The Buffalo Sabres, who last qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2011, set an NHL record for most consecutive seasons without a postseason appearance after being eliminated from contention on Wednesday night.

The Sabres were mathematically eliminated with the Washington Capitals' victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, extending the Sabres' futility streak to 11 straight seasons.

Buffalo's most recent playoff appearance -- a quarterfinal elimination to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2011 -- happened roughly two months after owner Terry Pegula purchased the team. Buffalo has yet to return to the postseason under his ownership.

The Sabres had been tied with the Florida Panthers (2001-11) and the Edmonton Oilers (2007-16) for the most consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance. They surpassed the Panthers on a technicality: Both teams didn't appear in the playoffs for 11 straight years, but Florida's streak was only 10 consecutive seasons due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout, which canceled that season.

The Sabres' streak includes the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, which were expanded from 16 to 24 teams due to the COVID-19 pandemic's interruption of the regular season. Buffalo was the 13th-best team in the Eastern Conference that season, missing the cut.

Buffalo is now tied for the third longest postseason drought in the four major sports. They trail the MLB's Seattle Mariners (20 seasons) and NBA's Sacramento Kings (16 seasons) and are tied with the NFL's New York Jets (11 seasons).

When they're officially eliminated, the Detroit Red Wings will have the second-longest current NHL playoff drought at six consecutive seasons.

The Sabres' playoff elimination comes at a time when the team is finally climbing the standings. Since March 1, Buffalo has the eighth-best record in the NHL (10-4-3).

"Our guys are showing progress, and that's what we wanted from Day 1," coach Don Granato said after Tuesday's win over the Carolina Hurricanes. "We need to get better. I'm not going to worry about winning. As some point, we're going to win more consistently because we got better."

TORONTO -- Niagara IceDogs general manager Joey Burke and head coach Billy Burke have been indefinitely suspended by the Ontario Hockey League after an investigation into comments made in a group chat.

The OHL said the two men and the team have been fined a combined total of $150,000. The team is based in St. Catharines, Ontario.

The league said the investigation was launched after it received transcripts of a March 6 WhatsApp conversation.

The OHL did not provide details but said Wednesday that the conduct of Joey and Billy Burke violated the league's harassment and abuse/diversity policy and ran counter to its Onside program, which the OHL says "emphasizes the importance of demonstrating respect for women through actions and words."

The league said Joey and Billy Burke will have the opportunity to apply for reinstatement no sooner than June 1, provided they successfully complete counselling and education. The men, who are brothers, are also minority owners of the team.

Last month, the OHL kicked Flint Firebirds president of hockey operations Terry Christensen out of the league for "conduct that is prejudicial to the welfare of the league" and cited remarks he made that violated the harassment policy.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Sharks general manager Doug Wilson is stepping down after 19 seasons on the job.

The team announced Thursday that Joe Will remains interim general manager until a full-time replacement can be found. Will has been running the team's hockey operations since Wilson went on medical leave in late November.

"While I have made great progress over the last several months, I feel it is in the best interest of the organization and myself to step down from my current duties and focus on my health and full recovery," Wilson said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing my career in the NHL in the future."

Team owner Hasso Plattner said there will be an extensive search for the next general manager. Plattner, Will and team president Jonathan Becher will oversee that search, which could extend into the offseason.

San Jose made the playoffs 14 times with Wilson in charge and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. Only Pittsburgh and Boston won more regular-season games than the Sharks during Wilson's tenure.

"Doug and his staff produced remarkable results over a span that very few NHL teams can match," Plattner said.

Wilson, 64, played for the Sharks in their inaugural season in 1991-92. The longtime NHL defenseman, who won the Norris Trophy in 1981-82, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last year.

For months, the top two spots in the Eastern Conference have seemed like foregone conclusions: the Florida Panthers have been the cream of the Atlantic Division crop, while the Carolina Hurricanes have maintained position atop the Metro. At the vaunted "22 days remaining" mark of the regular season, the Panthers appear well on their way to cinching things up. The Canes? Not so much.

Carolina has gone 4-3-3 over its past 10 games, including a regulation loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday; granted, the Sabres have been a feisty bunch of late, but the Canes were a -290 favorite heading into the contest, per Caesars Sportsbook. That followed a stretch of 16 games in which the club went 5-5-3 in its 13 games against likely playoff teams.

So tonight's a big night for Sebastian Aho & Co. to get back on track, in a rematch against the Sabres (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and Hulu). The good news is that their remaining schedule is on the lighter side, with only three out of 12 games against likely playoff teams; the bad news is that two of those three are against the New York Rangers, who are two points behind them in the standings and on a heater, going 9-3-1 in their past 13. The division title appears to be Carolina's for the winning; the Canes will just have to start doing more of that in the coming days.

