Penguins locked into playoffs; Maple Leafs try to get there

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TORONTO — The Pittsburgh Penguins have settled their playoff status.

They defeated the New Jersey Devils on Thursday to clinch second place in the Metropolitan Division. They will play the Columbus Blue Jackets and have home-ice advantage in their first-round playoff series as they begin defense of the Stanley Cup championship.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have yet to lock down a playoff spot after losing the first two games of the four-game home stand that ends their regular season to the Washington Capitals and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Maple Leafs can clinch their first playoff berth in four years with a win over the Penguins on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre.

They also can clinch their place in the postseason by earning a total of two points in their final two games against the Penguins or the Blue Jackets on Sunday night.

“I think home ice is big for us,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “It’s important because we’ve had success at home (31-6-4). Securing home ice is a great accomplishment for our team and we’re encouraged by it.”

The Penguins (50-19-11) have 111 points, the second highest total in franchise history.

The Penguins are getting some injured players back in time for the playoffs. Defenseman Trevor Daley returned Thursday after missing 20 games with a knee injury.

Center Evgeni Malkin has been working toward a return from a shoulder injury that has put him out of the lineup since March 15. He could see some action this weekend as playoff preparation.

Defenseman Olli Maatta is close to returning from a hand injury.

The Penguins will be without defenseman Kris Letang, who is out four to six months with a herniated disk in his neck that will required surgery.

Sullivan is pleased with the way the younger players have contributed.

“Any time you get contributions throughout your lineup it increases your chances of winning games and I think it’s a sign of a real competitive hockey team,” Sullivan said. “I thought (our young players) were really good (Thursday). They brought energy once again for us. They’re establishing a forecheck and scoring big goals.”

After their loss to the Lightning on Thursday followed by the Lightning’s 4-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Friday, the Maple Leafs have 93 points and a one-point lead over Tampa Bay and a three-point lead over the New York Islanders.

The Lightning have one game left, Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres at home and must win while the Maple Leafs lose their final two games. The Islanders play the New Jersey Devils and the Ottawa Senators, respectively, Saturday and Sunday and cannot afford to lose either game.

The Maple Leafs (39-26-15) appeared to be tight in their loss Thursday and coach Mike Babcock felt it was affecting the team’s play.

“I thought it was (Thursday),” Babcock said after the game. “I didn’t think it was before. That’s why you get these opportunities, too, is so you can learn from it. This will be a good lesson for us and we’ll know because we had frustration on our bench and just in the way we played. We’ll know that. Once we cool down and wake up in the morning and come in and deal with that, we’ll get better.”

He said he was not concerned about how Pittsburgh might approach the game.

“We’ll fix this,” Babcock said. “We’ll look at ourselves totally and we’ll get ourselves right. It doesn’t matter what Pittsburgh does, we’ve got to get ourselves right to play and play like we normally do and don’t let the excitement of the moment or the energy of the moment or what we’re trying to do get in the way of who we are.”

“No one in here is dwelling on (Thursday) night,” Maple Leafs center Brian Boyle said Friday. “It was an opportunity but we have more opportunities to clinch.”

“Obviously, (Thursday) wasn’t one of our better games,” left winger James van Riemsdyk said. “At the same time, we still control our own fate and that’s a great thing. We’re just going to have to be ready to go and we’re going to be ready to go for Saturday.”