Rating: 2 Units

Denied in their bid to move into a tie with Vegas atop the Pacific, the Edmonton Oilers resume their bid for a division title when they continue a four-game home stand against the Winnipeg Jets tonight. The Oilers dropped three points behind the first-place Golden Knights after suffering a 3-2 overtime loss to visiting Vegas on Monday. Consider that Edmonton is 4-1 in its last five home games following an OT loss in which it scored two or less goals in, while Winnipeg is just 2-6 in its last eight following a three games or longer unbeaten home streak.

Rating: 4 Units

The Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators are well out of playoff position, but the two young teams have been playing the spoiler role quite well of late as they prepare to test each other tonight in southern California. Ottawa has won four of its last five games, including impressive victories over Vancouver and the New York Islanders, while the Ducks beat Colorado and Toronto recently and are 4-2-1 in their past seven outings. The Ducks, who only have Golden State rivals San Jose and Los Angeles beaten the Western Conference standings, edged the Senators 3-2 in a shootout at Ottawa on Feb. 4 to halt a three-game losing streak in the series. Consider that Ottawa is 7-25 on the road and 2-13 when playing with two day's rest in between games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Dallas Stars appeared to be a sure thing for the postseason midway through last month, even challenged for first place in the Central Division. While the Stars still maintain a firm grasp on third place in the division, they are mired in a season high-tying losing streak entering tonight's matchup against the visiting New York Rangers. Dallas has lost four one-goal decisions during its five-game slide (0-3-2) and failed to score while dropping both ends of a home-and-home to the Nashville Predators.  Consider that New York is 9-1 in their last 10 road games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Boston Bruins have enjoyed season-long dominance to put themselves on the cusp of becoming the first NHL team to reach triple digits in points. The Bruins' missteps have been rare, and they look to prevent a third at the expense of the white-hot Flyers today when the teams conclude their season series in Philadelphia. David Pastrnak extended his point streak to five games (three goals, three assists) by scoring his career-best 48th goal in Boston's 5-3 setback to Tampa Bay on Saturday. While Pastrnak scored in the Bruins' 6-5 shootout loss at Philadelphia on Jan. 13, the game is best remembered for Brad Marchand over skating the puck in what proved to be the final round to end the game. Consider that Boston is 13-4 in their last 17 vs. a team with a winning record.

Rating: 2 Units

The Panthers, who also visit Dallas on the two-game trip Thursday, lost a pair of one-goal games against the Blues last season and will host them March 21. Central Division-leading St. Louis rebounded from its first loss in nine games to blank host Chicago 2-0 on Sunday as Jake Allen turned aside 29 shots and Jaden Schwartz set up both tallies, giving him five points in the last three contests. The Blues increased their lead to four points on second-place Colorado, who played later Sunday, as they begin a four-game stretch against teams outside playoff position. Consider that Florida is 4-10 in the last 14 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Washington Capitals applied the brakes on a 4-7-2 skid by stepping on the gas in their victory over a bitter rival. The Capitals look to pick up speed today when they conclude a three-game road trip against the Buffalo Sabres, who have been stuck in neutral since the NHL trade deadline. Oshie scored and set up a goal versus the Penguins and also tallied in the Capitals' 6-1 romp over the Sabres on Nov. 1. While Washington remains even in points with white-hot Philadelphia atop the Metropolitan Division, Buffalo finds itself on the fast track toward securing a ninth straight season without a playoff berth. Consider that Washington sports a 12-3-0 record in its last 15 games versus Buffalo.

Rating: 2 Units

At least the Minnesota Wild won't have to wait long to flush one of their worst performances of the season when they complete a three-game California trip today against the Anaheim Ducks. Minnesota matched a season high for goals allowed in a 7-3 loss to Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon that ended its six-game road winning streak and sits one point behind Vancouver, Nashville and Winnipeg, who share the Western Conference wild-card lead. The Ducks may be without goaltender John Gibson, who left Friday's game in the third period with an upper-body injury. Consider that Anaheim is 8-24 in their last 32 games playing on 1 days rest.

Rating: 2 Units

Having a long winning streak end against a last-place club could come back to haunt the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues, but a similar defeat by the Chicago Blackhawks could have far more damaging consequences. The Blues will wrap up a three-game road trip and aim to complete a season series sweep when they visit Chicago tonight. St. Louis had won eight in a row overall and 12 straight against New Jersey, but both streaks came to an end in a surprising 4-2 setback to the Devils on Friday night. While St. Louis maintained its two-point lead over Colorado atop the Central Division, the Blackhawks absorbed a jolting 2-1 defeat at NHL-worst Detroit on Friday to deny their bid for a season high-tying fifth consecutive victory. Consider that St. Louis is 55-26 in their last 81 games playing on 1 days rest.

Rating: 2 Units

The Calgary Flames are among five teams from the Pacific Division battling for playoff slots in the tightly bunched Western Conference, but suddenly find themselves within striking distance of first place. Winners of three in a row, the Flames have a chance to inch closer to the division lead when they host the Vegas Golden Knights tonight. Calgary has won the first two on its five-game homestand and drew within three points of first place when the Golden Knights were blanked in Winnipeg on Friday night. However, Vegas has won seven of 10 meetings overall between the clubs and dominated the season series against the Flames, erupting for 12 goals in a pair of lopsided victories at home.

Rating: 2 Units

The Philadelphia Flyers are the hottest team in the NHL, with a sizzling power play and consistent offense serving to fuel the club to a season-best eight straight wins. The Flyers look to continue their ascent today when they host the reeling Buffalo Sabres, who are headed in the other direction with five consecutive losses. While Philadelphia sports a sterling 24-5-4 record at home, Buffalo followed up a fruitless four-game trek that dropped it to 10-19-4 on the road with a 4-2 setback to Pittsburgh on Thursday.  Philadelphia G Carter Hart sports a 19-2-2 record with a 1.64 goals-against average and .942 save percentage at home this season.

Rating: 2 Units

The Minnesota Wild have won seven of their last nine games overall and six in a row on the road to insert themselves in the playoff conversation in the Western Conference. The surging Wild look to continue their march this afternoon when they visit the Los Angeles Kings. Minnesota can credit its ascent due to the strong play of Alex Stalock, who improved to 11-3-1 in his last 15 decisions after making 19 of his 40 saves in the third period on Thursday in a 3-2 win over his former team -- the San Jose Sharks.

Rating: 2 Units

The Dallas Stars have dropped off the pace in the race for Central Division supremacy and may have to start looking over their shoulder due to their longest losing streak in more than three months. One of the teams chasing the Stars is the Nashville Predators, who will look to complete a home-and-home sweep when the teams collide in Dallas. Consider that Dallas is 2-5 in their last 7 vs. Central.

