It might seem like the NHL's wild-card races are providing the only real drama down the stretch, but there's still plenty of uncertainty in the Eastern Conference.

Six teams are separated by only four points, from the fourth-ranked Tampa Bay Lightning to the Detroit Red Wings, who are trying to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time in 25 years.

(Courtesy: NHL.com)

The Pittsburgh Penguins' six-game win streak vaulted them into the top three in the Metropolitan Division, while the Boston Bruins' five-game losing skid put the Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers within striking distance of third in the Atlantic.

The Bruins are at a disadvantage, having played more games than any of the other teams in the postseason hunt.

The Flyers, who've won seven of their last 10, are peaking at the perfect time and still have games in hand on many of their rivals.

If tiebreakers are necessary, the Lightning should be in good shape with a comfortable edge in the regulation-or-overtime-wins department.

While the battle for the final playoff spot is the most compelling storyline in the East, the actual matchups are still up in the air.

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