Preview Roundups
March 18, 2014
Boston at New Jersey 7:00 PM ET
The Boston Bruins look to extend their winning streak into double digits for the first time in over two years on Tuesday when they visit the New Jersey Devils. The beat went on as Jarome Iginla scored twice in his 1,300th NHL game on Monday in Boston's 4-1 victory over Minnesota. The surging Bruins increased their lead to five points over idle Pittsburgh for the top spot in the Eastern Conference and will vie for their first 10-game winning streak since November 2011.
Minnesota at NY Islanders 7:00 PM ET
The Minnesota Wild continue their Eastern Conference road trip with a visit to the New York Islanders on Tuesday. The Wild have one win in their last six games (1-2-3) and are five points clear of slipping out of a wild card playoff spot in the West. The Islanders are firmly entrenched in the basement of the Metropolitan Division and have one of the worst home records in the league (10-17-8).
Dallas at Pittsburgh 7:00 PM ET
For as well as the Pittsburgh Penguins played in a home-and-home sweep of the Washington Capitals, they were nowhere near as effective en route to back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Flyers. The Penguins will be looking to establish some consistency Tuesday night as they welcome the Dallas Stars to Consol Energy Center. The Stars have also dropped two in a row, most recently a 7-2 thumping at the hands of the host Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.
Carolina at Columbus 7:00 PM ET
The Columbus Blue Jackets continue to find different ways to gain points during their quest to reach the playoffs for the second time in their history. The Blue Jackets have given up one goal or fewer in three of their last four games as they prepare to host the fading Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. The Blue Jackets scored 12 goals in their first three games during a 6-1-1 run that has put them in playoff position while Carolina is only 3-9-0 over its last dozen contests.
Colorado at Montreal 7:30 PM ET
Patrick Roy makes his return to Montreal for the first time as a head coach when the Hall-of-Fame netminder guides the Colorado Avalanche into a matchup with the Canadiens on Tuesday night. Roy, who spent 11-plus seasons in Montreal before drawing the ire of the franchise's rabid fan base by demanding a trade, has the Avalanche on a roll with seven victories in their last nine games.
NY Rangers at Ottawa 7:30 PM ET
The New York Rangers did everything they could to help Henrik Lundqvist secure his franchise-best 302nd victory in his last contest - well, except score. After coming up empty despite registering 41 shots, the Rangers attempt to rebound and avoid a fourth loss in five games on Tuesday when they visit the Ottawa Senators. Lundqvist looks to move past Mike Richter on Tuesday, two days removed from making 28 saves as New York dropped a 1-0 decision to San Jose.
Toronto at Detroit 7:30 PM ET
The Detroit Red Wings have reached the playoffs for 22 consecutive seasons, but that streak is in danger as they prepare to host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night in a rematch of the Winter Classic. Few teams have been decimated by injuries as much as the Red Wings, who have lost five of their last seven (2-4-1) to drop into 10th place in the Eastern Conference - three points behind the New York Rangers for the second wild card.
Chicago at Philadelphia 7:30 PM ET
A healthy Marian Hossa is paramount to Chicago repeating as Stanley Cup champion as the 35-year-old right wing plays his second game since missing five with an upper-body injury when the Blackhawks visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. The Blackhawks snapped out of a 3-5-0 funk - 2-3-0 without Hossa - with Sunday's 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, and Hossa played a key role by recording a goal and two assists in his return to the top line centered by captain Jonathan Toews.
Buffalo at Calgary 9:00 PM ET
The Calgary Flames are mired near the bottom of the Western Conference but they are showing little signs of rolling over and playing out the string. The same cannot be said of the Buffalo Sabres, who own the league's worst record and will look to avoid a seventh consecutive defeat when they kick off a five-game road trip with a visit to Calgary on Tuesday night.
Nashville at Edmonton 9:30 PM ET
The Nashville Predators have a tough road ahead if they wish to climb over a number of teams and secure one of the wild-card spots in the Western Conference. The road seems to be the best path toward success for the Predators, who vie for their season-best fourth consecutive victory away from home on Tuesday against the host Edmonton Oilers. Nashville suffered its fifth straight home loss on Saturday as Eric Nystrom scored the lone goal in a 4-1 setback to St. Louis.
Washington at Anaheim 10:00 PM ET
The Washington Capitals and their red-hot power play begin a crucial three-game road trip against the California teams by visiting the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. The Capitals, who are two points out of the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race, are 8-for-17 with the man advantage in their last seven games, but only 3-4-0 during that span.
Florida at San Jose 10:30 PM ET
The San Jose Sharks look to take care of business against the visiting Florida Panthers on Tuesday as they battle for the top spot in the Pacific Division and the Western Conference. The Sharks are tied in points with Anaheim in the Pacific and stand four behind St. Louis in the West after beating the New York Rangers 1-0 for their sixth straight victory Sunday. The Panthers, who stand 15th in the East, begin a four-game Western swing that lasts six days.