Rating: 2 Units

Seemingly left for dead in the postseason chase after dropping nine of 11 (2-7-2) last month, Chicago has roared back with a vengeance and piled up 18 goals during its four-game winning streak. The Blackhawks, who also have won four straight and seven of nine against the Red Wings, have crept within four points of the second wild card in the clustered Western Conference following Thursday's 4-3 victory over Edmonton. Detroit, which was the first team to be officially eliminated from postseason contention this season, is in the midst of its fifth losing streak of at least six games. The Red Wings have dropped 10 of their last 11 games (1-9-1) and have been limited to two goals or fewer nine times in that span.

Rating; 2 Units

There has been no Stanley Cup hangover for the St. Louis Blues, who made history by becoming only the second team to string together three winning streaks of at least seven games one season after winning the championship. The Blues will go for their season-high ninth consecutive victory when they visit the New Jersey Devils. St. Louis owns the second-best record in hockey but, despite the hot streak, holds only a two-point edge over the Colorado Avalanche atop the Central Division.  The Blues have completely dominated the series in the past decade, winning 15 of 16 and posting its 12th straight victory over New Jersey with a 3-0 shutout on Feb. 18 that started the current eight-game run. The Devils rebounded from the defeat with St. Louis by earning points in six consecutive games (4-0-2), a streak that came to an end in a 3-0 setback at Vegas on Tuesday.

Rating: 2 Units

Dallas has dropped three in a row for the first time in three months, coming out on the short end of its third straight one-goal decision in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime setback to visiting Edmonton.  Like Dallas, the Predators have also hit a rut by dropping three in a row to fall two points out of the second wild card in the Western Conference. Consider that Dallas is 10-1 in their last 11 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.

Rating: 2 Units

After seeing their lead atop the Atlantic Division trimmed to one point, the NHL-leading Boston Bruins have taken command in the race for the Presidents' Trophy. Holding a healthy nine-point cushion over Tampa Bay atop the division, the Bruins go for their fourth consecutive victory when they wrap up a three-game road trip at the Florida Panthers tonight. Boston may have very well cemented the Atlantic title with Wednesday's 2-1 win over the second-place Lightning, its 14 victory over the last 17 games (14-3-0). While the Bruins are surging again, the Panthers are heading in the wrong direction, dropping three in a row and five of six (1-4-1) to put a dent in their postseason hopes.

Rating: 2 Units

The red-hot Philadelphia Flyers are making a run for the Metropolitan Division title as they put their seven-game winning streak on the line against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes today. Philadelphia moved to within one point of first-place Washington in the Metro with a 5-2 victory over the Capitals on Wednesday and has nearly erased a 13-point deficit by going 16-4-1 since Jan. 13. Perhaps the Hurricanes should consider signing David Ayres seeing as they haven't won since the Zamboni driver helped them prevail at Toronto on Feb. 22 in emergency fashion. That won't happen of course, but Carolina hasn't tasted victory since its top two goaltenders - Petr Mrazek (lower-body) and James Reimer (concussion) - were injured that night. Alex Nedeljkovic (0-1-1), last season's AHL Goaltender of the Year, and Anton Forsberg (0-1-0) have allowed 11 goals and combined for an .874 save percentage in three games while virtually splitting time since pressed into service.

Rating: 2 Units

The surging Philadelphia Flyers are ascending in the Metropolitan due in large part to their sterling play against the rest of the division. The Flyers bid to continue that dominance today when they vie for their season-high seventh straight victory overall against the first-place Washington Capitals. Philadelphia dropped all four meetings in regulation against Washington in 2018-19 en route to posting a 10-16-2 record against Metropolitan rivals, but the club has responded this season by collecting at least a point in 18 of 22 games within the division -- including a 2-0-1 mark versus the Capitals. Captain Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier each have scored two goals and set up two others in the season series for the Flyers, who are a sizzling 15-4-1 in their last 20 games to reside just three points behind Washington.

Rating: 2 Units

The Toronto Maple Leafs aim to extend a pair of streaks today when they begin a trek through California against the San Jose Sharks. The Maple Leafs, who have won four in a row against the Sharks, have erupted for 13 goals during their current three-game winning streak. Auston Matthews, who scored in Toronto's 4-1 win over San Jose on Oct. 25, also tallied in both Thursday's 5-3 triumph at Florida and a 4-2 victory versus Vancouver two nights later to boost his career-best totals in goals (45) and points (77). Captain John Tavares carries a five-game point streak (three goals, four assists) into today's tilt for the Maple Leafs, who are nursing a five-point edge over Florida for third place in the Atlantic Division.

Rating: 2 Units

The Boston Bruins have fully recovered from their swoon in December to solidify the lead in the Atlantic Division and can give themselves more cushion when they visit the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning tonight. The Bruins are 17-5-1 since Jan. 7 and lead the Lightning by seven points in the division after blanking the New York Islanders 4-0 on Saturday with seven points from their defensemen. Tampa Bay halted a season-high four-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over Calgary on Saturday, but announced the same day that captain Steven Stamkos (29 goals, 66 points) would be lost 6-to-8 weeks after undergoing core muscle surgery.

Rating: 2 Units

The St. Louis Blues have a chance to match their longest winning streak of the season but they still have been unable to shake the surging Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division. The defending Stanley Cup champions take aim at their eighth consecutive victory when they open a four-game road trip with a visit to the New York Rangers tonight. The Blues had lost five in a row and 10 of 12 (2-7-3) before their current winning streak, which they kept intact with a 4-3 shootout victory over division rival Dallas on Saturday. The Rangers had been on a tear of their own, going 9-1-0 over a 10-game span before losing both ends of a home-and-home series against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Rating: 2 Units

The Minnesota Wild have joined the fray in the Western Conference playoff race with a record-setting run and try to keep the momentum going when they host the Washington Capitals today. Minnesota has scored 17 times in its last three games - equaling the club record for goals in that span first set in 2009 - and has won them all, improving to 12-5-1 in the last 18 contests. Minnesota's Alex Stalock has four shutouts this season - one off the league lead entering Saturday - after stopping 24 shots Friday. Washington, which leads the Metropolitan Division, has won a league-most 21 road games but has lost four straight away from home after a 3-0 setback at Winnipeg on Thursday.

Rating: 2 Units

The injury-riddled Columbus Blue Jackets are holding on to the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference by one point despite recording just one win in their last 11 games (1-5-5) and will attempt to turn things around today when they host the Vancouver Canucks. All-star defenseman Seth Jones and top goal-scorer Oliver Bjorkstrand, each questionable to return before the end of the regular season with ankle injuries, are among 10 regulars currently sidelined for the Blue Jackets. Consider that Columbus is 1-10 in their last 11 overall.

Rating: 2 Units

The Flames came into the weekend holding one of two wild card spots in a crowded Western Conference and will go for a seventh win in nine games against the Panthers after Tkachuk scored twice in a wild 6-5 shootout victory in Calgary on Oct. 24. Florida has dropped four of its last five games (1-3-1) after scoring late in regulation to tie before losing 3-2 in a shootout against Chicago at home Saturday, and the Panthers trail Toronto by five points for third place in the Atlantic Division with one game in hand.

