Over the final three weeks of the season, the race to watch is atop the Metropolitan Division standings.

What happened Sunday?

With a win over New Jersey, the Columbus Blue Jackets earned their 100th point of the season, and not only matched the Washington Capitals for first in the Metro and the NHL as a whole, but also became the second team to clinch a playoff spot.

Not to be outdone, the Pittsburgh Penguins benefited from a natural hat trick by Sidney Crosby to beat Florida, climbing within one point of both Washington and Columbus.

All three teams, therefore, are in the running for first in the Metro, as well as the Presidents' Trophy as the league's best team in the regular season (the Blackhawks, with 97 points, are the next-best club).

Finishing first in the Metro, however, matters on a much deeper level.

What's at stake?

Based on the NHL's current playoff format, the team that finishes first in the Eastern Conference - which, at this point, will definitely come from the Metro - would be matched up with the second wild-card team in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Meanwhile, the second- and third-place teams in the Metro - and quite possibly the NHL - would meet, with the loser facing the harsh reality of getting bounced in the first round despite one of the league's best regular-season records.

As of Sunday ev, here's a look at the relevant matchups:

• Washington (46-17-8, 100 points) vs. Toronto (32-23-15, 79 points)
• Columbus (47-18-6, 100 points) vs. Pittsburgh (45-17-9, 99 points)

With all due respect to the Maple Leafs and what they've achieved this season, that's a steep drop in quality of opponent for the first-place team.

Washington, Columbus, and Pittsburgh all have 11 games remaining on the schedule. Don't expect any of them to coast into the playoffs when a point or two could mean the difference between a long playoff run with home-ice advantage and an early postseason exit.

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NEWARK, N.J. - Lukas Sedlak and Brandon Dubinsky scored on penalty shots and the Columbus Blue Jackets clinched their third playoff berth in franchise history with a 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

This was only the third time in NHL history that a team scored twice in a game on penalty shots. Thomas Gradin and Ivan Hlinka of Vancouver did it against Detroit in 1982, and Ryane Clowe and Joe Thornton of San Jose converted against Washington in 2009.

The win was the fourth straight for the Blue Jackets, gave them their first 100-point season and moved them into a tie with Washington for the NHL's best record with 11 games left. Columbus, which joined the league in 2000, last made the playoffs in 2014.

Boone Jenner added two goals, one short-handed and the other into an empty net. Sergei Bobrovsky made 35 saves for Columbus, which is 12-3-1 in its last 16 games.

Adam Henrique scored for the Devils, whose season is all but over after falling to 1-10-2 in its last 13.

Columbus, which was its second game in as many days, jumped to a 2-0 lead with a pair of short-handed goals on the Devils' first two power plays.

Sedlak, who was in the lineup because Alexander Wennberg was hurt on Saturday against the Islanders, was taken down by Devils defenseman Andy Greene on a breakaway a minute after Josh Anderson was sent off for tripping.

On his penalty shot, Sedlak skated to the edge of the right circle, cut toward the middle and beat Cory Schneider with a low shot to the left corner for his seventh goal.

With Matt Calvert off for tripping, Jenner outworked three Devils behind the net to gain control of the puck and eventually knocked the rebound of Jack Johnson's shot off Schneider at 10:23 for his 15th goal.

Henrique got the Devils back into the game just seven seconds later, breaking in after taking a pass from Pavel Zacha and sliding the puck between the legs of Bobrovsky.

Dubinsky converted the second penalty shot at 6:28 of the second period after Anderson was taken down on a breakaway by Dalton Prout. Anderson was hurt on the play and there was some confusion about who would take the shot.

Columbus coach John Tortorella initially sent out Sam Gagner to take it, but the officials ruled that he was not on the ice at the time of the penalty. Dubinsky took it, beating Schneider high to the left corner with a move similar to the one by Sedlak.

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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby went to work on Sunday with the Florida Panthers in town.

The Kid buried a natural hat trick, giving him a league-leading 40 tallies this season and 10 career three-goal performances. All three of his markers were assisted by linemates Jake Guentzel and Conor Sheary.

With his latest goal, Crosby also moved into a tie with Connor McDavid atop the scoring race with 80 points on the season.

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USA Hockey will sit down with members of the women's national team to discuss wage and inequality issues that have prompted the players to boycott the IIHF World Championship in Plymouth, Mich., later this month, according to the Associated Press' Stephen Whyno.

The meeting, to be held in Philadelphia, will occur two days before the team is scheduled to begin training camp.

It was announced Wednesday that until significant progress is made toward rectifying these disparities, players would not report to the tournament, which is scheduled to begin March 31.

Since that announcement, USA Hockey and the women's national team haven't appeared to be progressing closer to a resolution, trading pointed releases, statements, and tweets.

At the crux of the issue is the lack of compensation the highly successful team receives during non-Olympic years. Players say they earn "virtually nothing" outside the six-month residency program, wherein which they earn as little as $1,000 per month.

