NHL matchups, odds to watch: February 8
NHL.com identifies key gameday matchups and players to watch throughout the 2023-24 season.
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1. Vancouver Canucks at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NESN, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS)
Over 6 total goals: -125
Under 6 total goals: +105
Vancouver (73 points) and Boston (71) are leading the NHL standings entering their first matchup of the season. The Canucks are on a 12-game point streak (10-0-2) after a 3-2 win at the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, improving to 16-7-3 on the road. The Bruins are 16-5-3 at home this season but coming off a 4-1 home loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.
Forward Elias Lindholm, acquired from the Flames on Jan. 31, scored two goals in his Canucks debut Tuesday. Bruins forward Pavel Zacha is on a three-game point streak with four points (one goal, three assists) and eight shots on goal in the span. In terms of team save percentage, the Bruins (.917) rank second behind the Winnipeg Jets (.920), and the Canucks (.916) are close behind in third.
2. Colorado Avalanche at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, ALT)
COL moneyline: +115
CAR moneyline: -140
The Avalanche are winless in consecutive games coming out of the NHL All-Star break (0-1-1) and are 12-10-4 on the road this season. The Hurricanes lost their first game after the break but are still 11-3-1 in their past 15 games and 15-6-4 at home this season.
Colorado center Nathan MacKinnon ranks second in the NHL in points (85 in 51 games) behind Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning (86 in 50 games; plays at New York Islanders on Thursday) but was held without a point for only the eighth time all season at the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. Carolina forward Seth Jarvis has six assists during a five-game streak, and forward Andrei Svechnikov is a game-time decision Thursday.
3. Calgary Flames at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, SNW)
CGY puckline (+1.5 goals): -205
NJD puckline (-1.5 goals): +170
The Devils are coming off a 5-3 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday and host the Flames, who have won consecutive games. New Jersey won its only game against Calgary this season 4-2 on Dec. 9 and has won its past three games against the Flames. The Devils are tied for the fifth-most goals per game (3.46) in the NHL this season, while the Flames rank 17th in the category (3.06). Calgary is outshooting the Devils, ranking 11th in the NHL (31.4); New Jersey is tied for 13th (31.1).
Devils forward Jack Hughes is expected to return for the first time since Jan. 5; he has 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists) in 32 games this season. New Jersey captain Nico Hischier has had points in six of his past seven games with eight points (two goals, six assists) in the span. Flames wing Andrei Kuzmenko, acquired from the Canucks in the Lindholm trade, scored a goal in his Calgary debut Tuesday and is on the top line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Yegor Sharangovich, who faces his former team. Flames center Nazem Kadri has five assists in his past four games.
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