Rating: 2 Units

The St. Louis Blues have emerged from their funk with a vengeance, answering a month-long tailspin by ripping off six consecutive victories to regain control of first place atop the Central Division. The surging Blues seek to match their second-longest winning streak of the season when they wrap up a three-game homestand against the Dallas Stars tonight. The Blues continued their roll with another impressive victory, erasing a two-goal deficit before knocking off the New York Islanders 3-2 in overtime Thursday. One of the victories during St. Louis' winning streak was a 5-1 rout of Dallas, which fell six points behind the Blues in the division chase after dropping a 4-3 decision at Boston on Thursday.

Rating: 2 Units

The Hurricanes have won three straight meetings, including a pair this season, and the Canadiens sit nine points out of the second wild-card position in the East after falling to 2-5-2 in their last nine games with a 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday. Montreal scored the first two goals in that contest and took a 2-1 lead into the third period before surrendering four goals in the final 8:54 to drop to 13-16-6 at home this season. The Hurricanes, who have won four of their last five on the road, rallied to tie the game in the third period Friday before suffering a 3-2 loss versus Colorado to remain two points out of playoff position in the Eastern Conference with three games in hand.

Rating: 2 Units

The Avalanche can set a franchise record with an eighth consecutive road victory and win their sixth straight overall Saturday after getting two goals from Tyson Jost and 45 saves from Pavel Francouz to edge Carolina 3-2 on Friday, matching their 7-0-0 run away from home in early 1999. The Avalanche won 9-4 on Nov. 7 in the first of four meetings in 2019-20 after taking the final matchup last season 5-0.

Rating: 2 Units

The surging Minnesota Wild have four wins in six games under interim coach Dean Evason and will travel to Columbus Friday to face a struggling Blue Jackets squad for the second time in four days. Tuesday’s contest in Minnesota ended in a 5-4 setback for the Blue Jackets, who are 1-4-5 in their last 10 games and still holding on to the Eastern Conference’s final wild card spot by two points over the Carolina and the New York Rangers.

Rating: 2 Unitas

Tyler Toffoli has made quite the impression on his new teammates by recording three goals and five points in his first three games since being acquired from Los Angeles last week. Toffoli looks to continue his strong surge on Thursday when the Vancouver Canucks visit the Ottawa Senators, who have lost four in a row (0-3-1). Toffoli scored 1:35 into overtime on Tuesday as Vancouver improved to 4-1-1 in its past six contests by opening a four-game trek with a 4-3 victory over Montreal. While the Canucks are bidding to snap a four-year playoff drought, the Senators are sprinting toward a third straight early tee time in the spring after dropping 21 of their last 26 games (5-13-8). Ottawa, which was an active seller at Monday's trade deadline, struggled with its chemistry the following day in a 3-2 setback at Nashville.

Rating: 2 Units

The New York Rangers have charged up the standings in their bid to advance to the postseason and their stellar play away from Madison Square Garden has been pivotal to their success. Winners of four in a row and eight of the last nine, the surging Rangers continue a three-game road trip with a visit to the Montreal Canadiens tonight. New York drew within four points of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with a 4-3 overtime victory at the Islanders to run its road winning streak to a franchise-record eight games.  The Rangers have split a pair of meetings this season with the sputtering Canadiens, who fell nine points of the final playoff slot in the East after blowing a two-goal lead in a 4-3 overtime loss to visiting Vancouver on Tuesday.

Rating: 2 Units

Pittsburgh made a deal earlier in the month with Minnesota for forward Jason Zucker, who has five points in seven games, and brought in the 40-year-old Marleau (561 career goals) from San Jose while also reacquiring Conor Sheary and adding Evan Rodrigues from Buffalo. While the Penguins entered Tuesday two points behind Washington for first place in the Metropolitan Division, Los Angeles is looking to next season with the second-worst record in the league after falling 4-2 to Edmonton at home on Sunday. Captain Anze Kopitar leads the Kings with 56 points after collecting a goal and eight assists with a plus-5 rating in his last six contests

Rating: 2 Units

The Oilers are three points behind first-place Vegas in the Pacific Division with two games in hand but only three points clear of being in a wild-card spot in the spirited Western Conference playoff race. McDavid returned Sunday after missing six games with a quad injury and produced a goal and two assists in Edmonton's 4-2 victory at Los Angeles. The Oilers won the first of four meetings this season 6-2 on Nov. 10 behind a hat trick from McDavid.

Rating: 2 Units

The St. Louis Blues elected to stand pat at the NHL trade deadline, and perhaps for good reason after piecing together four straight strong defensive performances to strengthen their position atop the Western Conference. The Blues bid to record their fifth consecutive victory today when they open a three-game homestand against the Chicago Blackhawks. Central Division cellar-dwelling Chicago adopted a seller's mindset after dropping eight of its last 10 games (2-6-2) heading into the trade deadline. The Blackhawks sent defenseman Erik Gustafsson to Calgary for a third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft on Monday and shuffled Robin Lehner to Vegas for fellow goaltender Malcolm Subban, defenseman Slava Demin and a 2020 second-round selection. Consider that St. Louis is 35-16 in their last 51 vs. a team with a losing record.

Rating: 2 Units

The Boston Bruins are leading the chase for the Presidents' Trophy for the league's best record and thus saw no need to make major changes to their lineup at Monday's trade deadline despite coming off their most lopsided defeat of the season. Winners of 11 of their last 13 games, the Bruins return home to host the Calgary Flames. Calgary has been alternating wins and losses over its last seven games and after a 4-2 win at Detroit last time out. Boston is 8-3 in its last 11 home games after allowing seven or more goals in a loss in its previous outing.

Rating: 2 Units

The Edmonton Oilers have done a good job of keeping their heads above water the past six games without superstar forward Connor McDavid as they’ve skated to a 3-2-1 mark. Edmonton is expected to have its captain back in the lineup today when it opens a three-game road trip against the Los Angeles Kings. The Oilers are coming off a pair of disappointing home performances with a 2-1 overtime loss to Boston on Wednesday followed by a 5-3 setback to Minnesota on Friday, and will need a healthy McDavid if they hope to maintain their three-point cushion in the Western Conference playoff race. Consider that Los Angeles is 24-55 in their last 79 games as an underdog, 2-6 in their last eight home games, and 7-19 in their last 26 overall.

Rating: 2 Units

The surging Vegas Golden Knights try to increase their Pacific lead when they visit the struggling Anaheim Ducks today. Vegas leads Vancouver in the crowded division by two points after winning its fifth consecutive game, 5-3 over the Florida Panthers on Saturday as the offensive continues to click with 20 goals during the run. The Golden Knights are 9-3-2 since firing Gerald Gallant on Jan. 15 and handing the keys to Peter DeBoer. Anaheim lost 1-0 to Colorado on Friday night for its third straight setback and fourth in five games - two via shutout. Vegas has won nine of the 11 meetings since joining the NHL in 2017-18 after a 5-2 victory Dec. 31 behind a pair of goals by Jonathan Marchessault.

