Home sweet home for the Bruins
The Boston Bruins have been rolling so far, especially at TD Garden, where they have won 10 straight to open the season, one off the NHL record. They will get a chance to tie that record against the Chicago Blackhawks (7 pm ET; NHLN, NESN, NBCSCH, SN NOW). The Bruins (15-2-0) can equal the mark of 11 straight home wins to open a season, set by the Blackhawks in 1963-64 and equaled by the Florida Panthers last season. Boston’s streak of 10 is tied with two other teams, the Ottawa Senators (1925-26) and Montreal Canadiens (2016-17). The run means Jim Montgomery has yet to lose a game at TD Garden as coach of the Bruins, and he matched the NHL record for fewest games by a coach to reach 15 wins with a new team when Boston defeated the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday (John Paddock, Senators, 2007-08). Chicago (6-7-3) has lost two straight and four of their past five games (1-3-1). — Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
Reunion game for Huberdeau, Tkachuk
It’s certain to be an emotional game for players on both sides when the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers play for the first time this season (4 pm ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS2, BSFLX, SN NOW). The teams were involved in the biggest trade of the offseason, when the Flames traded forward Matthew Tkachuk to the Panthers for forward Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar on July 22. Tkachuk, who played his first six NHL seasons with Calgary, has done well so far in Florida, leading the Panthers (9-7-1) with 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 15 games. It hasn’t gone as smoothly for Huberdeau, who played his first 10 seasons with the Panthers. He has eight points (two goals, six assists) in 13 games with the Flames (7-7-2) and returned Monday from missing three games due to an upper-body injury. But he has two points (one goal, one assist) in two games back in the lineup, and no player has more points at FLA Live Arena than Huberdeau’s 347 (113 goals, 324 assists). — Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor
Logan’s run
Logan Thompson has been one of the great stories of the 2022-23 season, and likely is among the favorites for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year as the season approaches the quarter-mark. Thompson was pressed into action last season after injuries decimated the Golden Knights, and this season is 9-3-0 with a 2.27 goals-against average, .925 save percentage and two shutouts in 12 games. He is a huge reason why the Golden Knights (14-4-0) lead the Pacific Division and their .778 points percentage is third in the NHL, behind the Bruins (.882) and New Jersey Devils (.824). Thompson will be tested by the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday (10 pm ET; CBC, SN, CITY, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+). The Oilers (9-8-0) have the leading scorer in the NHL at center Connor McDavidwho has 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists), and forward Leon Draisaitlwho is tied for second with 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists). — Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial
Saturday’s games
New Jersey Devils at Ottawa Senators (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN5, RDS, MSGSN, SN NOW)
The Devils (14-3-0) arrived in Canada’s capital having won 11 straight games and seven in a row on the road. They are two wins from tying the New Jersey record of 13 consecutive wins, set from Feb. 26 to March 23, 2001. Forward Jesper Bratt leads the Devils with 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) and has at least one point in 15 of 17 games. Senators (6-9-1) rookie forward Shane Pinto is tied with Claude Giroux for the Ottawa lead with eight goals.
Calgary Flames at Florida Panthers (4 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS, BSFLX, SN NOW)
Flames forward Nazem Kadri has 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 31 games against the Panthers, tied for his highest against any NHL team (also 26 points against Senators). Florida forward Carter Verhaeghe has scored nine goals in his past nine games and leads Florida with 11.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Winnipeg Jets (7 p.m. ET; SN360, CITY, SNW, ATTSN-PT, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Jets (10-4-1) have reached 10 wins faster than any team in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers history. Mark Scheifele has 10 goals in 15 games and has eight points (four goals, four assists) in his past six. The Penguins (7-7-3) are trying to get out of neutral after going 3-5-2 in the past 10 games. Sidney Crosbycoming off a four-point game (two goals, two assists) against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, leads Pittsburgh with 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 17 games.
Buffalo Sabers at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNP, MSG-B, ESPN+)
The Sabers (7-10-0) have been outscored 33-17 during their seven-game losing streak. One bright spot has been forward Tage Thompson, who has scored 50 goals in his past 95 games and has 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 17 games this season. The Maple Leafs (9-5-4) have taken 14 of a possible 20 points from their 10 home games (6-2-2) this season. Forward Mitchell Marner has points in 11 straight games (three goals, 12 assists).
