NHL matchups, odds to watch: February 5
NHL.com identifies key gameday matchups and players to watch throughout the 2023-24 season.
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1. New York Islanders at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN, MSGSN)
NYI moneyline: +135
TOR moneyline: -165
The Islanders are 1-2-1 in their first four games under new coach Patrick Roy but are 2-0-0 against the Maple Leafs this season, winning each head-to-head matchup 4-3 in overtime with goals by Bo Horvat on Dec. 11 and Mathew Barzal on Jan. 11. Toronto, which hosted NHL All-Star Weekend, is on a three-game winning streak and has victories in four of its past five games.
The Islanders have activated defenseman Ryan Pulock from injured reserve for his potential first game since Dec. 7 and could also have Adam Pelech back after missing one game; each is a game-time decision. Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews leads the NHL with 40 goals in 46 games this season, including a League-best 21 in 21 home games. Defenseman Noah Dobson has New York’s most points (seven in four games; all assists) since the coaching change.
2. Colorado Avalanche at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, ALT)
Winner moneyline (3-way; excluding overtime):
COL to win in regulation: +145
Draw at end of regulation: +375
NYR to win in regulation: +120
The Avalanche have the second-most regulation wins (28) in the NHL behind the Vancouver Canucks (30), and the Rangers are not behind tied for fifth (25). Colorado is 9-3-0 since Jan. 1 with three of those wins coming in overtime/shootout, while New York is 5-7-2 in the same span. But the Rangers are 15-7-0 at home, and the Avalanche are 12-9-3 on the road.
Veteran forward Zach Parise is expected to make his Colorado debut after signing a one-year contract Jan. 26. Parise scored 21 goals for the Islanders last season and has 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists) in 63 career regular-season games against the Rangers, including two assists in three games last season. Rangers forward Blake Wheeler has scored goals in consecutive games with one assist and seven shots on goal in that span.
3. Nathan MacKinnon (COL) point prop (at NYR)
Over 1.5 points for MacKinnon: +110
Under 1.5 points for MacKinnon: -130
MacKinnon ranks second in the NHL in points (84 in 49 games), fifth in goals (31), tied for first in assists (53) and leads the League in even-strength points (52). MacKinnon has had at least one point in 42 of his 49 games this season, multiple points in 26 of those games and 10 games with at least three points.
The Avalanche are leading the NHL in goals per game (3.84) and tied for the sixth-best power-play percentage (25.7), but the Rangers are tied for the ninth-fewest goals allowed (2.86) and tied for the eighth-best penalty kill percentage (82.7).
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