Rating: 2 Units

Following an extended hiccup that caused them to reliquish sole possession of first place in the Central Division, the St. Louis Blues are back on track and looking like the team that hoisted the Stanley Cup last season. The Blues take aim at their fourth consecutive victory when they close out a two-game road trip at the Minnesota Wild tonight. St. Louis turned a showdown for division supremacy into a laugher with a dominating 5-1 victory at Dallas on Friday, just missing out on a third straight shutout to notch its first regulation road win since Dec. 23.

Rating: 2 Units

Florida has lost its only two visits to Sin City. But they also lost 7-2 at home to the Golden Knights earlier this month. Vegas is on a four-game win streak right now, all of them coming here at T-Mobile Arena, and three wins were against top teams (St. Louis, TB, Washington). Florida just lost to the worst team in the Western Conference (Kings) and this will be their fourth straight game on the road in a six-day span. The team the Golden Knights just beat (Lightning) came here on an 11-game win streak.

Rating: 2 Units

The Tampa Bay Lightning saw several streaks come to an end last time out and look to avoid consecutive losses for the first time since mid-December when they visit the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night. The Lightning won a franchise-record 11 games in a row and had not allowed more than three goals in 22 straight outings before suffering a 5-3 loss at Vegas on Thursday despite a pair of goals from captain Steven Stamkos. Tampa Bay, which also lost for the first time in seven road contests Thursday, blanked the Coyotes 4-0 at home Jan. 9 after splitting two meetings last season - including a 7-1 defeat at Arizona. The Coyotes are averaging two goals despite managing seven points over their past seven games (3-3-1), but were outshot 46-14 in a 1-0 loss at St. Louis on Thursday and entered Friday in a virtual tie for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Rating: 2 Units

The Boston Bruins have the best record in hockey but are still in a dogfight to win their own division despite winning four games in a row and 10 of their last 11. The Atlantic Division-leading Bruins have a chance to become the first team in the NHL to reach 90 points when they continue their four-game road trip at the Calgary Flames. Boston has surrendered more than two goals only once during its 10-1-0 run and has yielded one goal or less eight times in the last 10 as the tandem of Rask and Jaroslav Halak continue to shine in net. Consider that the Bruins are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings while the favorite is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Nashville Predators saw the momentum built from a lopsided victory and a home-and-home sweep of a bitter rival go by the boards following a setback in their last contest. The Predators look to get back on track today when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks, who have dropped seven of their last eight games (1-5-2).  The Blackhawks certainly didn't appear ready for the third period on Wednesday, surrendering five goals in the session in a 6-3 setback to the New York Rangers. The road team has won the first three games of the season series.

Rating: 2 Units

The Hurricanes have dropped all three meetings to New York this season but they improved to 4-1-1 over their past six games with a 4-1 win in Nashville on Tuesday night. The Rangers have won five of six overall and six straight on the road while dominating the series with Carolina, going 30-6-0 against the Hurricanes over the past nine years

Rating: 2 Units

The Jets have answered a season-high five-game skid to conclude January with a 6-2-1 record in February to move within one point of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Winnipeg begins a four-game road trip in Canada's capital, with the home team having responded to losing 16 of 18 contests (2-9-7) by winning three of their last four. However, consider that the Jets are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Dallas Stars begin their longest homestand in over two months today when they open a three-game stretch against the Arizona Coyotes. Dallas recorded a pair of one-goal victories to begin its road trip before extending its point streak to five games (4-0-1) with a 4-3 overtime setback to Ottawa on Sunday. Consider that Arizona owns a 1-9-1 in its last 11 games overall versus the Stars and 0-9-3 in the last 12 contests in Dallas. while Stars G Ben Bishop sports a 7-1-2 record with two shutouts in 11 career meetings with the Coyotes.

Rating: 2 Units

The Lightning set all sorts of league records a season ago and come into today's game #1 in goals per game. During the 10-game win streak, they have scored at least three goals eight different times. They put five on the board Saturday vs. Philadelphia. Colorado is 4th in the league in goals per game and leads the Western Conference in that department. They've been held to just three goals total in their last two games, both of which were losses here at home. But the Avs average 3.7 goals per game here. The Over is 4-1-1 the L6 meetings between these teams.

Rating: 2 Units

Dallas spotted the Canadiens a 3-0 lead 6 1/2 minutes into the contest before roaring back and prevailing on Tyler Seguin's second goal to close within one point of first-place St. Louis in the Central Division. The Stars improved to 6-1-1 over their last eight games overall and are riding a six-game road point streak (5-0-1) heading into the final stop of their three-game trek. Dallas also is 5-0-1 in its last six against the Eastern Conference entering the matchup against the skidding Senators, who have lost seven of eight (1-5-2) after Saturday's 4-2 loss to visiting Toronto. It is the third of a a six-game homestand for Ottawa, which has dropped 17 of 20 (3-10-7) since returning from the Christmas break

Rating: 2 Units

Ducks are coming off a 6-0 shutout loss at home to Calgary. They are up against another hot goaltender today, as Jakob Markstrom is coming off a career high 49 saves in a 3-0 win over Chicago. The home team has won six of the last seven between these two teams, and the Ducks are 17-36 in their last 53 games as a road underdog. The Canucks are 14-3 in their last 17 home games.

Rating: 2 Units

Bruins have won eight of their last nine, avenging the only loss in that span with a 4-1 victory over Detroit -- the sixth time in the 8-1-0 stretch they have permitted one goal or less. New York capped off a perfect three-game road trip with a 3-1 victory at Columbus on Friday night to extend its winning streak to a season-high four games. Consider that the favorite is 12-5 in the last 17 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Calgary Flames appeared ready to take a step back in the air-tight Pacific after losing three straight at home and staring at a four-game road trip against all division opponents. However, the Flames won three of four behind a resurgent offense and hope to ride the potent attack against the Chicago Blackhawks in today's opener of a three-game home stand. After posting impressive 6-2 victories at Vancouver and San Jose, the Flames bogged down in a 5-3 loss at Western Conference-worst Los Angeles before bouncing back in a 6-0 drubbing at Anaheim. While Calgary is locked in a three-way tie for second in the Pacific and holds down the top wild card, Chicago has stumbled badly in losing five in a row, including three straight to start its current five-game road trip to fall six points out of the final playoff slot.

Rating: 2 Units

Alex Ovechkin recorded arguably the signature goal of his decorated NHL career after scoring while sliding on the ice against the then-Phoenix Coyotes during his rookie season. Ovechkin would love to enjoy another memorable moment at the Arizona Coyotes' expense today when the Washington Capitals pay a visit to Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz. Although Ovechkin was held in check for the third straight game to remain two goals shy of becoming the eighth member of the NHL's 700-goal club, Washington erased a two-goal deficit in a 3-2 victory at Colorado on Thursday. The Capitals recorded their league-best 21st road victory and fourth straight away from home. The Coyotes have cooled off considerably since resting atop the Pacific Division last month, falling for the 12th time in their last 15 contests (3-8-4) following a 3-2 setback to Ottawa on Thursday.

