The Pittsburgh Penguins have their destiny in their own hands tonight. A victory over the already-eliminated New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center is the simplest and most direct path to officially clinching a spot in the NHL postseason.

However, the hockey gods have provided a few safety nets. If the Penguins manage only a single point in an overtime or shootout loss, they can still secure their berth with a little help from Buffalo. A Sabres win of any kind over the Columbus Blue Jackets would do the trick in that scenario.

Even in the event of a regulation loss to the Devils, hope remains alive. The Penguins could still punch their ticket if two other results fall their way: a Buffalo regulation win over Columbus combined with a Toronto Maple Leafs victory (of any kind) over the New York Islanders. This combination of outcomes would eliminate any mathematical possibility of Pittsburgh missing the playoffs.

With just four games remaining in their regular season, tonight represents a golden opportunity for the Penguins to lock down their playoff position and shift their full focus to the intensity of the Stanley Cup chase.