What to Watch: Golden Knights face key stretch

Each Monday, we list the can't-miss games for the upcoming week. Grab your remote. This is "NHL What to Watch."

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Time for revenge?

Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild
Monday, 8 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN1, SNE, SNO, FS-N, FS-WI, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV
Wednesday, 7 p.m. ET; NBCSN
The Golden Knights are 16-4-1 and have the best record in the NHL in terms of points percentage (.786).
They're on a six-game winning streak that includes two wins against the Wild last week.
The first was dramatic. Minnesota led 4-2 entering the third period at T-Mobile Arena on March 1. But forward Alex Tuch tied it 4-4 with 42 seconds left in regulation, and forward Max Pacioretty scored in overtime to give Vegas a 5-4 win.
The second was … well, not so dramatic. Vegas won 5-1 two days later, again at T-Mobile Arena.
But back to the first. The Wild were on a six-game winning streak entering that game; the Golden Knights ended it. Now the Golden Knights are on a six-game winning streak. Can the Wild return the favor?

Stat of the week (Part 1)

3 -- Teams with a winning record against Vegas that have played at least 10 games against the Golden Knights since they entered the NHL in 2017-18. The Wild (6-2-2) are one of the three. The others are the Colorado Avalanche (7-5-0) and …
We'll tell you in a minute.

Stars still have a shot

Chicago Blackhawks at Dallas Stars
Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, FS-SW, NBCSCH, NHL.TV
Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET; FS-SW, NBCSCH, NHL.TV
The Stars made the Stanley Cup Final last season, only to run into injuries and COVID-19 disruptions this season. They're seventh in the Discover Central Division.
But here's the good news: They're coming off a 5-0 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday and a wild third-period rally that fell just short against the Nashville Predators in a 4-3 shootout loss Sunday. They've played 20 games, the fewest in the NHL.
The intradivision format this season ensures they will play the teams in front of them. They can make up ground by defeating teams like the Predators, who are three points ahead in sixth place but have played five more games; the Blue Jackets, who are six points ahead in fifth place but have played seven more games, and …
The Blackhawks, who are 12 points ahead in fourth place, the final Stanley Cup Playoff spot in the division, but have played six more games.
It's up to the Stars to take advantage of it.

Northern exposure

Winnipeg Jets at Toronto Maple Leafs
Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET; TSN4, TSN3, NHL.TV
Thursday, 7 p.m. ET; TSN4, TSN3, NHL.TV
Saturday, 7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, NHL.TV
Toronto and Winnipeg have never met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But there's a chance they could this season, and this could be a preview.
The Maple Leafs and Jets are first and second in the Scotia North Division and play three games in a row, with the finale on "Hockey Night in Canada" on Saturday. They've met once this season, with Toronto winning 3-1 at Scotiabank Arena on Jan. 18.
Each needs to rebound.
Toronto had won four straight before losing consecutive games to the Vancouver Canucks, 3-1 on Thursday and 4-2 on Saturday. Winnipeg was 6-0-1 in its past seven before losing 7-1 to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

Pietrangelo returns to St. Louis

Vegas Golden Knights at St. Louis Blues
Friday, 8 p.m. ET; NHLN, SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS, FS-MW, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV
Saturday, 8 p.m. ET; FS-MW, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV
It didn't go so well when defenseman Alex Pietrangelo played the Blues for the first time since leaving for the Golden Knights as an unrestricted free agent Oct. 13.
Playing without Peter DeBoer and his staff after a coach tested positive for COVID-19, Vegas lost 5-4 in overtime. Two days later, the rematch was postponed and Pietrangelo was listed as unavailable under NHL COVID-19 protocol.
The Golden Knights didn't play again until Feb. 5, Pietrangelo until Feb. 11.
Now Pietrangelo returns to St. Louis for the first time, and these teams are battling for the lead in the Honda West Division. The Blues, 4-0-1 in their past five games, are two points behind the Golden Knights, though they have played four more games.

Stat of the week (Part 2)

The third team with a winning record against Vegas that has played at least 10 games against the Golden Knights? The Blues (6-0-4).

Kings climbing back up

Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche
Friday, 9 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ALT2, FS-W, NHL.TV
Sunday, 7 p.m. ET; NBCSN
The Kings are 7-2-2 in their past 11 games and in contention for a playoff spot in the West after missing the playoffs the past two seasons. They're led by three of the core members of their 2012 and 2014 championship teams: center Anze Kopitar, forward Dustin Brown and defenseman Drew Doughty.
But their fresh faces include defenseman Mikey Anderson, who leads NHL rookies in average ice time (21:21), and forward Gabriel Vilardi, who has 11 points (six goals, five assists), tied for fifth among NHL rookies with forward Nils Hoglander of the Vancouver Canucks and defenseman Ty Smith of the New Jersey Devils.
This is a chance for the Kings to make a statement and disrupt the standings against a team that is considered an up-and-coming Cup contender.