Rating: 2 Units

The Dallas Stars are in the hunt for a Central Division title after earning points in six of the last seven games (5-1-1) and look to keep it going when they visit the struggling Montreal Canadiens tonight. The Stars are one point behind Colorado for second and three back of division-leading St. Louis with 25 games to go after grinding out a 3-2 victory at Toronto on Thursday with another strong defensive effort. The Stars would take a similar performance Saturday to the one they produced Nov. 2 when receiving 35 saves from Ben Bishop (13-4-4, .937 save percentage career versus Montreal) and two goals from emerging forward Denis Gurianov in a 4-1 victory over the Canadiens in Dallas. Montreal had battled its way back into the playoff chase by winning nine of 12 games, but has dropped the last three contests after falling 4-1 at Pittsburgh on Friday night and sits seven points behind Toronto for third place in the Atlantic Division.

Rating: 2 Units

Pittsburgh is coming off its second loss in six days to Tampa Bay, the league's hottest team, but has earned points in 10 of its last 13 games (9-3-1).  The defeat dropped the Penguins to 12-2-2 in their last 16 at home, which included a 4-1 setback to Montreal on Dec. 10. The Canadiens had won three straight and nine of 12 before dropping back-to-back decisions to Arizona and Boston to fall eight points out of the second wild card entering play Thursday. Consider that the Penguins are 20-8 in their last 28 overall and 140-65 in their last 205 home games. while the Canadiens are 3-7 in the last 10 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

Flames are 6-2 in their last eight games as a road favorite and  11-4 in their last 15 road games overall while the Ducks have struggled with consistency in front of the home town crowd (12-10-3 at home on the season). Calgary will be playing on no rest following a 5-3 loss at Los Angeles last night while the Ducks have had three days off since closing out a five-game road trip, but note that the Ducks are 1-3 when playing with three or more days rest this season.

Rating: 2 Units

Despite registering only three victories over the past five weeks, the Arizona Coyotes are holding down the final wild card in the Western Conference and remain only three points out of first place in the Pacific Division. Arizona hopes to head home on a high note when they wrap up a four-game road trip at the skidding Ottawa Senators tonight. The Coyotes actually have played fairly well on the current trek against Atlantic Division teams, winning at Montreal before dropping a 3-2 overtime decision at Toronto on Tuesday. The Senators are mired in a six-game slide (0-4-2) and have scored only nine times in that span after absorbing their third straight three-goal defeat at Colorado on Tuesday. Arizona has won five straight in the series, including a 5-2 victory on Oct. 19

Rating: 2 Units

The Calgary Flames have made themselves at home on the road by collecting 25 of a possible 32 points (12-3-1) over their last 16 games away from Scotiabank Saddledome. The Flames look to ride the momentum of consecutive 6-2 wins into today's clash against the Los Angeles Kings, who will look to avert a season-high six-game losing skid. Matthew Tkachuk cemented Calgary's victory over San Jose with a between-the-legs, highlight-reel goal on Monday, giving him seven (four goals, three assists) of his team high-tying 45 points in his last seven games. Offense has been in short supply for Los Angeles, which has been outscored 19-7 during its current five-game skid.

Rating: 2 Units

The Tampa Bay Lightning return to the place where their season ended abruptly last April as they go for a seventh consecutive victory tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Lightning matched the NHL record with 62 wins during the regular season in 2018-19, but injuries and sloppy play led to a four-game sweep at the hands of the Blue Jackets in the first round of the playoffs. Tampa Bay has worked on adjusting its free-wheeling style of play this season and, after a mediocre start, the Lightning have been rolling along with an 18-2-1 record in their last 21 games and own points in eight straight (7-0-1) after a 3-1 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Rating: 2 Units

The Habs are still in the playoff hunt after winning five of their last six, but they are still six points back of the eighth place Flyers. They host the Arizona Coyotes tonight, and the Coyotes are in danger of falling out of the playoff hunt after losing seven of their last eight overall. Starting netminder Antti Raanta was scratched from Saturday's game in Boston with a lower body injury, and his backup Darcy Keumper is on injured reserve. Third string netminder Adin Hill has given up six goals while losing his last two starts. The Canadiens are in far better shape with Carey Price who has won eight of his last 10 starts. Price is 12-1 against the Coyotes in his career.

Rating: 2 Units

After winning five straight, including the first two of their recent road trip, Vancouver then stumbled and lost three straight to finish it. That included a 4-0 loss at Boston and a 4-2 setback at Minnesota. But now they return home to friendly confines to face a Calgary team which they most recently hammered 5-2 on December 29th. The Flames have lost seven of their last ten and three in a row. Calgary is just 3-7 in its last ten in trying to revenge a two goal or higher home loss to an opponent while on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

The rookie stepped in for the injured Joonas Korpisalo and has started all but two games since Dec. 31, going 12-2-0 with a 1.51 goals-against average and .953 save percentage, and has five shutouts during an eight-game winning streak after making 16 saves Friday. Colorado has won two straight road contests by a combined 10-2 after defeating Ottawa 4-1 on Thursday and sits in second place in the Central Division, seven points clear for a Western Conference playoff spot, after winning five of its last six games. The Avalanche won 4-2 on Nov. 9 in the first of two meetings this season behind a pair of goals from Calder Trophy contender Cale Makar, who has 40 points in 44 games - tied for the most among rookies with fellow blueliner Quinn Hughes of Vancouver.

Rating: 2 Units

The Winnipeg Jets face an uphill climb in the Central Division, but head into Saturday’s home contest against the Ottawa Senators following a critical victory in St. Louis. The Jets blew a 2-0 lead but got the game-winning tally from center Andrew Copp and more outstanding goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck in Thursday’s 4-2 triumph, keeping Winnipeg fifth in the division standings and one point out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Senators bring the third-worst record in the NHL into Saturday, losing four games in a row and are 2-7-7 in their past 16 games following Thursday’s 4-1 home defeat to Colorado.

Rating: 2 Units

Kreider missed Monday's 5-3 loss to Dallas after he was accidentally kneed in the head by teammate Mika Zibanejad during Saturday's 1-0 victory at Detroit, but returned to score his seventh goal in 10 games in Wednesday's 5-3 win over Toronto. Buffalo is free-falling out of playoff contention after a 4-3 shootout loss to Detroit on Thursday left it 1-4-1 in its last six games and gave Detroit its first win in 10 contests. New York prevailed 6-2 on Oct. 24 in the last meeting - the first of three this season - behind two goals by Ryan Strome, and has won three straight over the Sabres by a combined 15-5.

Rating: 2 Units

Minnesota is 24-22-4-2 overall this year, however, they Wild are 15-7-2-2 at home. Off a 3-2 OT win over Chicago and winner of four of its last six overall, Minnesota now plays with revenge vs. the visiting Canucks after falling 4-1 back on January 12th. And with a game at Dallas tomorrow night, this evening's contest becomes that much more important for Minnesota here. Vancouver is finally starting to come back down to Earth of late. This is the final game of a five-game road trip and the Canucks enter having lost two straight. With a night off before contests vs. the Flames, Predators, Hawks and Ducks in Vancouver, this came is a "look-ahead/letdown" spot for the visitors as well.

