20 games to be nationally televised this week

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 23rd week of the season.

In total, 20 games will be carried nationally by ABC, ESPN, TNT, SN and/or TVAS. The push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs is underway, with TNT carrying a Wednesday doubleheader that will have ramifications on the respective wild card races. ABC on Saturday airs the New York Rangers at the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche plays Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers as part of "Hockey Night in Canada."

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13

Los Angeles Kings at St. Louis Blues (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT, BSW, TVAS): The Blues (32-29-3) are one of three teams tied at 67 points trailing the Vegas Golden Knights (75 points) for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. They play 10 of their remaining 19 games against conference opponents either in playoff position or just outside the bubble. St. Louis forward Robert Thomas begins the week two points from 300 in the NHL.

The Kings (32-20-11) are third in the Pacific Division and 9-5-1 under interim coach Jim Hiller. Defenseman Drew Doughty has scored 14 goals in 63 games, his most since 2015-16 (14) and two from his NHL career high set in 2009-10.

Washington Capitals at Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN1, SNW, TNT, MAX): Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin and Oilers captain Connor McDavid will go head-to-head for the 13th time in the. NHL, with Washington 7-3-2 and Edmonton 5-6-1. McDavid has points in 25 straight home games (14 goals, 45 assists). Ovechkin is two goals from his 19th consecutive season with at least 20, which only two players in the League have accomplished: Gordie Howe and Brendan Shanahan. His 840 goals are 54 from tying Wayne Gretzky for most in NHL history.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16

New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN1, TVAS): Rangers forward Artemi Panarin is three assists from 500 in the NHL. A dozen undrafted players since the first NHL Draft in 1963 have at least 500, with Martin St. Louis the only one to reach the milestone in the past 20 years (Dec. 31, 2011). Panarin has an NHL career-high 35 goals in 63 games this season for New York (41-18-4), the top team in the Metropolitan Division. His 87 points are nine from his career-best 96 (75 games) in 2021-22.

Though the fading Penguins (28-27-8), have dropped six of seven and been outscored 15-1 in three straight losses, Sidney Crosby has 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) and 104 (38 goals, 66 assists) in 83 games against the Rangers.

Colorado Avalanche at Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SNE, SNO, SNW, TVAS2, ALT): McDavid (27 points; nine goals, 18 assists) and Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (21 points; eight goals, 13 assists) go head-to-head for the 18th time in the NHL. The Avalanche are 8-7-2 and the Oilers are 9-4-4.

MacKinnon's 111 points (40 goals, 71 assists) lead the NHL, four points ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov and eight in front of McDavid. His active 32-game home point streak is eight behind Gretzky's NHL record of 40 set with the Kings in 1988-89. The Great One also had points in 33 consecutive games at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton during the 1985-86 season.

OTHER NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAMES

MONDAY

New Jersey Devils at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NHLN, MSG)

St. Louis Blues at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; BSMW, NESN, TVAS)

Washington Capitals at Winnipeg Jets (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, MNMT)

New York Islanders at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, BSW, SN, TVAS)

TUESDAY

Colorado Avalanche at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNW, ALT)

WEDNESDAY

Nashville Predators at Winnipeg Jets (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, BSSO)

THURSDAY

Toronto Maple Leafs at Philadelphia Flyers (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, TSN4)

FRIDAY

Los Angeles Kings at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; BSW, NHLN, NBCSCH, SN, TVAS)

SATURDAY

Buffalo Sabres at Detroit Red Wings (12:30 p.m. ET; BSDET, NHLN, MSG-B, SN1)

Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers (6 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

Montreal Canadiens at Calgary Flames (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, CITY)

Carolina Hurricanes at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; SN, BSSO)

Washington Capitals at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; CITY, SNP, MNMT2)

SUNDAY

New York Islanders at New York Rangers (1 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT, SN360, TVAS)

New Jersey Devils at Vegas Golden Knights (3:30 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT, SN360)

Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins (6 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, BSDET, NHLN, SN)