As we enter the final stretch of the 2021-22 regular season, it's time to check in on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2022 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight. Tragic numbers are courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today's games
Last night's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Boston Bruins
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning
M2 New York Rangers vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Dallas Stars
C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 St. Louis Blues
P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Nashville Predators
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

Tonight's games

Note: All times Eastern. All out-of-market games available on ESPN+

Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m.
Nashville Predators at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m.
Buffalo Sabres at Carolina Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m.
Seattle Kraken at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Dallas Stars, 8:30 p.m.
Vancouver Canucks at Arizona Coyotes, 10 p.m.
Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m.
Calgary Flames at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.

Last night's scoreboard

Watch In the Crease on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.

Washington Capitals 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 3
Detroit Red Wings 3, Winnipeg Jets 1
St. Louis Blues 4, Seattle Kraken 1
Vancouver Canucks 5, Vegas Golden Knights 1
Calgary Flames 4, Anaheim Ducks 2

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

x - Florida Panthers

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. BUF (Friday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 12
Next game: @ DAL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Boston Bruins

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 12
Next game: @ TB (Friday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. BOS (Friday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. CBJ (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 1

e - Buffalo Sabres

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: @ CAR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Ottawa Senators

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. NSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Montreal Canadiens

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 13
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: @ NJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Metropolitan Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 39
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. BUF (Thursday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Rangers

Points: 96
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. PIT (Thursday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 11
Next game: @ NYR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Washington Capitals

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 12
Next game: @ PIT (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 99%
Tragic number: N/A

New York Islanders

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: @ CAR (Friday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 13

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. PHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 8

e - Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 55
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: @ CBJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - New Jersey Devils

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. MTL (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Central Division

x - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 106
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 12
Next game: @ WPG (Friday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 91
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 13
Next game: @ STL (Friday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. MIN (Friday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 84
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 13
Next game: @ OTT (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 94%
Tragic number: N/A

Dallas Stars

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. TOR (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 88%
Tragic number: N/A

Winnipeg Jets

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: vs. COL (Friday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 15

Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 15
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. SEA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 1

e - Arizona Coyotes

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: vs. VAN (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

Calgary Flames

Points: 93
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 12
Next game: @ SJ (Thursday)
Playoff chances: >99%
Tragic number: N/A

Edmonton Oilers

Points: 87
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 11
Next game: @ LA (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 93%
Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 86
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. EDM (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 81%
Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: vs. ARI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 41%
Tragic number: 19

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 11
Next game: @ ARI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 3%
Tragic number: 15

Anaheim Ducks

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 10
Next game: @ PHI (Saturday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 5

San Jose Sharks

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 13
Next game: vs. CGY (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 1%
Tragic number: 10

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 19
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 12
Next game: @ CHI (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order at the top of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team may move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here.

1. Montreal Canadiens

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 13

2. Arizona Coyotes

Points: 49
Regulation wins: 16

3. Seattle Kraken

Points: 50
Regulation wins: 19

4. New Jersey Devils

Points: 54
Regulation wins: 16

5. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 55
Regulation wins: 17

6. Ottawa Senators

Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22

7. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 15

8. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20

9. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 65
Regulation wins: 17

10. San Jose Sharks

Points: 67
Regulation wins: 20

11. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 68
Regulation wins: 19

12. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 72
Regulation wins: 23

13. New York Islanders

Points: 73
Regulation wins: 30

14. Winnipeg Jets

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 26

15. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 27

16. Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 31

Leonardo DiCaprio's character in "The Quick and the Dead" once pondered if it was "possible to improve on perfection" after outdrawing a fellow duelist in the town square. I think about that quote often. Not just because it deserves placement in the pantheon over "are you not entertained?!" as an all-time cinematic swagger line, but because it's applicable to my struggle with the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The NHL postseason is perfect. Four brutal rounds whose victor wins a battle of attrition, having earned the right to have their names forever etched onto sports' holiest of grails. We can quibble about the details -- they could call a few more penalties, especially in those marathon overtimes -- but, functionally, the Stanley Cup playoffs are the greatest tournament in professional team sports.

But to answer Leo's query: Yes, it's possible to improve on perfection.

I've banged the drum for years on playoff expansion -- it's nonsensical to have half the league miss the postseason. But even if there isn't an appetite for the kinds of play-in games from which the NBA and MLB are currently minting money, there are other ways to innovate the playoffs.

Like scrapping the conference format, for example. Granted, seeding teams 1-through-16 might be too radical for the NHL, and it doesn't feed into the league's stated desire to have as many rivalry matchups in the postseason as possible. I get that. But reseeding the final four teams, as the league did last season during its COVID-impacted realignment, makes too much sense. The teams were seeded by their standings points percentages, which gave the regular season extra credence. The reshuffling of the final four also allows for traditional and geographic rivals to play for the Stanley Cup -- imagine those Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche blood-feud series with the Cup on the line, rather than the chance to play for it?

Alas, the NHL chose not to move ahead with "conference finals" reseeding. It's East vs. West this postseason, once again.