Rating: 2 Units

Anthony Beauvillier set up Jordan Eberle's tally late in the second period of New York's 4-3 overtime loss versus Vancouver on Saturday afternoon before scoring on a breakaway 2:52 into overtime to cap a two-goal performance in a 4-3 win over Dallas on Tuesday. Beauvillier has nine points (five goals, four assists) in his last seven contests for the Islanders, who improved to 5-0-3 at Barclays Center this season and 10-0-3 in the last 13 in the building since Jan. 12, 2019. Los Angeles is headed in the other direction with seven losses in its last eight games (1-6-1), with its latest setback on Tuesday coming after it surrendered three goals to Washington superstar Alex Ovechkin in a 4:24 stretch late in the third period.

Rating: 2 Units

Montreal is eight points behind Columbus, which holds down one of the two wild-card spots in the East, after killing off all six Florida power plays Saturday and getting a career-high four points (all assists) from defenseman Jeff Petry. The Canadiens edged the Blue Jackets in a shootout 3-2 on Nov. 12 before center Pierre-Luc Dubois scored twice and set up another goal one week later for a 5-2 victory over Montreal at home, but Columbus has not won at the Bell Centre since 2017.

Rating: 2 Units

The Ducks are just 2-5 in their last seven trying to revenge a same season loss vs. an opponent in which they scored one or less goals in, while LA is 6-3 in its last nine home games following an OT road win in which it conceded one or less goals in.

Rating: 2 Units

The Minnesota Wild are buried in the basement of the Central Division, but they went into the All-Star break with positive vibes after winning three of four to remain well within striking distance of a playoff berth. The Wild have a chance to make a move with seven of their next eight at home, beginning with today's matchup against the visiting Boston Bruins. Five of those next eight games are against teams sitting just above Minnesota in the standings, giving the Wild a chance to quickly make up a lot of ground. Boston has dominated Minnesota of late, extending its winning streak to five in the series with a 5-4 overtime victory on Nov. 23 behind two goals from David Krejci. The Atlantic Division-leading Bruins kicked off a rugged stretch of eight road games in their next 12 with a 2-1 victory at Winnipeg on Friday night.

Rating: 2 Units

With just over one-third of the regular season remaining, the Arizona Coyotes are trending in the wrong direction in the tightly bunched Western Conference playoff chase. Losers of seven of their last eight and mired in a season-worst four-game slide, the Coyotes aim to break out of their funk against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks tonight. Arizona managed to earn only one point against the two worst teams in the Pacific coming out of the All-Star break and is hanging onto a wild-card slot. Coming off a 10-day layoff, Chicago had ripped off a season-high six consecutive victories, including three straight on the road, before losing to Florida in its final game before the All-Star break.

Rating: 2 Units

The St. Louis Blues' recent struggles away from the Gateway City have prevented the reigning Stanley Cup champions from widening their gap atop the Western Conference. David Perron continued his torrid stretch by collecting a goal and an assist in regulation before scoring in the shootout of St. Louis' 5-4 victory over Calgary on Tuesday. The 31-year-old boosted his team-leading totals in goals (22) and points (52) with 10 and 22, respectively, over his last 17 games. While Perron has contributed two assists to help the Blues win the first two encounters with Edmonton, the Oilers have kept pace in the top-heavy Pacific Division by recording at least a point for the eighth time in their last nine games (6-1-2) with a 4-3 shootout loss to rival Calgary on Wednesday.

Rating: 2 Units

Offense has not been an issue for the Capitals, who have scored 20 goals over the past five games, but coach Todd Reirden was frustrated by a number of mistakes in Wednesday's loss. Ottawa won for only the second time in 12 games (2-5-5), following up Monday's 4-3 shootout loss to New Jersey with a 5-2 victory at Buffalo on Tuesday. In addition, the Capitals are 100-38 in their last 138 vs. Atlantic.

Rating: 2 Units

The Tampa Bay Lightning managed to gain a point despite some old habits creeping back into their game last time out, and seek a better performance when they begin a tour of California tonight against the Los Angeles Kings. The Lightning improved to 12-2-1 with a 3-2 overtime loss at Dallas on Monday after the All-Star break, but struggled with turnovers and went 0-for-4 on the power play. The Lightning have won the last seven meetings, including a 4-3 shootout victory in Tampa Bay on Jan. 14 and a 6-2 win at the Staples Center last season, against the Western Conference-worst Kings. Los Angeles went into the break with four consecutive losses (0-3-1) and one victory in the last eight outings (1-6-1) as it continues to try to find building blocks for a better future.

Rating: 2 Units

The season’s highly anticipated third installment of the battle of Alberta will take place in Edmonton on Wednesday when the Oilers host the Calgary Flames. Adding intrigue to the matchup will be the return of Edmonton forward Zack Kassian, who served a two-game suspension after retaliating for what he felt were questionable hits from Calgary forward Matthew Tkachuk during a 4-3 Flames victory Jan. 11. The Flames scored the game-winning goal on the second of two roughing minors Kassian was given for his actions that led to his suspension but as the provincial rivals are separated by one point in the Pacific Division. While today marks the Oilers first contest in 11 days, the Flames hosted the Blues on Tuesday and missed out on a crucial second point as they fell 5-4 in a shootout despite netting three power-play goals for the first time since Dec. 22 against Dallas. Calgary lost five of six games coming out of the 2019 All-Star break and six straight following the break in 2018.

Rating: 2 Units

The All-Star break did little to alleviate the struggles of the Nashville Predators, who face the daunting task of attempting to snap out of their funk against the league's top team. Superstar captain Alex Ovechkin will return from a one-game suspension when the Capitals go for their fifth straight win tonight against the visiting Predators. Despite Ovechkin sitting out as punishment for his decision to skip the All-Star Game over the weekend, Washington won for the seventh time in nine games with a 4-2 victory at Montreal on Monday. While Nashville scored four third-period goals in a 6-5 home win over Washington on Oct. 10, it lost for the eighth time in 12 games (4-7-1) since the Christmas break after dropping a 5-2 decision to visiting Toronto on Monday.

Rating: 2 Units

Ottawa is 15-36 in their last 51 games playing on 0 days rest, 18-45 in their last 63 vs. Eastern Conference, and 15-48 in their last 63 games as a road underdog. Buffalo is  6-2 in their last 8 vs. a team with a winning % below .400, and 8-3 in their last 11 home games. In addition, the home team is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

Sidney Crosby hasn't missed a beat since returning from a 28-game absence due to a core muscle injury, collecting eight points (three goals, five assists) in four contests to keep the Pittsburgh Penguins surging along. The superstar captain aims to send the Penguins to their seventh win in eight contests today when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers. Crosby, who set up a pair of goals in Pittsburgh's 4-3 comeback victory over Boston on Sunday afternoon, collected a goal and two assists in a 7-1 romp over Philadelphia on Oct. 29. The two-time Hart Trophy recipient has flustered the Flyers throughout his career to the tune of racking up 102 points (42 goals, 60 assists) in 68 encounters.