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A penalty-shot goal in itself is a rarity in the NHL, but two in the same game? From the same team? Come on.

After Lukas Sedlak converted his opportunity versus the Devils in the first period Sunday, Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky was awarded another free attempt, which he promptly roofed over Cory Schneider.

Dubinsky's tally marked only the third time in NHL history that a team has scored on two penalty shots in a single game.

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Phil Kessel came to Pittsburgh as an elite goal-scorer, but the veteran winger has proven to be far more in his second season with his new club.

Kessel and linemate Patric Hornqvist combined for a gorgeous opening goal Sunday against the Florida Panthers, the former lobbing an alley-oop pass over the net before the latter batted the puck out of midair and into the cage.

The flashy assist was Kessel's 41st of the season, while the goal was Hornqvist's 18th of 2016-17.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins recognized franchise legend and second-leading scorer in NHL history Jaromir Jagr with a video tribute Sunday at PPG Paints Arena as part of the club's 50-year celebration.

Fans in attendance rose to their feet as the video played, and Jagr tapped his chest and waved back in appreciation.

Jagr won two Stanley Cups, five scoring titles, and a Hart Trophy in 11 seasons with the Penguins. He racked up 439 goals and 1,079 points in 806 games, and another 147 points in the playoffs.

He's played for eight NHL franchises since his NHL debut with the Penguins in 1990.

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Curtis Lazar is expected to make his debut with the Calgary Flames on Sunday night with the Los Angeles Kings in town for a divisional clash.

Lazar's expected to replace Micheal Ferland, who has fallen ill.

Sam Bennett and Lance Bouma were Lazar's linemates at the morning skate, indicating he'll slot in there.

Lazar's been held out of the lineup in seven straight games since his acquisition from the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline. He contributed one assist and recorded 24 shots in 33 games for Ottawa before being acquired for a second-round draft selection.

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Anthony Duclair returned to the Arizona Coyotes earlier this month following a stint with the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners, and no one is happier to have him back than 4-year-old Gracie Hernandez.

During the Coyotes' open practice Thursday, Gracie got an opportunity to meet Duclair and share a letter she had written him.

According to Cristina Ledra of NHL.com, it read, "Dear Duke, I'm Gracie and I'm four. I love you! Are you happy to be back? Will you marry me?"

Duclair happily accepted.

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The 2016-17 campaign needed to be a big one for Columbus Blue Jackets defender Seth Jones.

After a blockbuster mid-season swap last year sent the 2013 fourth overall pick to Columbus in exchange for top-line centreman Ryan Johansen, all eyes were on the young Jones to prove he could be the top-tier rearguard the Blue Jackets have long craved.

He finished 2015-16 with 20 points through 41 games with his new club, a mediocre offensive showing to match his uneven defensive play.

But Columbus knew what they had in Jones, and proved their faith in him by way of a six-year, $32.4-million extension, paying the 22-year-old $5.4 million per year.

So when Jones took the ice for his first game of 2016-17, he did so knowing it was his turn to produce, and in doing so validate the Blue Jackets' ambitious swing for his services.

Living up to the hype

With the first of those six seasons nearly complete, Jones has rewarded the Blue Jackets' faith, coming through with a career year and playing a key role in spurring the club's dominant campaign.

Through 64 games this season, Jones has already posted a career-best 10 goals and 39 points, putting him on par with Drew Doughty and Nick Leddy for the 15th-most points among NHL defenders.

But that ranking doesn't tell the full story.

While he's been productive overall, and much better on the defensive side, the key to Jones' importance to Columbus this season has been his dominance during even-strength play.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Even-strength excellence

While teammate Zach Werenski leads the team's blue-liners with 46 points, nearly half his sum has come on the man advantage, with the ice tilted in the Blue Jackets' favor.

There's no denying Werenski has been an exceptional offensive force this season, but it's worth noting the heights Jones is reaching at even strength, where the majority of the game is played and the chips are stacked more evenly.

In this context, Jones is the far superior offensive option, as 33 of his 39 points have come at even strength, which ties Duncan Keith and Dustin Byfuglien for third-most in the league among blue-liners, bested only by Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson.

The same goes for Jones' goals count. All 10 have come during even-strength play, and only three defensemen have tallied more when teams send out equal numbers.

Keeping Columbus in the mix

Of course, meanwhile, the Blue Jackets have become one of the NHL's most dominant clubs, scoring the fourth-most goals per game (3.17), and sitting just two points behind the Washington Capitals in the Presidents' Trophy race.

There's no denying Jones has been crucial to that success. And his reasonable cap hit is going to be key to the Blue Jackets' ability to contend past this season as well.

With talented prospects like Alexander Wennberg and Josh Anderson due for extensions this summer, and Columbus already paying a pretty penny to its starting netminder and top forwards, the club will need every spare dollar it can find.

Jones is doing his part - with his 39 points, he's outscored 27 of the 34 defensemen earning salaries bigger than his this season.

Not a bad start to that six-year deal.

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