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 Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; BSSW, ALT)
COL puckline (+1.5 goals): -238
DAL puckline (-1.5 goals): +195
The Avalanche rank second in the NHL in goals per game (3.63) and the Stars are tied for fourth (3.58). Colorado has the eighth-best power-play percentage (24.5), but Dallas is tied for the third-best penalty kill percentage (85.3). Colorado forward Nathan MacKinnon, who's second in the NHL in points (61 in 38 games) behind Nikita Kucherov (63 in 38) of the Tampa Bay Lightning, scored the overtime goal in their 5-4 home win against the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
Since the injury to Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger on Dec. 15, backup Scott Wedgewood is 6-2-1 in nine games. The Avalanche had a 6-3 road win against the Stars on Nov. 18, with four Colorado players having multiple points in the victory: forwards Mikko Rantanen, Valeri Nichushkin and Ross Colton (each had one goal, one assist) and defenseman Cale Makar (three assists).
Stars wing Mason Marchment has had consecutive multipoint games totaling six points (three goals, three assists) and has their third-most goals (13) behind Roope Hintz (15) and Joe Pavelski (14). Marchment had two assists against the Avalanche on Nov. 18, and Tyler Seguin scored two goals in the loss.
2. Florida Panthers at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSFL, SNO, SNE, TVAS)
Over 6 total goals: -125
Under 6 total goals: +105
The Panthers are on a five-game winning streak, which began when they defeated the defending champion Golden Knights in the first Stanley Cup Final rematch on Dec. 23. Florida is averaging the second-most shots on goal per game (34.0) in the NHL behind the Edmonton Oilers (34.1) and allowing the third fewest (26.9).
Vegas is coming off a 3-0 road loss to the Seattle Kraken in the 2024 NHL Winter Classic on Monday and have lost five of their past six games in regulation. Three of the Golden Knights’ past four games have seen the teams combine for six or fewer goals. In terms of team save percentage, Vegas (.908; tied for sixth) and Florida (.907; tied for ninth) are among the NHL leaders.
Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is tied for second in the NHL in wins (18) behind Alexandar Georgiev (20) of the Avalanche. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart is tied for third in the NHL in goals (24) behind Auston Matthews (30) of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Kucherov (27). Florida forwards Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Brandon Montour each had two assists against Vegas on Dec. 23; Golden Knights forwards Mark Stone and Pavel Dorofeyev scored goals in the loss.
3. New York Islanders at Arizona Coyotes (9 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MSGSN)
NYI moneyline: -120
ARI moneyline: +100
The Islanders defeated the Coyotes 1-0 on Oct. 17 at UBS Arena with forward Mathew Barzal (leads them with 37 points in 36 games) scoring the lone goal and goalie Ilya Sorokin having a 14-save shutout. Arizona is 12-6-0 at home but lost to the Panthers 4-1 on Tuesday at Mullett Arena. New York has seven wins in 17 road games this season and has allowed 16 goals in four games since the holiday break (1-2-1 in span).
Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past five games, leads them in goals (16) this season and has their second-most shots on goal (79) behind Clayton Keller (103). Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson had an assist against the Avalanche on Tuesday and is tied for fourth among NHL defensemen in points (36 in 37 games).
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