theScore's new series, "The Noise," is published every Monday. It kicks off each week with a quick look at five teams or players making headlines, good or bad.
Battling in the Pacific
A busy weekend saw 26 games spread over three days, with two of those contests coming as the Anaheim Ducks toured through Alberta.
Picking up a point in an overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers before capturing a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames a night later, the Ducks have secured points in 11 straight contests (8-0-3), leaving just three points on the table in the process.
That performance has pushed the Ducks to the top of the Pacific, where their 99 points stands two ahead of the Oilers. A division win would mark five in a row for Anaheim.
Better yet? Saturday saw the return of starter John Gibson, who has been limited to one game since mid-February due to a complicated lower-body injury. Gibson turned aside 34 of 37 shots against Edmonton.
Weekend at Bergeron's
A pair of weekend wins will likely see the Boston Bruins avoid three straight playoff misses, as Boston captured key wins over the Florida Panthers and the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Bruins missed the playoffs the past two campaigns, and have only missed three straight once in franchise history - an eight-year drought from 1960-68. But it does't appear the Bruins will be on the outside this spring.
In a tight divisional race, the Bruins sit second in the Atlantic with 92 points, with three games left on the season. Credit center Patrice Bergeron, who was the team's most valuable player on Saturday and Sunday, leading the way with two goals.
Rewriting the record books
The Toronto Maple Leafs appear playoff bound, and can thank the kids for that. The trio of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander all scored in Saturday's crucial 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings, marking just the second time this season all three have tallied in the same contest.
Matthews scored twice, pushing his total to 38 on the year to tie Peter Ihnacak for the franchise record for goals by a freshman. How does Matthews stack up all-time? Just 19 players in league history have scored more in their first season. Matthews will have the chance for goal No. 39 Monday against the Buffalo Sabres.
As for the Maple Leafs, the squad has five games remaining and sits third in the Atlantic with 91 points. Toronto last made the postseason in 2013, while an appearance this spring would mark just their second in the past 12 seasons.
Phenomenal point streak
A three-point outing for Connor McDavid against the Ducks on Saturday pushed the Oilers captain to 94 points on the season, as he now carries a seven-point lead on Patrick Kane for the top spot in the scoring race.
Saturday's performance extended McDavid's point streak to 10 games, a stretch that has seen the phenom put up six goals and 13 assists. Even more impressive? Teammate Leon Draisaitl has been nearly as dominant over the same stretch, with 18 points to his credit.
The Art Ross may not be the only hardware McDavid takes home this season. Already clinching a postseason berth, the Oilers will make their first playoff appearance since 2006, snapping a 10-year drought. Returning the Oilers to relevancy should put McDavid in the conversation for Hart Trophy honors as well.
Late surge in Tampa
A last minute playoff bid by the Tampa Bay Lightning could soon become even more interesting with captain Steven Stamkos on the verge of returning to the lineup.
Stamkos has been sidelined for the past four months following a devastating knee injury, and his return could be the perfect boost to push the Lightning into the playoff picture. Tampa Bay sits three points back of the Ottawa Senators for the East's second wild-card seed.
The Lightning helped themselves by capturing three of four points over the weekend, grabbing a point Saturday in an overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens, followed up by a 6-3 smashing of the Dallas Stars on Sunday. The team is back in action Tuesday against the Bruins, and may have Stamkos in the mix. Still, the Lightning will have their work cut out for them, with just four games remaining and a three-point gap to make up.
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