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 Los Angeles Kings (8 p.m. ET; BSW, ALT, SN1)
COL moneyline: +110
LAK moneyline: -135
Two of the NHL’s top five offenses collide when the Kings (3.85 goals per game; first) host the Avalanche (3.70; fourth). Colorado is winless in consecutive games (0-0-2), including a 4-3 shootout loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, while Los Angeles has not played since Wednesday, a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals at home. The Avalanche had a 5-2 road win against the Kings on Oct. 11 (opening night).
The Avalanche will be without elite defenseman Cale Makar (34 points in 23 games; tied for fourth in NHL) because of injury but also have forwards Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon (30 each; tied for eighth) among the League leaders. Colorado also has three of the top defenseman goal scorers in Makar (seven; second), Bowen Byram (five; tied for sixth) and Devon Toews (four; tied for 22nd). Kings forward Adrian Kempe leads them in shots on goal (71) and is tied with Kevin Fiala for their most points (20 in 20 games).
2. Nashville Predators at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, MSG-B)
NSH puckline (+1.5 goals): -258
BUF puckline (-1.5 goals): +210
Each team will be on the second of back-to-back games and looks to rebound from a loss; the Predators had a 3-1 lead at home but lost 4-3 to the New York Rangers on Saturday, while the Sabres lost 6-2 at the Carolina Hurricanes. Buffalo is 2-2-0 on no days rest this season, while Nashville has yet to play a back-to-back set. The Sabres are 3-5-1 in nine games dating to when top center Tage Thompson was injured Nov. 14. The Predators have been outscored 10-4 over their consecutive losses following a six-game winning streak. Six of Buffalo’s 10 wins this season have come by a multiple-goal margin, and Nashville has struggled on the road (3-6-0).
Nashville forward Filip Forsberg ranks among the NHL leaders in shots on goal (95; tied for sixth). Predators forward Gustav Nyquist has had points in 10 his past 11 games totaling 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in the span and ranks second on Nashville in assists (14) behind his frequent linemate Forsberg (15). Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt scored a goal against the Hurricanes on Saturday and leads them with 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) in 24 games.
3. Columbus Blue Jackets at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, NESN, SN)
Over 6 total goals: -115
Under 6 total goals: -105
The Bruins have won consecutive games since their 5-2 road loss to the Blue Jackets on Nov. 27. Columbus forwards Yegor Chinakhov (one goal, one assist) and Boone Jenner (two assists) each had multiple points against Boston in that game. The Blue Jackets are 4-2-0 in their past six games, outscoring their opponents 3.67 to 2.50 on average in the span.
Boston is tied with the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights for the best team save percentage (.921) in the NHL this season thanks to its elite goalie tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman; Columbus is also in the top half of the League in team save percentage (.901; 14th). Bruins forward David Pastrnak ranks second in the NHL in shots on goal (112) behind Nikita Kucherov (117) of the Tampa Bay Lightning and is tied for second in points (36 in 23 games) behind Kucherov (40 in 24). Columbus forward Patrik Laine has points in three straight games (two goals, one assist), including an assist and five shots on goal against the Bruins.
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