NHL matchups, odds to watch: December 7
NHL.com identifies key gameday matchups and players to watch throughout the 2023-24 season.
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1. San Jose Sharks at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; BSDET, NBCSCA)
SJS puckline (+1.5 goals): -105
DET puckline (-1.5 goals): -115
Red Wings forward Patrick Kane is expected to make his season debut against the Sharks. Kane, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time 100-point player with the Chicago Blackhawks, signed a one-year contract with the Red Wings on Nov. 28 and has recovered from hip resurfacing surgery June 1. Kane had six points (one goal, five assists) in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games with the New York Rangers last season and scored one goal on nine shots on goal in two games against San Jose for Chicago last regular season.
Kane reunites with former teammate Alex DeBrincat, who leads Detroit in goals (13) and is tied with center Dylan Larkin for their most points (24), and joins a Red Wings offense that ranks third in the NHL in goals per game (3.79). Detroit has won three straight games and six of its past seven, with five of the wins in that span coming by multiple goals. San Jose is coming off a 5-4 overtime win at the New York Islanders on Tuesday, improving to 4-2-0 in its past six games. Center Tomas Hertl had a hat trick and eight shots on goal against the Islanders and leads the Sharks in points (21 in 25 games) this season.
2. Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN4, TSN5)
TOR moneyline: -130
OTT moneyline: +110
The Senators host the Maple Leafs in this Atlantic Division showdown after defeating Toronto 6-3 on Nov. 8. Last season, the Maple Leafs were 3-1-0 in four games against Ottawa, scoring 13 goals and allowing 12. Both teams have high-powered offenses with the Senators ranking sixth in the NHL in goals per game (3.45) and Toronto 14th in the category (3.27).
Toronto forward William Nylander had two points (one goal, one assist) and five shots on goal against Ottawa earlier this season and leads the Maple Leafs with 99 shots on goal in 22 games. He’s playing on the top line with center Auston Matthews (leads Maple Leafs with 16 goals in 22 games) and rookie Matthew Knies, who had an assist and six shots on goal in his most recent game against the Boston Bruins on Dec. 2.
For Ottawa, Claude Giroux has points in two of his past three games with three points (two goals, one assist) and 12 shots on goal in the span. He is playing on the top line with Brady Tkachuk (leads Ottawa in goals with 13 in 20 games this season) and Josh Norris. Last season, Giroux had five points (two goals, three assists) in four games against Toronto.
3. Philadelphia Flyers at Arizona Coyotes (9 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NBCSP)
Over 6 total goals: -115
Under 6 total goals: -105
The Coyotes are on a five-game winning streak outscoring their opponents 19-5 in the span, and this stretch of wins has come against the past five Stanley Cup champions. Arizona forward Nick Schmaltz has a three-game goal streak with four in the span, and middle-six forwards Michael Carcone and Lawson Crouse lead the Coyotes in goals with 12 and 10 respectively. Coyotes goalie Connor Ingram is tied for third in the NHL in save percentage (.930 in 15 games) among those who have played at least 10 games.
The Flyers are coming off a home-and-home sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins, with center Sean Couturier scoring the overtime goal Monday. Couturier has a three-game point streak (one goal, two assists) with 13 shots on goal in the span and is having an impressive comeback after missing all of last season because of injury; he’s tied for second on the Flyers in points (17 in 23 games) behind wing linemate Travis Konecny (19 in 25). The Coyotes are 8-4-0 at home, but the Flyers are 7-4-1 on the road.
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