Rangers book NHL play-off spot, Ducks down Bruins

Chris Kreider - Cropped

The New York Rangers were the first team to guarantee their spot in the NHL play-offs this season, after their 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.

The runaway Metropolitan leaders, and Presidents' Trophy fancies, sewed up their spot in the Stanley Cup play-offs with nine regular season matches to spare.

The first 12 minutes of Rangers' trip to the Canadian Tire Centre went goalless, but the game exploded to life with four in the space of seven minutes.

Chris Kreider struck twice in the opening stanza, assisted on both occasions by Derek Stepan, while Kreider himself assisted Dan Boyle after Curtis Lazar had equalised 19 seconds after Kreider's opener.

Goals to Mats Zuccarello and Tanner Glass helped seal Rangers' win, taking them to 101 points - and kept them on track for a second divisional title in four seasons.

The Anaheim Ducks moved level with the league-leading Rangers on 101 points, although the former have played three more games than their rivals - most recently downing the Boston Bruins 3-2 in overtime.

Climbing back into the lead in the Central division were the Nashville Predators, who reached 100 points after edging the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2.

Atlantic pace-setters the Montreal Canadiens could not capitalise on the Lightning's loss, also going down at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets 5-2.

The Canadiens (100) are one point clear of the Lightning.

Two five-goal periods highlighted the San Jose Sharks' 6-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings, with the second period goalless amid the frantic start and finish.

The Colorado Avalanche downed the Vancouver Canucks 4-1, the Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs by the same scoreline, while the Carolina Hurricanes were buoyed by captain Eric Staal (one goal, two assists) as they beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2.

The Los Angeles Kings beat the New York Islanders 3-2, the Arizona Coyotes celebrated a 4-3 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres and the Washington Capitals also needed the extra period to see off the New Jersey Devils 3-2.

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