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. Colorado Avalanche at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NESN, ALT, SNP, SN360)
COL moneyline: +120
BOS moneyline: -145
The Avalanche are 13-4-1 since Dec. 11 and have the second-most points (27) in the NHL over that span behind only the Winnipeg Jets (28), but two of those losses came by four-goal margins. Colorado defeated Boston 4-3 in shootout on Jan. 8 at home, with goalie Alexandar Georgiev stopping 23 of 26 shots faced in the win for one of his NHL-leading 24 victories in 37 games this season. The Bruins, whose power play (27.1 percent; fifth in NHL) ranks slightly ahead of the Avalanche’s (25.2; seventh), have earned points in 10 of their past 11 games (7-1-3), including consecutive wins.
Colorado forward Nathan MacKinnon, who’s on a nine-game point streak, is tied with Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the NHL lead in points (72 in 45 games) and ranks second in shots on goal (203) behind Boston’s David Pastrnak (215). Reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark (lower body) has not played in the Bruins’ past three games but is expected to be the backup against the Avalanche. Expected starter Jeremy Swayman ranks third in the NHL in save percentage (.922) among goalies who have played at least 20 games. Boston defenseman Charlie McAvoy has 12 points (three goals, nine assists), including four power-play assists, in his past 12 games.
2. Dallas Stars at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; BSSW, NBCSP)
DAL over 3.5 goals: +110
DAL under 3.5 goals: -150
PHI over 3.5 goals: +165
PHI under 3.5 goals: -225
Dallas had a 5-4 overtime win against Philadelphia on Oct. 21 at home, and three Stars players had multipoint games: forwards Wyatt Johnston (one goal, two assists), Joe Pavelski (one goal, one assist) and Jamie Benn (one goal, one assist). Flyers wing Travis Konecny scored two goals against the Stars in the earlier matchup and leads them in points (40 in 44 games) and goals (21) this season. Dallas ranks third in the NHL in goals (3.67) this season, while Philadelphia is tied for 24th (2.86). The Flyers are on a four-game winning streak and have scored four goals in two of those games.
Stars goalie Jake Oettinger recently returned from injury and is 2-1-0 with a .933 save percentage over his first three games back. Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale has two assists, one on the power play, in his first two games since being acquired from the Anaheim Ducks but missed their past two games with an illness. Philadelphia wing Owen Tippett has scored goals in four of his past five games and had 10 shots on goal against the St. Louis Blues on Monday.
3. New York Rangers at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MSGSN)
NYR puckline (-1.5 goals): +190
VGK puckline (+1.5 goals): -230
The Rangers enter this matchup after winning consecutive games and visit the Golden Knights, who are 4-6-0 in their past 10. Vegas ranks 10th in the NHL in shots on goal per game (31.8) this season, while New York is 12th in the category (31.4). The Rangers are tied for the 11th-most goals per game (3.30) in the NHL, and Vegas ranks 18th (3.09). Per NHL EDGE stats, the Golden Knights have the fourth-most mid-range shots on goal (402), and the Rangers rank sixth in that category (381). Four of New York’s past five wins have come by multiple goals, and each of Vegas’ past six losses have come by multiple goals.
Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko has one goal and three shots on goal in two games since returning from injury playing on the top line with center Mika Zibanejad and wing Chris Kreider. New York’s second line features forwards Artemi Panarin (17 points, including 10 goals, in past 12 games) and Vincent Trocheck (14 points in past nine games). For Vegas, the injury concerns continue to mount with center Jack Eichel (lower body) out, joining goalie Adin Hill (undisclosed), defenseman Shea Theodore (upper body) and center William Karlsson (lower body). But Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone has five points (three goals, two assists) during a three-game point streak, including his first career regular-season hat trick against the Nashville Predators on Monday.
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