Rating: 2 Units

The New York Islanders look to snap a season high-tying three-game losing skid today when they visit the New York Rangers. The Islanders haven't fared well versus their cross-town rivals, sustaining a 6-2 defeat to the Rangers on Jan. 13 at Madison Square Garden before falling 3-2 three nights later in Uniondale, N.Y.  The Islanders have answered a 23-8-2 start to the season by losing 10 of their next 15 games (5-7-3), including five of their last six (1-3-2) in which they have mustered just 11 goals during the defeats. The Islanders followed that loss with a demoralizing 6-4 setback to Washington on Saturday, a game in which coach Barry Trotz's club squandered a three-goal lead in the third period.

Rating: 2 Units

The Boston Bruins want to take some positive momentum into the All-Star break while also erasing the memory of a crushing defeat that brought an end to a streak lasting nearly nine years. The Bruins have dropped three of their last four -- with each loss on the road -- entering tonight's home game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Boston appeared on its way to beating Pittsburgh decisively for the second time in six days but could not protect a 3-0 lead in an eventual 4-3 defeat -- the team's first regulation loss when leading by three goals since April 2011. The Golden Knights come into this one having lost five of six (1-4-1)

Rating: 2 Units

New York has won 10 of its last 11 versus division rivals, including last month's 3-2 victory at Columbus, which extended its winning streak to four games with a 5-0 rout of visiting New Jersey on Saturday night. Winners of six of seven (6-1-0), the Blue Jackets were 11 points out of a playoff spot on Dec. 7 but have ascended to the top wild card by earning points in 18 of their last 20 games (14-2-4).

Rating: 2 Units

The Jets had won six straight in the series before dropping a 4-1 decision on Dec. 19 against the Blackhawks, who have won four in a row and 11 of 16 to climb back into the playoff chase in the Western Conference. Chicago moved within two points of Winnipeg, which sits just outside playoff position, after rolling to a 6-2 victory at Toronto on Saturday as rookie Dominik Kubalik continued his hot streak with a pair of goals to reach 20. Kane, a former Hart Trophy winner, had an assist in the victory to move within one point of joining Hall of Famers Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull and Denis Savard as the only Blackhawks with at least 1,000 while captain Jonathan Toews is two shy of 800 after scoring twice and setting up two others Saturday.

Rating: 2 Units

Montreal signed Kovalchuk earlier this month in what smacked of a desperation move after he was waived by Los Angeles, but the former No. 1 overall pick is providing an offensive jolt. Kovalchuk had three goals and nine points in 17 games with the Kings but he has three tallies and four assists in seven games with the Canadiens after scoring twice in Thursday's 4-1 victory at Philadelphia. Montreal needs to get its power play untracked, as it has converted on 3 of 32 opportunities. The Canadiens have a renewed confidence and are trying to enter the All-Star break on a high note, rebounding from an eight-game slide (0-7-1) by winning three of their last four.

Rating: 2 Units

After putting forth spirited efforts in wins over Washington, Boston and St. Louis in the span of eight days, Philadelphia brought little to the party on Thursday and dropped a 4-1 decision to Montreal. Philadelphia looks to rebound from that loss and carries a 15-4-4 record at home into its tilt versus Los Angeles, which has lost three in a row on its five-game trek to fall to 7-16-4 on the road this season.

Rating: 2 Units

The first-place Calgary Flames conclude their three-game trip through Quebec and Ontario when they play the Ottawa Senators today afternoon. Calgary, which is in a virtual tie with Arizona in a Pacific Division that features the top five teams separated by two points, bounced back from a 2-0 loss to Montreal on Monday with a 2-1 shootout victory over Toronto on Thursday as goaltender David Rittich stole the show with 35 saves.Ottawa has lost nine straight (0-5-4) after a 4-2 setback to Vegas on Thursday. Calgary has won four straight meetings after a 3-1 victory Nov. 30 behind a pair of goals from Elias Lindholm.

Rating: 2 Units

The red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning begin another long stretch away from home Thursday night when they attempt to snap a four-game losing streak against the struggling Minnesota Wild. The Lightning have won 11 of their last 12 games to pull within six points of first-place Boston in the Atlantic Division as they prepare to play six in a row on the road, straddling the All-Star break. Minnesota won 5-4 at Tampa Bay on Dec. 5 when it was enjoying an 11-game point streak, but the Wild have cooled off considerably with four straight losses (0-3-1) - six in the past seven contests - after a 7-3 setback at Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Rating: 2 Units

The reigning Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues hope to make more history when they go after a franchise-record 10th straight victory on home ice tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. St. Louis outscored opponents 36-15 during its home streak, which equaled the previous single-season team record set in 1991, after knocking off Anaheim 4-1 on Monday for its fourth straight win. St. Louis, which entered Tuesday tied with Washington for the most points in the league (67), won both meetings with the Flyers last season and put up seven goals in the victory at the Enterprise Center.

Rating: 2 Units

The Winnipeg Jets are searching for answers behind their struggles on home ice as they prepare to host the Vancouver Canucks today, after losing their sixth consecutive game at Bell MTS Place on Sunday against Nashville. That 1-0 defeat dropped the Jets to 10-10-2 in their own building, one season after going 25-12-4 there, and Winnipeg is 0-5-1 while being outscored 28-13 during the current losing streak at home. Vancouver comes into this one red hot and won for the ninth time in 11 games with Sunday’s 4-1 victory at Minnesota. Center Bo Horvat scored twice to give him 12 points (five goals) in his past seven games, with at least one point in six of those contests.

Rating: 2 Units

The Chicago Blackhawks begin a three-game trip through Ontario and Quebec today against the Ottawa Senators as they continue the long road toward postseason relevance. Chicago is tied for last in the Central Division, seven points out of playoff position and must pass five teams to get there, but coach Jeremy Colliton isn't ready to wave the white flag. Ottawa has lost seven straight (0-4-3) after a 2-1 overtime setback to Montreal on Saturday. The Blackhawks have won five straight meetings after an 8-7 victory in last season's series finale featured Alex DeBrincat's fourth career hat trick and his only five-point game.

Rating: 2 Units

The Columbus Blue Jackets are 8-2 to the under through their last 10 games, and both of their last two games saw just four goals each. Rookie goaltender Elvis Merzlikins is coming off his first career shutout and he owns a 1.88 GAA in his last seven starts. The Boston Bruins are 4-0 to the under after going past regulation the previous day, which they are here, after following a 6-5 shootout loss at Philadelphia last night. The Bruins had back-up goalie Jaroslav Halak in net for that game, but Tuukka Rask with his 2.36 GAA should be back for this contest. Columbus won the first meeting of the season 2-1 at Boston on Jan. 2 and the under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

A six-game winning streak has vaulted the Dallas Stars into second place in the rugged Central Division as they continue their road trip Saturday against the San Jose Sharks. Dallas, which sits seven points behind defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis, defeated Anaheim 3-0 on Thursday behind 27 saves and an assist from Ben Bishop, and has allowed two or fewer goals in every game during its run. San Jose is coming off a win for only the fifth time in its last 18 games (5-10-3).

