Capitals-Bruins, Oilers-Canadiens highlight weekend schedule

Each Friday, NHL Network and ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes will provide readers with three games he is looking forward to that weekend:

#

Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS)

The Capitals (27-20-6) will play their first game since Jan. 31, a 4-3 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Since then, they've re-signed forwards Dylan Strome (who has been one of the best offseason acquisitions with 11 goals and 25 assists in 52 games) and Sonny Milano. I still think they are going to add a piece or two before the NHL Trade Deadline on March 3 as they are in the thick of the playoff race. But they have forwards Alex Ovechkin (32 goals), Nicklas Backstrom, and goalie Darcey Kuemper, who won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche last season.
The Bruins (39-7-5) have the most complete team in the League. They defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Feb. 1, their most recent game, to end a three-game skid (0-2-1). Boston has the best goaltending tandem in the NHL in Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy has been great, and I think Hampus Lindholm is right up there for the Norris Trophy as best defenseman in the NHL for the job he did when McAvoy was out to start the season. The Bruins are a top-10 team in all major categories, are more than a one-line team and have center depth, something that plagued them last season.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Dallas Stars (Saturday 1 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN NOW)

The Lightning (33-16-2) had a couple of skittish performances, losing 7-1 to the Florida Panthers on Monday and then blew a lead in a 4-3 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. But I wasn't worried, and they responded with a 5-0 win against the Avalanche on Thursday. They are loaded with veterans in forwards Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos. Forward Brandon Hagel surprisingly has 44 points (21 goals, 23 assists), and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev surprisingly has more points than Victor Hedman (36 to 34). And goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has found his form, making 30 saves against the Avalanche for his first shutout of the season.
The Stars (30-13-10) have dramatically improved under first-year coach Pete DeBoer. Jake Oettinger is one of the best goalies in the League and this should be a great goalie matchup if it's Oettinger vs. Vasilevskiy. Forward Jason Robertson (33 goals, 36 assists) is in the running for the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP. But the Stars aren't just a one-line team anymore as they were last year with Robertson, Roope Hintz and Joe Pavelski. Jamie Benn (45 points) has been resurgent. The defense has been much better, and the Stars rank second in goals against per game (2.53).

Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens (Sunday, 12:30 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, SNW, ESPN+, SN NOW)

The Oilers (29-18-5) lost in a shootout to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, 2-1, but are rolling with points in their past 10 games (8-0-2). They need good performances from their depth; it can't just be forwards Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Zach Hyman has 60 points (26 goals, 34 assists) in 51 games and is on pace for close to 96 points and no one is talking about that. Forward Evander Kane has goals in three straight games and is a huge part of Edmonton's lineup that it was missing when he was injured.
Even though they have lost forwards Cole Caufield, No. 1 draft pick Juraj Slafkovsky and others to injury, the Canadiens (20-27-4) have mostly remained competitive. I love the job that Martin St. Louis has done as coach and the young players have been responding. Forward Nick Suzuki has thrived in his role as captain. Forward Kirby Dach (33 points) has looked pretty good since being acquired in an offseason trade. I love the intensity defenseman Arber Xhekaj brings every night. Forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard has five goals in seven NHL games and is among those showing he deserves more playing time this season or next.