Preview Roundups
December 16, 2014
Tampa Bay at Philadelphia 7:00 PM ET
The Philadelphia Flyers are beginning to turn their season around with better work on the defensive end and that will be tested when the Tampa Bay Lightning visit on Tuesday. The Flyers are 3-0-2 during a solid five-game run and surrendered only six goals combined in the last four contests. Tampa Bay has won five straight and eight of nine against Philadelphia, but will likely be without No. 1 goalie Ben Bishop after he suffered a lower-body injury in Monday’s 4-2 loss at Pittsburgh.
Anaheim at Toronto 7:30 PM ET
Two of the hottest teams in the league meet Tuesday when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Anaheim Ducks. Toronto is riding a five-game winning streak as it climbs the Atlantic Division standings, while Anaheim sits atop the league after seven straight victories. The Ducks began their five-game Canadian road trip with wins at Edmonton and Winnipeg, but the Maple Leafs are 6-2-1 against Western Conference foes and have won eight of their last nine home games.
Carolina at Montreal 7:30 PM ET
The Montreal Canadiens appear to be back on track following a two-week stretch of road-dominated games and will go for their third consecutive victory against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. The Canadiens will be playing the third contest of a five-game homestand against the Hurricanes, an opponent they have dominated over the past two seasons. Montreal is 5-0-1 against Carolina and has allowed one goal in the past three home meetings.
Columbus at Detroit 7:30 PM ET
The surging Columbus Blue Jackets attempt to extend their season-high winning streak to seven games when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. Sergei Bobrovsky has been in net for each victory during the stretch, registering a .943 save percentage and a 1.91 goals-against average. The former Vezina Trophy winner made 33 saves and Nick Foligno scored his third goal in two contests as the Blue Jackets skated to a 4-3 shootout victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Washington at Florida 7:30 PM ET
The Washington Capitals attempt to extend their point streak to six games when they begin a three-game road trip against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. Washington improved to 4-0-1 over its last five contests with a 4-2 triumph Saturday over Tampa Bay. Nicklas Backstrom kicked off the scoring with a natural hat trick, the first regular-season three-goal performance of his career, as the Capitals halted their brief two-game skid at home.
Los Angeles at St. Louis 8:00 PM ET
Sitting one point out of first place in the Central Division, the St. Louis Blues put a four-game winning streak on the line when they host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday in the opening leg of a home-and-home series. St. Louis will be looking to avenge a 1-0 shootout defeat at Los Angeles on Oct. 16 - its ninth loss in 11 games (2-7-2) versus the defending Stanley Cup champions. "They've got our number," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said.
Boston at Nashville 8:00 PM ET
Last season's Vezina Trophy winner is in line to test his mettle against this campaign's potential front-runner when the Boston Bruins visit the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. Boston's Tuukka Rask is expected to be in net to face fellow Finn Pekka Rinne, who has rebounded from an injury-marred 2013-14 to lead the league with 19 wins while sporting a rail-thin 1.75 goals-against average
Buffalo at Winnipeg 8:00 PM ET
The Buffalo Sabres look to extend their season-high winning streak to five games when they visit the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. Buffalo completed a sweep of its four-game homestand Monday, squandering a two-goal lead in the third period against Ottawa before Brian Flynn scored the tying goal with 3 1/2 minutes remaining and Matt Moulson netted the lone tally in the shootout for a 5-4 triumph. The victory was the sixth straight at home for the Sabres and their 10th in 13 overall games.
Minnesota at Chicago 8:30 PM ET
The Chicago Blackhawks have won nine of 10 games to surge to the top of the Central Division and look to continue their hot streak when they host the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night. Chicago rebounded from Saturday's 3-2 setback at the New York Islanders with a 2-1 victory over Calgary 24 hours later for its sixth consecutive victory at home. The Blackhawks have won 12 of their last 14 games, 10 of which have been played away from home.
NY Rangers at Calgary 9:00 PM ET
The New York Rangers look to secure a season-high fourth straight victory when they visit the reeling Calgary Flames on Tuesday. The Rangers began their tour of Western Canada with a resounding 5-1 victory over Vancouver on Saturday before Henrik Lundqvist needed to make only 16 saves for his league high-tying fifth shutout in a 2-0 triumph over Edmonton the following night.
Edmonton at Arizona 9:00 PM ET
General manager Craig MacTavish has decided to take matters into his own hands as he will be behind the bench when his Edmonton Oilers visit the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday. Less than 24 hours after suffering its fourth straight loss and 15th in 16 games, Edmonton fired coach Dallas Eakins on Monday and replaced him on an interim basis with MacTavish, who guided the club to a 301-252-56 record with 47 ties from 2000-09 - including a Stanley Cup final appearance in 2006.