Bruins host Rangers in Thanksgiving Showdown; Matthews, Ovechkin face off
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There are 15 games on the NHL schedule for Friday, including two nationally televised in the United States and Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.
Two of the NHL’s hottest teams face off with multiple streaks on the line when Nathan MacKinnon and the League-leading Colorado Avalanche (17-1-5) visit Kirill Kaprizov and the Minnesota Wild (13-7-4) at Grand Casino Arena (3:30 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNSO, ALT). The Avalanche are riding a 10-game winning streak and 14-game point streak (12-0-2) after a 6-0 victory against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. It was Colorado’s third straight shutout, tying a franchise record, and second consecutive blanking by Mackenzie Blackwood in as many starts. MacKinnon had a goal and an assist to stretch his NHL points lead to 39 (18 goals, 21 assists) in 23 games. The Wild has a six-game winning streak and nine-game point streak (8-0-1) following a 4-3 overtime win at the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. Kaprizov, scored the winner to extend a three-game goal streak and five-game point streak (six points; four goals, two assists). Jesper Wallstedt (6-0-2) brings a five-game winning streak into the contest and leads NHL goalies in shutouts (three) and save percentage (.935).
MIN@CHI: Kaprizov nets PPG off the bar to win it in OT
David Pastrnak and the Boston Bruins (14-11-0) return from a four-game road trip to host Artemi Panarin and the New York Rangers (12-11-2) in the NHL Thanksgiving Showdown (1 p.m. ET; HBO, MAX, TNT, SN) for the fifth time. The Rangers will try for their third straight win and to extend their road record to an NHL-best 11 victories after a 4-2 win at the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. Panarin led the way with a goal and an assist, and Adam Fox had an assist for six assists during a four-game point streak. Boston ended a 2-2-0 road trip on a high note with a 3-1 win at the New York Islanders on Wednesday and looks to maintain its Thanksgiving Showdown dominance (3-1-0) over the Rangers, though New York won the last Black Friday meeting, 5-2 on Nov. 26, 2021.
BOS@OTT: Pastrnak nets PPG to continue climb up Bruins’ all-time goals list
Charlie Coyle goes for his 500th NHL point when the Columbus Blue Jackets (11-9-4) host the Pittsburgh Penguins (11-6-5) at Nationwide Arena (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, FDSNOH, SN-PIT, SN, TVAS). The 33-year-old center has 499 points (192 goals, 307 assists) in 974 games. He will try to lift the Blue Jackets, who have lost three straight (0-1-2) after 2-1 defeat to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Zach Werenski, who is vying for a spot with the United States at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, scored for Columbus and has seven points (three goals, four assists) in his past five games. Pittsburgh looks to even the season series in their second clash with Columbus and build off a 4-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. Tristan Jarry made 29 saves in his return after missing seven games with a lower-body injury and is 6-2-0 this season.
STL@CBJ: Coyle gets the lucky bounce and finds twine
The Toronto Maple Leafs (10-10-3) hope to build off captain Auston Matthews’ return to the lineup and a 2-1 overtime win at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday but will have a tough challenge in Alex Ovechkin and the surging Washington Capitals (13-9-2) at Capital One Arena (5 p.m. ET; MNMT, TSN4, TVAS). Ovechkin scored his 908th NHL goal in a 4-3 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday to guide the Capitals to their fifth win in six games (5-1-0). Jakob Chychrun also scored and extended his goal streak to four games (five goals) and point streak to nine (12 points; six goals, six assists). Matthews, who missed five games with a lower-body injury, didn’t register a point on Wednesday’s victory that lifted Toronto from a 1-5-2 funk, but he was a presence with three shots, a hit and a blocked shot in 24:35 of ice time. William Nylander scored the game-winner, his 15th career overtime goal and passed Matthews and Mats Sundin for most in Maple Leafs history.
WPG@WSH: Ovechkin nets a knuckleballer from the point
Roope Hintz and the Dallas Stars (15-5-4) are on a roll heading into Salt Lake City to face the Utah Mammoth (12-9-3) for the first time this season at Delta Center (8 p.m. ET; Utah16, Victory+). Hintz has goals in three straight and Dallas has a four-game point streak (3-0-1) coming off a 3-2 win at the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, a tilt that ended Jason Robertson’s seven-game goal streak (11 goals) and eight-game point streak (18 points; 11 goals, seven assists). Utah looks to get back on track after losing five of its past seven (2-2-3) following a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday. Logan Cooley had an assist and leads Utah with 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) in 24 games.
DAL@SEA: Hintz deflects Petrovic’s rocket in the slot to open scoring
Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings (12 p.m. ET; The Spot, FDSNDET)
New York Rangers at Boston Bruins (1 p.m. ET; HBO, MAX, TNT, SN)
Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild (3:30 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNSO, ALT)
New Jersey Devils at Buffalo Sabres (4 p.m. ET; MSG-B, MSG)
Calgary Flames at Florida Panthers (4 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SNW, SNO, SNE)
Philadelphia Flyers at New York Islanders (4 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NBCSP)
Ottawa Senators at St. Louis Blues (4 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, TSN5, RDSI)
Montreal Canadiens at Vegas Golden Knights (4 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN2, RDS)
Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim Ducks (4 p.m. ET; FDSNW, KTTV, Victory+)
Vancouver Canucks at San Jose Sharks (4 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, SNP)
Toronto Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals (5 p.m. ET; MNMT, TSN4, TVAS)
Winnipeg Jets at Carolina Hurricanes (5 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, TSN3)
Pittsburgh Penguins at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, FDSNOH, SN-PIT, SN, TVAS)
Nashville Predators at Chicago Blackhawks (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, CHSN)
Utah Mammoth at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; Utah16, Victory+)
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