What tonight means for the Pittsburgh Penguins' playoff race
The Pittsburgh Penguins are 3-6-1, 7 points with a magic number of 149 and a tragic number of 146 — chasing Buffalo Sabres for a wild card spot.
Nothing is decided for a playoff berth tonight.
Playoff berth
Nothing is decided for a playoff berth tonight.
The Pittsburgh Penguins can't be eliminated tonight; the tragic number is 146 and tonight's games can't bring it to zero.
The Pittsburgh Penguins can't clinch a playoff berth tonight — the magic number is 149 points, more than tonight's games can take off it. The earliest it could happen is 38 games from now.
Games that matter tonight
- Colorado Avalanche at New Jersey Devils
- Detroit Red Wings at Seattle Kraken
- Toronto Maple Leafs at Columbus Blue Jackets
- Anaheim Ducks at New York Islanders
- San Jose Sharks at Montréal Canadiens
4 other NHL games with a smaller bearing on this race were left out of the enumeration, so a path that depends on one of them isn't listed. Every path shown is a real guarantee.
Every combination of these results (0 in all) was checked with the same conservative math as the standings page, so each path listed is a mathematical guarantee — no tiebreaker assumptions in your favor. Want the result-by-result version? The rooting guide on the team page shows what each game does to the numbers.
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Frequently asked questions
How can the Pittsburgh Penguins clinch a playoff spot tonight?
The Pittsburgh Penguins can't clinch a playoff berth tonight — the magic number is 149 points, more than tonight's games can take off it. The earliest it could happen is 38 games from now.
Can the Pittsburgh Penguins be eliminated tonight?
The Pittsburgh Penguins can't be eliminated tonight; the tragic number is 146 and tonight's games can't bring it to zero.
What is the Pittsburgh Penguins magic number right now?
The Pittsburgh Penguins magic number is 149 and their tragic number is 146.
How are these scenarios calculated?
Every combination of results in the NHL games that bear on the race tonight is enumerated, and the magic and tragic numbers are recomputed in each one with the same conservative math as the standings page. The paths listed are the minimal sets of results that guarantee the outcome no matter how the other games end.