Chicago Blackhawks at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, NESN, NBCSCH, SN NOW)
Jonathan Toews has 498 assists in the NHL and could become the eighth player in Blackhawks history to reach 500 assists with them. He also would become the fourth member of the 2006 NHL Draft class to reach the milestone, along with Nicklas Backstrom (747), Claude Giroux (638) and Phil Kessel (561). Bruins forward Tomas Nosek has scored in two straight games after going 65 games without a goal.
Colorado Avalanche at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, ALT, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Goalie Darcy Kuemper and forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel face the Avalanche for the first time since leaving the Stanley Cup champion during the offseason. Alex Ovechkin is coming off a three-point game (one goal, two assists) in a 5-4 shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday and leads the Capitals (7-9-3) with 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 19 games. The Avalanche (9-5-1) are expected to go with goalie Alexander Georgievwho is 7-2-1 with a .924 save percentage and 2.70 goals-against average in 10 games.
Detroit Red Wings at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, BSDET, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The injury-ravaged Blue Jackets (6-9-1) have dressed 30 players already this season, but have won two straight games. For Detroit (8-5-4), the story has been free agent acquisitions Dominik Kubalik and David Perron. Kubalik leads the Red Wings with 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in 17 games and Perron is third with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 17 games.
Philadelphia Flyers at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; CITY, SNE, TVAS, NBSCP, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Philadelphia (7-7-1) looks to rebound from losing five straight (0-4-1) after their 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday. They’ve been outscored 23-9 during their skid. Montreal (8-8-1) hopes to halt a two-game slide after its 6-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
Anaheim Ducks at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, BSSC, ESPN+, SN NOW)
St. Louis (8-8-0) looks for its sixth straight win. Ryan O’Reilly has a four-game point streak (three goals, three assists). Anaheim (5-11-1) has lost four of its past five (1-4-0) but has gotten scoring from Adam Henrique and Trevor Zegras. Henrique has five points (three goals, two assists) during a five-game point streak and Zegras has four points (one goal, three assists) in his past three.
Carolina Hurricanes at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; BSNX, BSWIX, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Kirill Kaprizov (two goals, four assists) and Mats Zuccarello (one goal, four assists) each has a five-game point streak for Minnesota (7-8-2). Carolina (10-5-2) is looking to rebound after a 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. Forward Andrei Svechnikov has four goals in his past four games.
New York Islanders at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; BSSW, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson each will try to extend his 10-game point streak for Dallas (10-5-2). Hintz has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) during his streak, and Robertson has 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists). Brock Nelson has four goals in his past five games for the Islanders (11-7-0).
Tampa Bay Lightning at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSSUN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Nashville (8-8-1) seeks its fourth consecutive win. Forward Juuso Parssinen has four points (three goals, one assist) in three games since being recalled from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Nov. 12. Tampa Bay (10-6-1) is riding a three-game winning streak, keyed by defenseman Mikhail Sergachev with seven points (two goals, five assists) in those three games.
Los Angeles Kings at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, BSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Seattle (9-5-3) looks to build off its 3-2 overtime home win against the New York Rangers on Thursday, the second OT win in Kraken history and the first at Climate Pledge Arena. Kraken forward Jordan Eberle has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past four games. Los Angeles (11-8-1) plays the second of back-to-back games after a 4-1 loss at the Vancouver Canucks on Friday. It’s also the end of a four-game road trip (1-2-0) for the Kings.
Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+)
The Golden Knights go for their seventh straight road win, which would match the Vegas record set Dec. 3, 2021 to Jan. 24, 2022. Oilers forward Zach Hyman has 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in his past 12 games.
New York Rangers at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, MSG, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Defenseman Adam Fox has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) for New York (8-6-4) during a seven-game point streak. San Jose (6-10-3) has won three of four games (3-1-0). Defenseman Erik Karlsson has nine points (one goal, eight assists) in his past five games and is tied with Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl for second in the NHL with 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 19 games.
.