is the Metropolitan Division's third seed, the New York Islanders (85 points, 26 RW), who skate against the New York Rangers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, NHL Power Play on ESPN+).

As we traverse the final stretch of