NHL.com identifies key gameday matchups and players to watch throughout the 2023-24 season.
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Note: Betting lines provided by Betway (U.S., Ontario)
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1. Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; SN1, MNMT)
WSH puckline (+1.5 goals): -165
TOR puckline (-1.5 goals): +125
The Capitals have won three straight games and are 7-3-0 in their past 10. The Maple Leafs have lost consecutive games, but each of their past three wins have come by multiple goals. Toronto has won both games against Washington this season, scoring 11 goals and allowing four. The Maple Leafs rank third in the NHL in goals per game (3.61), while the Capitals are 27th in the category (2.73).
Capitals forward Dylan Strome has nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past five games, and Alex Ovechkin has nine points, including eight goals, in his past six games. Defenseman John Carlson has seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past six. Toronto forward Max Domi has six assists in his past four games, Tyler Bertuzzi has four points (three goals, one assist) in his past four and William Nylander has 10 points, including six goals, in his past seven.
2. Chicago Blackhawks at Ottawa Senators (9 p.m. ET; MSG, ALT, TVAS-D)
Over 6.5 total goals: +100
Under 6.5 total goals: -120
The Blackhawks have won consecutive games and visit the Senators, who have won three straight. Chicago has scored eight goals over their two wins but allowed at least four goals in three of their past four games. Ottawa has scored at least five goals in each of their past three games with 16 total in the span. The Blackhawks are allowing the fourth-most goals per game (3.56) in the League this season, and the Senators are allowing the fifth-most (3.54).
Chicago rookie forwardConnor Bedard has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past five games playing on the top line with Philipp Kurashev, who has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in his past eight. Defenseman Seth Jones has nine points, including four goals, in his past eight games. Ottawa forward Drake Batherson is on a three-game point streak with six points (three goals, three assists) in the span, and Brady Tkachuk has six points (one goal, five assists) during a three game point streak of his own.
3. New York Rangers at Colorado Avalanche (7 p.m. ET; BSFL, NESN, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS)
NYR moneyline: +140
COL moneyline: -170
The Rangers, who became the first team to clinch a Stanley Cup Playoff spot this season, have won three straight games and are 8-2-0 in their past 10, while the Avalanche are 9-1-0 in that same span. The two teams have only played each other once this season, with New York defeating Colorado 2-1 in overtime Feb. 5. The Avalanche lead the NHL in goals per game (3.72) this season, while the Rangers rank seventh in that category (3.39).
Rangers forward Artemi Panarin has eight points, including five goals, during his three-game point streak playing in his usual spot on a line with Vincent Trocheck, who has eight points (one goal, seven assists) during his four-game point streak, and Alexis Lafrenière, who has eight points (four goals, four assists) in his past seven games. Colorado forward Nathan MacKinnon has 38 points (13 goals, 25 assists) in his past 19 games and at least one point in every home game this season. Mikko Rantanen has 27 points, including 10 goals, in his past 16 games, and defenseman Cale Makar has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in his past 10.
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