Each Monday throughout the 2023-24 NHL season, NHL.com will provide fans with a guide of games that will be nationally televised that week. Today, a look at games for the 27th week of the season.
In total, 23 games will be carried nationally by ABC, ESPN, TNT, Sportsnet, NHL Network, RDS and/or TVA Sports. ESPN will air the Washington Capitals against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday with each team contending for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Pittsburgh Penguins are also in the hunt and will conclude a Saturday tripleheader against the Boston Bruins at PPG Paints Arena.
Turner Sports presents the first MultiVersus NHL Face-Off, exclusively on truTV and MAX, when the Colorado Avalanche visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.
TUESDAY, APRIL 9
Washington Capitals at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; ESPN): The Capitals, Red Wings, Penguins, New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers are all in a battle for the final playoff spots in the East. The Red Wings (38-31-8) currently hold the second wild card, one point ahead of the Penguins, Flyers and Capitals after a 3-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres in Detroit on Sunday.
Washington (36-30-11) is 0-4-2 in its past six after losing 3-2 in overtime to the Ottawa Senators at Capital One Arena on Sunday. Alex Ovechkin remains one goal away from setting the NHL record for most 30-goal seasons with 18. The 38-year-old left wing has scored at least 30 goals in all but one of his 19 NHL seasons, including each of his first 15.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10
Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers (8:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN1, SNE, SNO, SNW, TNT, MAX, SCRIPPS): A potential preview of the Western Conference First Round, the Oilers (47-24-5) are sitting in second in the Pacific Division and the Golden Knights (42-26-8) are one point behind the third-place Los Angeles Kings. Vegas eliminated Edmonton in six games in the second round last season en route to winning the Stanley Cup.
Connor McDavid is one assist away from becoming the fourth player in NHL history with at least 100 in one season. Wayne Gretzky (11 times), Mario Lemieux (1988-89) and Bobby Orr (1970-71) are the others. The Oilers captain (130 points) is third in the race for the Art Ross Trophy, behind Nikita Kucherov (136) and Nathan MacKinnon (133).
SATURDAY, APRIL 13
New York Islanders at New York Rangers (12:30 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN360, TVAS): The Islanders (35-27-15) have surged into the playoff picture after winning four games in six days last week. Coach Patrick Roy is 16-12-4 since replacing Lane Lambert on Jan. 20.
The Rangers (53-21-4), who have won three in a row and eight of nine, hold a three-point lead over the Bruins and Dallas Stars for the Presidents' Trophy.
Detroit Red Wings at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, BSDET): The Maple Leafs (44-23-9) begin the week three points shy of 100 for a team-record third straight season and are on track to play either the Bruins or Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference First Round. Toronto is third in the Atlantic Division, five points behind Florida with two games in hand.
Auston Matthews is one goal from tying Ovechkin (65 in 2007-08) for the most in a season among active players and is six from becoming the ninth 70-goal scorer in NHL history.
Boston Bruins at Pittsburgh Penguins (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+): The Penguins (36-30-11) held the second wild card from the East on Saturday, the second day since the second week of the season (Nov. 14) they've been in a playoff spot. Their largest deficit was 10 points back on March 4, when they were 27-24-8 (62 points), and they were as many as nine back on March 27. The largest deficit a team has overcome in its final 11 games to make the playoffs is seven, accomplished by the 1977-78 Colorado Rockies. Two teams under the wild-card format (since 2013-14) have rallied from at least five points out in their last 11 games to qualify: the 2018-19 Colorado Avalanche (six in 11 games) and 2013-14 Stars (five in 10).
Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, TVAS2): The Canucks (47-22-8) lead the Oilers by three points for first in the Pacific but are 5-5-1 since March 13. They're looking to win the division for the first time since 2012-13. The Oilers haven't finished first since their Stanley Cup-winning season in 1986-87, the last of their six straight division titles.
SUNDAY, APRIL 14
Colorado Avalanche at Vegas Golden Knights (3:30 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT): The NHL, TNT Sports and Warner Bros. Games team for the first-ever MultiVersus NHL Face-Off, real-time animation featuring Warner Bros. Discovery characters including Bugs Bunny, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman playing with avatars of MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Jack Eichel and Jonathan Marchessault, among others. The rink for the alternate telecast will be dynamic and incorporate rotating elements based on environments from the MultiVersus game, such as the Space Jam Court, Adventure Time Tree Fort, Sky Arena and Trophy's E.D.G.E.
The Avalanche (48-24-6) lost to the Stars 7-4 in Denver on Sunday to fall five points behind Dallas for first in the Central Division.
OTHER NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAMES
MONDAY
Pittsburgh Penguins at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; SN1, TVAS2, SN-PIT)
Vegas Golden Knights at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN1, SCRIPPS)
TUESDAY
Ottawa Senators at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; BSFL, TSN5, RDS2)
Philadelphia Flyers at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, NBCSP+)
Minnesota Wild at Colorado Avalanche (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN)
WEDNESDAY
Chicago Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, NBCSCH+, TVAS-D)
THURSDAY
Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, TSN5, RDS2)
Montreal Canadiens at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, TSN2, RDS)
FRIDAY
Carolina Hurricanes at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSMW, NHLN, TVAS)
Calgary Flames at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; KCOP-13, SN1)
Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSNX, TVAS)
SATURDAY
Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, CITY, SNE)
SUNDAY
Seattle Kraken at St. Louis Blues (1 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT)
Carolina Hurricanes at Chicago Blackhawks (6 p.m. ET; BSSO, NBCSCH, SNO, SNE, TVAS)
Arizona Coyotes at Calgary Flames (8 p.m. ET; SN1, SNW, SNP, SCRIPPS)