Fret not, playoff progressives. Maybe our day will come. For now, we'll just have to settle for watching this chaotic and hypnotic tournament captivate us for the next two months.

Here are 50 potential 2022 Stanley Cup Final matchups, organized into our hype tiers. With the Western Conference playoff seeds yet to be settled, we included any team that has a better than 50% chance of making the cut. Please note that these matchups assume teams are at the height of their powers, and do not take into account recent results.

Let's start with the DiCaprio of playoff tiers...

There is plenty to discuss relating to the 86th Masters Tournament, from course changes to Tiger Woods' chances. In this Golf Central Podcast presented by Callaway Golf, senior writers Ryan Lavner and Rex Hoggard cover those areas and more.

But what's a Lavner and Hoggard podcast without talking food? Privy to all the sandwiches for free in the press building, they rank their favorite Masters foods.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – While no one could confirm nor deny that Jordan Spieth had to be carted off after eating too much at the Masters Champions Dinner on Tuesday night, Jack Nicklaus did offer his take on the evening’s events.

“I thought that we probably had the best dinner that we've ever had,” Nicklaus said, “and not so much from the standpoint of food … I think the food was probably the best we ever had, too. But it wasn't from that standpoint, it was the standpoint that it got us talking.”

With all but three possible past champions (Jackie Burke, Angel Cabrera and Phil Mickelson) in attendance, Nicklaus was pressed during the dinner by Tom Watson to share his personal experiences playing the second nine during Nicklaus’ historic Masters victory in 1986.

“Fifteen minutes later, shot by shot,” Watson chimed in. “Actually, he said, ‘Do you want me to go shot by shot?’ I said, ‘Hell yes, I want you to go shot by shot.’”

Added Nicklaus: “Shot by shot, yard by yard.”

“I was looking around the table,” Watson continued. “The guys at the table were just – they wanted to hear because everybody at that table had been in that position before, winning the tournament, and you could understand they wanted to hear the inside, what Jack was thinking inside as he played the last nine holes.”

Though Nicklaus had his fellow champions captivated, the star of the night was arguably the defending champ himself, Hideki Matsuyama, who impressed all by giving a three-minute speech, all in English and without using notes.

“I was watching him before sitting in the middle between Ben Crenshaw and Chairman [Fred] Ridley, and he was sitting there with his eyes like this and his hands were moving, and I could tell he was very nervous,” Watson said. “He made the speech. He didn't miss a beat. He didn't miss a word. After the speech was over, he goes, ‘Whew,’ like that. Simultaneously, everybody got up to give him a standing ovation … because we really appreciated the effort that he put in to go three minutes in English when he had a hard time doing it.”

And then, Nicklaus added, “Gary [Player] responded in Japanese, and I thought that was terrific. I have no idea what Gary said, but that's all right.”

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Paul Casey withdrew from the Masters before he teed off for the opening round at Augusta National Golf Club with ongoing back issues.

“The back issues are persistent and thus preventing me from being able to compete,” Casey said on social media. “I shall now focus on my treatment and recovery so I can return to competitive form as soon as possible.”

Casey struggled with back issues in his last start at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. He conceded his first match in pool play at Austin Country Club after just two holes and never teed off for his second- and third-day matches.

This would have been the Englishman’s 16^th start at the Masters, where he’s posted five top-10 finishes. There is no alternate list at the Masters and Casey’s withdrawal leaves the field with 90 players.

After four consecutive pars to start his Masters Tournament, Tiger Woods thought he had birdied the par-4 fifth hole. His 15-foot putt looked great and Woods started to walk it in, but it lipped out hard on the right edge. Five holes, five pars, but a great start in his first official event since the final round of the 2020 Masters, 508 days ago.

Woods, however, wouldn't have to wait much longer for that first birdie. At the 186-yard, par-3 sixth, Woods hit his tee shot to 2 feet.

The tap-in birdie moved Woods to 1 under par, one off the lead at the time.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said a victory for his team at Manchester City on Sunday would not mean the Premier League title is theirs and that the club must focus on winning all of their remaining games to ensure success.

The match in Manchester is being billed by many as a title decider, with a City win giving them a four-point lead with seven games to go while Liverpool would overtake their rivals by two points with a victory.

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"If you win against City, which is already difficult enough, I think nobody would think, 'OK, that's it decided' because of the quality of the opponent," Klopp told reporters.

"Everybody knows about the importance of the next game, but after this game there will be other games in other competitions but in the Premier League as well."

Liverpool prepared for the clash with an important 3-1 win over Benfica in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Tuesday, while Pep Guardiola's side overcame Atletico Madrid on the same night.

City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne said there would still be so much to play for regardless of Sunday's result.

"As a player you want to win games and trophies and if you want to do that then you need to win these big games," he told the club's official website. "But if you win, draw or lose, there is still a lot to play for."

De Bruyne's teammate John Stones also warned Liverpool that City hold an edge in the race after they beat Liverpool to the title in the 2018-19 campaign.