It’s an outstanding lineup of NHL hockey this weekend to ring in the New Year with excitement and drama. If Santa did not deliver GameCenter or Centre Ice under your tree you may want to treat yourself as the action will heat up the winter chill and carry significant playoff implications. Let’s take a look at the top choices from the buffet of pucks this weekend.
Saturday
Nashville vs. Los Angeles: Face off is at 4 PM ET for this potential Western Conference Playoff preview. Know this; the defending Stanley Cup Champion LA Kings will have all that they can handle and then some here as the Nashville Predators are a team that nobody will want to face come playoff time. With G Pekka Rinne back in top form with a save percentage of .934 and 1.88 goals against average with three shutouts and a top flight D corps led by Shea Weber, this is a Predators team that is appointment television. The inconsistent Kings may be in playoff position, but their thin D corps is a major concern for long term viability.
Montreal vs. Pittsburgh: Faceoff is at 7 PM ET. The Penguins were the top team in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference while the Habs were in a tight race for the top of the Atlantic Division after winning six out of seven. Led by D PK Subban and G Carey Price, the Canadiens ranked fifth in the NHL for goals against and for the penalty kill. Offensive depth remains a worry for Montreal as they ranked 19th in the NHL for goal scoring and 24th for the power play. Offense is never a problem for Sidney Crosby and the Pens who ranked fourth in the NHL for goal scoring. Where Pittsburgh has shown marked improvement under first year head coach Mike Johnston is on defense and in goal with the resurgent Marc Andre Fleury, as they ranked fourth in the NHL for goals against.
St. Louis vs. San Jose: This matchup of Western Conference powerhouses is set for 10:30 PM ET. The Blues continue to contend for the top spot in the Central despite suffering through inconsistent goaltending, as top netminder Brian Elliott remains questionable with a knee issue. Veteran Martin Brodeur did post a shutout in Monday night’s 3-0 win over Colorado that snapped a four-game losing streak. San Jose cooled off with two losses that followed a 7-1 streak before that. The Sharks have slipped some offensively and ranked a subpar 16th in the NHL for goal scoring. The Blues LW Vladimir Tarasenko was terrorizing the league with 22 goals and 17 assists in a breakout season of dominance. D Kevin Shattenkirk has stabilized the Blues through their goaltending issues with a +15 to go with five goals and 24 assists. The Blues and head coach Ken Hitchcock, who is in the final year of his contract, are in full “Stanley Cup or Bust” mode. The Sharks are also in that mindset as last year’s playoff collapse against Los Angeles has not been forgotten.
Detroit vs. Vancouver: Faceoff is set for 10 PM ET in a game that will be loaded with skilled and offensively entertaining players. Detroit was slumping with seven losses in nine games but remained in the thick of the Atlantic Division race with Tampa Bay and Montreal. The Wings have tightened up defensively to rank sixth in the NHL for goals against as G Jimmy Howard had a tidy .921 save percentage. Red Wings C Pavel Datsyuk is a magician with the puck and had 13 goals and 14 assists. Vancouver has gotten the offensive mojo back and ranked eighth in the NHL for goals scored. The Sedin twins are again at the top of the team scoring charts with LW Daniel at eight goals and 22 assists and C Henrik with six goals and 23 assists. The goaltending of Ryan Miller has been a disappointment for Vancouver as the veteran has a subpar .907 save percentage.
Sunday
Florida vs. Washington: Faceoff is set for 3 PM ET and the Florida Panthers are a team to get to know. Florida was in top contention for an Eastern Conference playoff spot and has an appealing blend of talented youngsters such as Nick Bjugstad and 2014 number one overall draft pick Aaron Ekblad to go with seasoned veterans such as captain D Willie Mitchell, a two time Stanley Cup winner with the Kings and G Roberto Luongo.
