"Today the Stanley Cup playoff race resumes, with the elite NHL teams continuing their bids for the top playoff seeds on each side of the league.

The competition is especially fierce in the Central Division; the Red Wings hold first place, but the Blues lurk just two points back and the Predators and Blackhawks are only three points behind.

"We know that no matter what we do, they're going to keep winning," Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall told Detroit reporters. "We just have to find a way to get two points each night. It's just as simple as that."

Division winners will get the top three seeds in each conference, stacked by overall point total. The next five slots in each conference bracket go the next five teams with the most points. The top four seeds in each conference gain the home-ice advantage for the first round.

"You look at the standings, not just in the division but in the conference and points are at a premium here," Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard told Detroit reporters. "We have to find a way to scratch and claw every single night. Come April 10, you want that home ice."

Teams back in the pack will battle frantically for the final playoff slots. Only six points separate 12th place from seventh place in the Western Conference.

In the Eastern Conference, only six points separate the top six teams and just 10 points separate No. 7 from No. 15. Currently Florida, New Jersey and Toronto are battling for the last two slots."