Of all the things the New Jersey Devils could deliver their fans on Fan Appreciation Night Thursday at the Prudential Center Cheap Adrian Clayborn Jersey , clinching a spot in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs is at the top of the list.

With a magic number of two points coming into play Thursday, the preferred method of securing a postseason berth is a victory over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, even though there are other scenarios involving the ninth-place Florida Panthers in which New Jersey would clinch, as well.

“We don’t want to count on anyone else,” said Devils winger Kyle Palmieri.

The Devils (43-28-9) have done their fair share of winning down the stretch to put themselves in this position. They are 6-0-1 in their last seven games, and carry a three-game winning streak into their home finale of the regular season following Tuesday’s dominating 5-2 victory over the New York Rangers.

Taylor Hall continued to build on his Hart Trophy candidacy with two goals and two assists against the Rangers, extending his career highs to 39 goals and 93 points on the season. He has six goals in his last four games and carries a league-best nine-game point-scoring streak into Thursday’s contest.

“If there’s one thing I’m proud of personally this season is I’ve played well when the games have mattered,” said Hall. “I think that’s true of a lot of guys on our team. You see our record the past 10 games or so. When the chips are down, we’ve come to play and we’ve won games.”

Goaltender Keith Kinkaid is the backbone of New Jersey’s strong finish. He started each of the last seven games and 11 of the last 12, posting a 9-1-1 record. Since Feb. 13, Kinkaid owns an outstanding 15-3-1 record.

“It’s been fun to play regularly and contribute to us winning games,” said Kinkaid.

While the Devils try to clinch their first playoff berth since the 2011-12 season Customized New England Patriots Jerseys , the Maple Leafs (48-25-7) already punched their second straight ticket to the postseason and are set for a third-place finish in the Atlantic Division. Their only unknown is whether they will face the Boston Bruins or Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round.

“We don’t really compare what either of those series would be like,” Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly told reporters after practice Wednesday. “We just have to prepare for whoever it may be. We’ve got two games here to work on some things and get some things nailed down to get ready for the playoffs.”

The Maple Leafs come off a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday and have won nine of their last 12 games. Auston Matthews and William Nylander each scored twice and added an assist against the Sabres and backup goalie Curtis McElhinney made 32 saves.

Matthews has at least one point in all seven games he has played since returning from a 10-game absence due to an injured shoulder. Injuries limited Matthews to 60 games so far this season, but he has 33 goals and 60 points.

“Simply put, we are a better team when he is in the lineup,” stated Toronto’s Nazem Kadri.

The teams split their first two meetings this season, both of which were played in Toronto. The Devils doubled up the Maple Leafs 6-3 on Oct. 11 before Frederik Andersen turned in a 42-save shutout to help Toronto edge New Jersey 1-0 in overtime on Nov. 16.

Stand or stay out of sight.

Looking to quell a national debate that was sparked by Colin Kaepernick, stoked by President Trump and some say chipped away at the very popularity of America’s game, NFL owners approved a new policy Wednesday that allows players to protest during the national anthem by staying in the locker room but forbids them from sitting or taking a knee if they’re on the field.

Commissioner Roger Goodell called it a compromise aimed at putting the focus back on football after a tumultuous year in which television ratings dipped nearly 10 percent. He said it was unanimously approved by NFL owners, but that was immediately called into question when the head of the San Francisco 49ers – Kaepernick’s former team, no less – said he abstained from the vote. The owner of the New York Jets also took a more conciliatory approach, promising not to punish any player who continues to protest against social injustice in full view of fans.

The players’ union said it wasn’t consulted in the talks and would file a grievance against any change in the collective bargaining agreement. The owners seemed to address that concern by saying only teams would be fined for violations, not individual players. But the league also cleared the way for teams to set their own workplace policies Russell Bodine Jersey Bills , raising the specter of an even more convoluted approach to an issue that has dominated conversation away from the field.

The head of the NFL Players Association, DeMaurice Smith , angrily denounced the new policy and called it a blow against America’s most basic of rights – freedom of speech. Since the new policy is a change in the terms and conditions of employment that was not collectively bargained, any attempts to fine individual players would surely be opposed by the union.

”Management has chosen to quash the same freedom of speech that protects someone who wants to salute the flag in an effort to prevent someone who does not wish to do so,” Smith wrote on Twitter. ”I know that not all of the NFL CEO’s are for this and I know that true American patriots are not cheering today.”

So, what happens to a player who decides to keep kneeling during ”The Star-Spangled Banner?” Considering Kaepernick is heading into his second year without a job and a former teammate and fellow protester, Eric Reid, is also out of work, it seemed to clear to at least one player what message the NFL was trying to send.

”If the team says `this is what we’re doing,’ and ownership (does too), you either deal with it or you’re probably going to get cut,” Pittsburgh Steelers guard Ramon Foster said. ”They’ll find a way to get you up out of there.”

Arizona Cardinals safety Antoine Bethea Cowboys Elite Jerseys , who has been in the league for a dozen years, scoffed at Goodell’s notion that this was a step toward appeasing all sides.

”If you want to use your right of freedom of speech and take a knee, you’re going to get fined,” Bethea said. ”So it’s really not a compromise. But they did give us the option as far as guys wanting to stay in the locker room. It’s going to be something guys are going to have to deal with. Either it’s going to be a team thing and everybody stays in the locker room or everybody goes out and stands.”

49ers CEO Jed York said every owner who voted was in agreement with the new policy, but he abstained because he wasn’t comfortable with a process that didn’t directly involve the players. He wouldn’t say if any other owners declined to vote.

”I want to work with my team to make sure everything we do is about promoting the right types of social justice reform and getting to a better America,” York said.

Jet owner Christopher Johnson said his team will pay any fines doled out by the league, without passing on punishment to the players.

”I will support our players wherever we land as a team,” Johnson said. ”Our focus is not on imposing any club rules, fines or restrictions.”

Clearly, Goodell and most owners just want to put the divisive issue behind them.

The NFL started requiring players to be on the field for the anthem in 2009 – the year it signed a marketing deal with the military.

”We want people to be respectful of the national anthem. We want people to stand,” said Goodell, who dismissed concerns about the lack of union involvement by contending the league met with countless players over the past year.

”We’ve been very sensitive on making sure that we give players choices Cheap Chad Thomas Jersey ,” the commissioner added, ”but we do believe that moment is an important moment and one that we are going to focus on.”

The owners spent more than three hours over two days addressing the contentious issue – which made it all the way to the White House.

Kaepernick, the former 49ers quarterback, began kneeling during the national anthem in 2016, a quiet but powerful protest against police brutality and racial inequities in the justice system that has drawn both praise and scorn.

Other players took up the cause, and the gesture carried on during the 2017 season even after Kaepernick left the 49ers and failed to be picked up by another team.

Trump turned the debate into a campaign issue , saying the NFL should fire any player who takes a knee during ”The Star-Spangled Banner.” The NFL hasn’t gone that far, but Kaepernick and Reid believe they are being singled out as leaders in the movement.

Both have filed collusion grievances against the NFL .

There was no immediate comment from Trump on the new policy, but Vice Pres.