Panthers-Bruins, Stars-Avalanche highlight weekend schedule

Every Friday, NHL Community and ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes will present readers with three video games he’s wanting ahead to that weekend:

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

The Panthers (48-24-5) defeated the Ottawa Senators 6-0 on Thursday and hopefully it ends their droop through which they had been 2-7-1 of their earlier 10 video games. Sam Reinhart has 53 targets and 89 factors, and Matthew Tkachuk has 24 targets and 83 factors. However the Panthers are with out ahead Carter Verhaeghe and defenseman Aaron Ekblad, probably for the remainder of the common season, however every is predicted again for the beginning of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And do not sleep on Sergei Bobrovsky. To me, he must be within the dialog for the Vezina Trophy as the perfect goalie within the NHL. Paul Maurice received his 865th recreation Thursday and moved into fourth all time amongst coaches, behind Scotty Bowman (1,244), Joel Quenneville (969) and Barry Trotz (914).

The Bruins (45-17-15) had a giant win towards the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-1 on Thursday, their third straight victory. They lead the Panthers by 4 factors for first within the Atlantic Division. David Pastrnak has 106 factors (47 targets, 59 assists), however nobody is basically speaking about him due to what the others forward of him within the scoring race have executed. Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha have executed a pleasant job on the middle place after David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron retired following final season.

Nashville Predators at New York Islanders (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, BSSO)

The Predators (44-28-4) have hit a droop just lately however ended a three-game dropping streak with a 6-3 win towards the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. They’ve performed very properly underneath coach Andrew Brunette. Filip Forsberg is having a profession season, with NHL highs in targets (43) and factors (87), and Roman Josi (77 factors) must be within the Norris Trophy and Hart Trophy conversations. And the way about what they’ve gotten from Gustav Nyquist (71 factors) and Ryan O’Reilly (63 factors)? Goalie Juuse Saros has performed wonderful down the stretch and the Predators are a group I’d not need to face within the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Islanders (34-27-15) defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 on Thursday and elevated their possibilities to make the playoffs. They’ve the second wild card within the Jap Convention and are one level behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place within the Metropolitan Division. They need to be the extra determined group on this recreation since they will’t afford to lose factors. Bo Horvat (32) and Brock Nelson (30) every have topped 30 targets. Defenseman Noah Dobson must be within the Norris Trophy race with what he has executed this season. Give the Islanders credit score. They had been within the race, they performed themselves out of the race and now are again in it.

Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche (Sunday, 10 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN)

This shall be an enormous recreation and may very well be for first place within the Central Division. The Stars (48-19-9) have received a franchise-best eight straight video games heading into their recreation towards the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, NBCSCH), earlier than they face the Avalanche on Sunday. Goalie Jake Oettinger has rotated his season. Ahead Wyatt Johnston, a 20-year-old in his second NHL season, has 30 targets. Dallas has seven gamers with a minimum of 20 targets and doubtless is the deepest group within the NHL.

Colorado (48-22-6) defeated the Minnesota Wild 5-2 on Thursday and is led by Nathan MacKinnon, who has 130 factors and is competing for the scoring title in addition to the Hart Trophy as essentially the most worthwhile participant within the NHL. In addition they have ahead Mikko Rantanen and defenseman Cale Makar, in addition to versatile items like forwards Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen, who log important time on the ability play and penalty kill. Goalie Alexandar Georgiev has proven he is able to taking part in heavy minutes and Colorado appears like a group that wishes to get again to the Cup Closing after dropping within the first spherical final 12 months.