Preview Roundups
November 05, 2015
Tampa Bay at Buffalo 7:00 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Lightning led the league in scoring a season ago but are a mediocre 3-3-1 in games in which they have allowed two or fewer goals in the first month of the new campaign. The Lightning look to begin turning around their fortunes in the offensive zone when they visit the vastly improved Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
Boston at Washington 7:00 PM ET
Coming off his worst performance of the season, goaltender Braden Holtby looks to get back on track against an opponent he dominated last season when the Washington Capitals host the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. Holtby paced the Capitals to a three-game season sweep of the Boston Bruins, posting a shutout in each victory.
NY Islanders at Montreal 7:30 PM ET
After lighting up the tabloids with a mysterious illness, captain John Tavares looks to return from a three-game absence on Thursday when the New York Islanders visit the Montreal Canadiens. Tavares was an active participant in practice on Wednesday, one day removed from the Islanders' snapping a three-game winless skid (0-1-2) with a 2-1 triumph over Metropolitan Division-rival New Jersey.
Winnipeg at Ottawa 7:30 PM ET
The Ottawa Senators have figured out the formula for winning on the road but hope to show better results in front of their home fans on Thursday, when they host the Winnipeg Jets. The Senators sit in a second-place tie in the Atlantic Division and handed division-leading Montreal its first home loss in overtime on Tuesday, but they are a dismal 1-3-2 at Canadian Tire Centre as they begin a stretch of six home contests in eight games.
Nashville at Minnesota 8:00 PM ET
The Minnesota Wild will put their undefeated home record on the line Thursday when they face the Nashville Predators in the first of three straight contests at Xcel Energy Center. Minnesota has won all five of its games at home this season, but dropped both such contests to its Central Division rival in 2014-15.
Philadelphia at Calgary 9:00 PM ET
A pair of sputtering teams will face off on Thursday as the Philadelphia Flyers look to snap a five-game winless skid (0-4-1) when they visit the Calgary Flames. Philadelphia's struggling offense has been a primary concern for first-year coach Dave Hakstol, as the team has mustered just five goals in its last four contests and is 0-for-14 on the power play in its last six.
Colorado at Arizona 9:00 PM ET
The Colorado Avalanche look to build off a rare offensive outburst when they visit the struggling Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night. Colorado, which begins a stretch of eight road games in its next nine, posted a season-high 42 shots on goal in a 6-3 triumph against Calgary at home on Tuesday after losing six of its previous seven contests (1-5-1).
Columbus at Los Angeles 10:30 PM ET
The Los Angeles Kings have been the league's hottest team since opening the season with three consecutive losses and look to keep the momentum going when they open a five-game homestand against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night. Los Angeles rebounded from a 4-2 defeat at Chicago by blanking St. Louis 3-0 on Tuesday to improve to 8-1-0 in its last nine games.
Florida at San Jose 10:30 PM ET
The Florida Panthers attempt to halt their three-game slide when they continue their three-game California road trip against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. Florida, which has scored a total of four goals during its skid (0-1-2), was on the verge of beginning its trek with a victory but ultimately dropped a 3-2 decision to Anaheim in a shootout Wednesday.