NHL clinching scenarios 2024: How does Pittsburgh Penguins' road to the playoffs look like?

Pittsburgh Penguins were unable to secure two points in their quest to secure a wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference, after a 6-4 loss to the Boston Bruins.

The Penguins are hoping to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2022, missing out on the postseason last season.

Penguins play the Nashville Predators next who have already clinched a playoff berth from the Western Conference. Currently, multiple sides are in the hunt for the final wildcard spot up for grabs in the Eastern Conference.

As things stand, with 87 points each, the Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings, and Philadelphia Flyers are all one point ahead of the Penguins. The only separation between the three is the extra game in-hand that the Capitals and Red Wings have over the Flyers.

With just two games left in the regular season, the clash against the Predators is a must win for the Penguins. A defeat in regulation would mathematically rule them out of contention for this season's playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins playoff odds

Pittsburgh's final two games feature matchups against the Western Conference's top team, the Nashville Predators. Then, their season wraps up on April 17 against the New York Islanders, who currently occupy the final wildcard spot in the East.

Winning against the Predators in either regulation or overtime will hugely boost their Penguins' chances of making the playoffs (41.7%). However, a loss in regulation would put them out of the equation altogether. An OT loss would also significantly hamper their chances of making the playoffs (23.2%).

After appearing in the Stanley Cup playoffs for 16 seasons, the Penguins missed the postseason in 2022-23, the second time in Sidney Crosby's career that he did not have a shot at winning a championship.

Even though the future Hall of Famer has already won three Stanley Cup titles, every player's goal is to play in the final game of the season and hoist the Silver Chalice.

This season, Crosby has recorded a point-per-game average for the 19th time in his career, further solidifying his place among the greatest of all-time. However, outside of his 90 points, the rest of the team around him has played subpar, leading to Jake Guentzel getting traded at the deadline.