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. Washington Capitals at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, MSG-B)
WSH regulation win: +170
Draw at end of regulation: +320
BUF regulation win: +120
The Sabres are seven points behind the Capitals for one of the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference; Washington has played two fewer games. Buffalo is 4-2-0 in its past six home games, including a shootout win against the Edmonton Oilers and regulation victories by multiple goals as a spoiler against the Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils. The Capitals are 3-1-0 in their past four road games and have seen three of their past five games go past regulation.
Washington had a 4-3 home win against Buffalo on Nov. 22, when forward Dylan Strome scored the overtime goal; he is tied for the NHL lead in overtime goals (three) this season. The Capitals are one of nine NHL teams with double-digit overtime/shootout losses (10) this season. Sabres forward Tage Thompson is now tied with linemate JJ Peterka for their lead in goals (26) after a four-goal game against the Devils on Friday.
2. Chicago Blackhawks at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN2, NBCSCH)
CHI moneyline: +195
NYI moneyline: -240
The Islanders are coming off a 4-3 road win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, when forward Brock Nelson scored the overtime goal. New York is 3-7-1 in its past 11 games but is only four points behind Philadelphia for one of the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference with two games in hand.
The Blackhawks are 7-5-0 in their past 12 games, a stretch that coincides with elite rookie forward Connor Bedard and top defenseman Seth Jones being healthy. Bedard has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in those 12 games, and Jones has 11 points (six goals, five assists) in the span. Chicago had a 4-3 home win against New York on Jan. 19, when Jones scored the overtime goal; that loss for the Islanders led to their coaching change from Lane Lambert to Patrick Roy.
3. Boston Bruins at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, NESN)
Over 5.5 total goals: -125
Under 5.5 total goals: +105
The Predators have lost consecutive games following their 18-game point streak and allowed a combined 15 goals in the road losses to the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday and Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. The Bruins have the second-best team save percentage (.911) in the NHL this season behind the Winnipeg Jets (.916), while Nashville is tied for 11th (.900).
Three of Boston’s past four games have reached totals of five or fewer goals. During Nashville’s 16-0-2 stretch from Feb. 17 to March 26, 12 of those games resulted in totals of six or more goals. Predators forward Filip Forsberg is tied for the second-most goals in the NHL (12 in 13 games) since March 1 behind only Timo Meier of the New Jersey Devils (13 in 15 games).
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