Rating: 2 Units

The Edmonton Oilers capped a brutal 10-game stretch (2-7-1) with a dismal performance against the Calgary Flames in the season's first installment of the Battle of Alberta. The Oilers have since rebounded and carry a five-game point streak (4-0-1) into the finale of a five-game road trip against their bitter provincial rivals in Calgary. Former Flames goaltender Mike Smith made 35 saves on Thursday as Edmonton answered an early two-goal deficit by scoring three times in the third period in a 4-2 victory over reeling Montreal.

Rating: 2 Units

The teams have split two meetings this season, but Montreal has won four of the past five and 10 of 13 against the Senators, who tumbled to their season-worst sixth straight defeat (0-4-2) with a 3-2 shootout loss at Detroit on Friday. Ottawa will hope familiar surroundings can reverse its fortunes as it kicks off a five-game homestand against the Canadiens.  Price is 25-9-6 with a 2.30 goals-against average and three shutouts versus Ottawa.

Rating: 2 Units

The Ottawa Senators overcame a dreadful start and were hovering around the NHL version of .500 until hitting a tailspin since returning from the Christmas break. The Senators will look to put a halt to a five-game slide (0-4-1) when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night in a matchup of the Atlantic Division's two worst teams. The losses aside, Ottawa barely has been competitive during its current skid, giving up 22 goals in the last four contests after Tuesday's 6-1 mauling in Washington.

Rating: 2 Units

The Calgary Flames finally put an end to a five-game losing streak at home last Thursday and now return to Scotiabank Saddledome in decidedly better spirits after winning three in a row. The Flames swept a two-game road trip by posting a pair of one-goal victories at Minnesota and Chicago and will face a rematch against the visiting Wild tonight. Calgary erased four one-goal deficits before pulling out a 5-4 shootout win at Minnesota on Sunday and spotted the Blackhawks a one-goal lead before squeezing out a 2-1 victory on Tuesday.

Rating: 2 Units

The Edmonton Oilers needed to get away from home to rediscover their game, posting back-to-back victories for the first time Nov. 23-24. The Oilers will look to extend their four-game point streak against an opponent that is seeking to avoid matching season-worst slide when they visit the Montreal Canadiens tonight. Edmonton has scored 19 goals during its 3-0-1 run, including a pair of impressive victories at Boston and Toronto -- Atlantic Division rivals of Montreal. The Canadiens appeared to be poised to take that next leap, winning six of eight entering the Christmas break, but they have stalled badly in losing seven in a row, including four straight one-goal setbacks. Tuesday Montreal fell to 0-3-0 this season against league-worst Detroit.

Rating: 2 Units

The Vancouver Canucks try to bounce back from their worst loss of the season when they continue a five-game trip Thursday against the Florida Panthers. Vancouver saw its seven-game winning streak end in lopsided fashion with a 9-2 loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The Canucks are fifth in the Pacific Division but only four points behind first-place Arizona and Vegas, and one point in back of Edmonton and Calgary. Florida has split its last eight games - all in regulation - after a 5-2 loss to Arizona on Tuesday left them outside playoff position in the Eastern Conference. Vancouver has won three straight meetings after a 7-2 victory Oct. 28 behind a pair of goals from J.T. Miller.

Rating: 2 Units

The Dallas Stars returned from the Christmas break by winning each of their next four games to build momentum and gain ground in the standings. After another break in their schedule, the well-rested Stars aim to pick up where they left off when they open a four-game road trip against the Los Angeles Kings today. While the Stars are ascending, the Kings have countered a 4-0-1 stretch with losses in six of their last eight contests (2-5-1) entering the finale of their four-game home stand.

Rating: 2 Units

The Columbus Blue Jackets have secured at least a point in 13 of their last 14 games (9-1-4) and will look to continue their winning ways Tuesday when they visit the Anaheim Ducks. The Blue Jackets had an ideal start to their four-game road trip Monday with a 4-2 victory over the Kings, which extended their road point streak to eight games (5-0-3). The Ducks have two regulation victories in their last 17 games but are 6-9-2 during that span thanks to four shootout victories. The Blue Jackets were concerned when it was announced starting goalie Joonas Korpisalo would miss 4-to-6 weeks after surgery to repair a torn meniscus, but Elvis Merzlikins - who had a 0-5-3 record at the time of the injury - has won three of his four starts since taking over starting duties and has Columbus sitting one point out of a playoff spot.

Rating: 2 Units

The Calgary Flames kicked off their two-game road trip by avenging a defeat to one Central Division opponent and have a chance to get even against another. After coming back repeatedly in a 5-4 shootout win at Minnesota on Sunday night, the Flames pay a visit to Chicago on Tuesday night -- one week after dropping a 5-3 decision to the Blackhawks. Chicago has won four of five after erasing a two-goal deficit in a 4-2 victory over Detroit on Sunday in the opener of a four-game homestand.  Crawford is 6-4-4 with a 2.56 goals-against average versus Calgary.

Rating: 2 Units

The Philadelphia Flyers' struggles on the road have been prevalent all season, but the club's disastrous starts during their current three-game losing skid have been downright troubling. The Flyers look for a better beginning today when they conclude their season-high six-game trek against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Flyers have been outscored 11-3 during the first period and 23-12 during those games. Philadelphia resides one point behind fourth-place Carolina in the Metropolitan Division

Rating: 2 Units

The Colorado Avalanche have made themselves at home on the road, with their 14 away wins serving as the most among Western Conference teams. Boasting a sizzling 7-1-1 record in their last nine road tilts, the Avalanche aim to continue their splendid play outside of Denver today when they visit the New York Islanders in Uniondale, N.Y. While Colorado resides five points out of first place in the Central Division, New York has lost two in a row and five of seven (2-4-1) to fall into third in the Metropolitan. A sputtering offense has contributed to the troubles of the Islanders, who suffered a 3-0 setback to Toronto on Saturday to mark the fourth time in six games that they have scored two goals or fewer. New York is 0-3-1 in its last four games at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Colorado sports an 11-2-2 record against Eastern Conference representatives this season.

Rating: 2 Units

The bedraggled Red Wings have won only three of their last 22 (3-17-2) and are buried at the bottom of the league with 23 points. Missing two of its top forwards in Anthony Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou, Detroit has dropped seven of eight overall and the last three versus Chicago.

Rating: 2 Units

The Minnesota Wild followed their worst loss of the season - a 6-0 drubbing by Winnipeg on Dec. 21 - with a 3-0 victory over the Calgary Flames in their final game before the Christmas break. The Wild will look to complete a weekend sweep of the same two opponents when they host the Flames tonight in the front end of a home-and-home. The Flames stumbled out of the break by giving up 10 goals in losses to Chicago and Vancouver before squeezing out a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers.