NHL clinching scenarios 2024: How does Tampa Bay Lightning's road to the playoffs look like?

The Tampa Bay Lightning is holding onto the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Confernece.

Tampa Bay was favored to make the playoffs this season, but after losing starting goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to begin the year, the Bolts had to overcome adversity.

The Lightning currently holds a commanding lead for a Wild Card spot and is looking to chase down the Toronto Maple Leafs for the third spot in the Atlantic.

Tampa Bay Lightning's playoff chances

The Tampa Bay Lightning enter play on April 1 with a 41-25-7 record as the Bolts have nine games left this season.

Tampa Bay is seven points up on the Philadelphia Flyers for the final Wild Card spot and nine points up on the Detroit Red Wings who are outside of a playoff spot.

The Lightning haven't officially clinched a playoff spot, but MoneyPucks indicate them having a 100% chance of making the postseason. Entering play on Monday, Tampa Bay also has a magic number of four, meaning if the Bolts win four more games they would clinch a playoff spot.

A key reason for the Lightning being in playoff contention is due to the play of Andrei Vasilevskiy after returning from an early-season injury.

“There's been a lot of buy-in here down the stretch of what we need to do to give us a chance to make the playoffs and it was really looking after our own end. You can see our goals against this last stretch has gone way down, so that's been a big part of it," head coach Jon Cooper said, via NHL.com.

"He's been the rock. Just watch tonight. When the Islanders really poured it on there in the second period, he had to make some big-time saves to give us the lead going into the third period. That's what you need from your guy. When the team breaks down in front of you, somebody's got to be there to clean up the mess and Vasy did that tonight.”

The Tampa Bay Lightning would be playing the New York Rangers in the first round of the NHL playoffs, if the current standings hold.