Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) is congratulated by Torey Krug after his goal off Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Boston, Tuesday, April 4, 2017. The Bruins defeated the Lightning 4-0.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) is congratulated by Torey Krug after his goal off Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Boston, Tuesday, April 4, 2017. The Bruins defeated the Lightning 4-0.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Credit: Charles Krupa

Boston — David Pastrnak scored twice, Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots and the Boston Bruins clinched their first playoff berth since 2014 with a 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.

Drew Stafford and Zdeno Chara also scored for the Bruins, who extended their season-high winning streak to six games. More importantly, by winning in regulation, Boston guaranteed a return to the postseason after missing out the last two years.

Boston fans celebrated by cheering throughout the final two minutes. After the final horn, the Bruins swarmed Rask following his career-best eighth shutout of the season.

Rask faced only four shots in the first period but was ready when the Lightning generated pressure after that.

Andrei Vasilevskiy kept Tampa Bay close with 34 saves.

Stafford was the first to beat him, backhanding in a rebound 5:56 into the second period. Pastrnak made it 2-0 on a one-timer with 3:54 left in the second and added another goal into an empty net with 1:02 remaining in the third off a pass from David Krejci, who had two assists.

The Bruins haven’t lost since the Lightning’s 6-3 victory in Boston on March 23.

The loss didn’t knock the Lightning out of playoff contention, but Tampa Bay fell dangerously close with just three games remaining.

It might have been a costly victory for the Bruins, who played the last two periods without leading scorer Brad Marchand after he speared Tampa Bay’s Jake Dotchin in front of the Lightning net. Marchand received a five-minute major and game misconduct (on his bobblehead night), which could keep him off the ice longer once the NHL takes a look at the video.

Marchand has been suspended six times in his career and was fined the maximum $10,000 by the league earlier this season for a questionable hit.

Penguins 4, Blue Jackets 1

Pittsburgh — Patric Hornqvist scored his 20th goal of the season, Matt Murray finished with 38 saves and Pittsburgh sped past slumping Columbus.

Jake Guentzel and Carter Rowney also scored for Pittsburgh. Brian Dumolin added his first regular-season goal in more than two years as the Penguins moved three points ahead of Columbus in the race to have home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Pittsburgh won its third straight to inch closer to opening its Stanley Cup defense at home thanks in large part to Murray and offensive contributions from unexpected places.

Brandon Dubinsky scored short-handed for Columbus.

Capitals 4, Maple Leafs 1

Toronto — Lars Eller and Kevin Shattenkirk gave Washington a two-goal lead halfway through the game, and the Capitals ended Toronto’s four-game winning streak.

Nate Schmidt and Tom Wilson also scored for Washington, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 27 shots. The Capitals, who have won eight of nine, moved closer to clinching the top spot in the Eastern Conference and the Presidents’ Trophy awarded to the team with the NHL’s best record.

Mitch Marner scored his 19th of the season, spoiling Grubauer’s shutout bid on a power-play goal with 1:08 to go. Curtis McElhinney finished with 34 saves for the Maple Leafs, who lost for just the second time in nine games.

Senators 2, Red Wings 0

Ottawa — Erik Karlsson and Tom Pyatt scored, and Craig Anderson made 24 saves for his fifth shutout of the season as Ottawa defeated Detroit to stop a five-game losing streak.

The Senators need one point in their final three games to clinch a playoff spot. They won for only the third time in 12 games.

Jimmy Howard made 22 saves for the Red Wings, who are playing out the string as they will miss the playoffs for the first time in 25 seasons.

Devils 1, Flyers 0 (ot)

Newark, n.j. — John Moore scored 59 seconds into overtime and New Jersey snapped a six-game skid by beating Philadelphia.

Keith Kinkaid made 35 saves in his first shutout of the season to help the Devils win for only the third time in 21 games (3-14-4).

Taylor Hall set up Moore’s fourth overtime winner with a cross-ice pass on a 2-on-1 break. The defenseman beat Steve Mason with a shot from low in the right circle to end a game between two teams already eliminated from playoff contention.

Islanders 2Predators 1 (ot)

Nashville, Tenn. — Thomas Hickey scored 1:25 into overtime, and New York beat Nashville to preserve its thin playoff hopes for at least another game.

Brock Nelson also scored for the Islanders, and goalie Jaroslav Halak made 22 saves as they won their third straight in chasing the Eastern Conference’s second wild card.

The Islanders came in with captain John Tavares missing his second straight game with a lower-body injury. They outshot Nashville 32-23 to ruin the Predators’ regular season home finale.

Mike Fisher scored a goal for Nashville, which lost four of its last five.

With the win, the Islanders moved within five points of Toronto for the second wild card after both Boston and Ottawa won earlier Tuesday night to move up the Atlantic Division standings.

Nashville picked up a point to tie Calgary for the first wild card in the West.