Here's how the final six playoff matchup will be determined

Going into Friday, only two of the eight matchups in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs have been confirmed. Those two matchups are Minnesota vs St. Louis (home ice advantage still up for grabs) and Edmonton vs Los Angeles.

Let's take a look at how the final six playoff matchups will be determined on Friday night.

The Tampa Bay Lightning will clinch the third seed in the Atlantic division and a first round matchup with Toronto:

- If they defeat the New York Islanders in any fashion.

OR

- If they get one point against the New York Islanders AND the Toronto Maple Leafs defeat the Boston Bruins in any fashion.

OR

- If the Toronto Maple Leafs defeat the Boston Bruins in regulation.

The Boston Bruins will clinch the third seed in the Atlantic division and a first round match up with Toronto:

- If they defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs in any fashion AND the New York Islanders defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning in any fashion.

OR

- If they get one point against the Toronto Maple Leafs AND the New York Islanders defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning in regulation.

The team who doesn't finish third in the Atlantic division will be the first wild card in the Eastern Conference and take on the Metropolitan division-leading Carolina Hurricanes.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will clinch the third seed in the Metropolitan division and a first round matchup with the New York Rangers:

- If they get at least one point against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

OR

- The New York Rangers defeat the Washington Capitals in any fashion.

The Washington Capitals will clinch the third seed in the Metropolitan division and a first round matchup with the New York Rangers:

- If they defeat the New York Rangers in any fashion and the Columbus Blue Jackets defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in regulation.

The team who doesn't finish third in the Metropolitan division will be the second wild card in the Eastern Conference and take on the Atlantic-division leading Florida Panthers.

The Minnesota Wild will clinch the second seed in the Central division:

- If they get at least one point against the Colorado Avalanche.

OR

- If the Vegas Golden Knights defeat the St. Louis Blues in any fashion.

The St. Louis Blues will clinch the second seed in the Central division:

- If they defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in any fashion AND the Colorado Avalanche defeat the Minnesota Wild in regulation.

The Nashville Predators will clinch the first wild card spot in the Western Conference and a matchup with the Calgary Flames:

- If they get at least one point against the Arizona Coyotes

OR

- The Anaheim Ducks defeat the Dallas Stars in any fashion.

The Dallas Stars will clinch the first wild card spot in the Western Conference and a matchup with the Calgary Flames:

- If they defeat the Anaheim Ducks in any fashion AND the Arizona Coyotes defeat the Nashville Predators in regulation.

Whoever doesn't finish in the first wild card spot will be in the second wild card spot and faceoff against the Colorado Avalanche.

Fifteen games are on the schedule for Friday, which will be the regular season finale for most teams. The NHL schedule was originally set to end today, but due to weather concerns earlier this month, the league shifted Winnipeg's home game against Seattle from Wednesday, April 13th to Sunday, May 1st.

Source: theScore.

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