NHL playoff series set as Ducks win Pacific, will face Flames

The NHL playoff picture with the regular season ending Sunday:
EAST: The Toronto Maple Leafs’ loss to Columbus sends them to Washington to face the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Capitals on the brutal Metropolitan Division side of the draw. It also means the Boston Bruins travel to Ottawa to open against the Senators. The Atlantic Division-champion Montreal Canadiens have home-ice advantage against the New York Rangers. The defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins have home ice against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
WEST: By winning their regular-season finale, the Anaheim Ducks clinched their fifth consecutive Pacific Division title and will meet the wild-card Calgary Flames. The Central Division champion Chicago Blackhawks open against the wild-card Nashville Predators, and the Minnesota Wild have home-ice advantage against former coach Mike Yeo and the St. Louis Blues. The Edmonton Oilers open with home ice against the defending Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks.
WHAT TO WATCH
– The NHL is expected to announce the first-round schedule once all games are completed Sunday night. The playoffs begin Wednesday.
– Alex Ovechkin and the old-gun Capitals play Game 1 against Auston Matthews and the young-gun Maple Leafs on Thursday in Washington. Game 2 is Saturday.
LOOSE PUCKS
Nine of the 16 playoff teams have a different coach than the one they began last season with: the Canadiens (Claude Julien), Senators (Guy Boucher), Penguins (Mike Sullivan), Blue Jackets (John Tortorella), Bruins (Bruce Cassidy), Wild (Bruce Boudreau), Blues (Mike Yeo), Ducks (Randy Carlyle) and Flames (Glen Gulutzan). Four of the past 11 Cup champions made an in-season coaching change. Montreal, Boston and St. Louis are the three teams in this year to do that. … Connor McDavid reached 100 points in the Oilers’ regular-season finale, the 28th 100-point season by a player since 2005-06. … The Capitals and Maple Leafs have never met in a playoff series. … Boston rookie defenseman Brandon Carlo left the team’s loss to the Capitals on Saturday after being injured on a hit by Ovechkin.