Maple Leafs, Oilers, Lightning clinch playoff berths

The Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, and Tampa Bay Lightning clinched Stanley Cup Playoffs berths Friday.

Toronto did so after the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals lost. Tampa Bay secured its spot moments later following the Detroit Red Wings' defeat.

Edmonton clinched with a 6-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

The Maple Leafs make the postseason for the eighth straight year. It's their longest streak in 43 years.

The Lightning head back to the playoffs for the seventh campaign in a row. Tampa has made the Stanley Cup Final three times during this span, winning it twice.

The Oilers were 10 points out of a playoff spot at American Thanksgiving. Edmonton stormed back up the standings after hiring Kris Knoblauch as head coach on Nov. 12 to secure a playoff berth for the fifth straight season.

Toronto and Tampa Bay join the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, and Carolina Hurricanes as Eastern Conference teams to have clinched postseason berths.

Edmonton is the fifth Western Conference club to secure a playoff spot, joining the Dallas Stars, Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, and Vancouver Canucks.

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