NHL matchups, odds to watch: March 6
NHL.com identifies key gameday matchups and players to watch throughout the 2023-24 season.
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1. Detroit Red Wings at Colorado Avalanche (9:30 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT, ALT, SN360)
DET puckline (+1.5 goals): -142
COL puckline (-1.5 goals): +120
The Red Wings will be without top center Dylan Larkin (lower body) for two weeks and visit the Avalanche, who have had 29 of their 38 wins this season come by multiple goals. Detroit was outscored 9-3 in consecutive home losses to the New York Islanders on Thursday and Florida Panthers on Saturday following its prior six-game winning streak. The Avalanche are 24-6-0 at home this season but had a 2-1 road loss in overtime to the Red Wings on Feb. 22.
Forward Nathan MacKinnon has had at least one point in all of Colorado’s 30 home games this season, including 21 multipoint games and two five-point games at Ball Arena. MacKinnon scored a goal against the Red Wings and had 11 shots on goal in the earlier meeting and is tied with Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov for the NHL points lead (105 in 63 games). Detroit is 15-12-1 on the road this season, and its road point leaders are forward Daniel Sprong and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (each has 20 points in 28 such games).
2. Buffalo Sabres at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN, TNT, MAX)
BUF moneyline: +160
TOR moneyline: -200
The Sabres are 6-3-0 in their past nine games against the Maple Leafs, including 2-0-0 this season outscoring them by a combined 15-7 margin. Buffalo is 14-10-0 since Jan. 1, but Toronto is 9-2-0 over its past 11 games. Sabres forward Alex Tuch leads them with six points (two goals, four assists) in two games against the Maple Leafs this season, while Toronto forward Auston Matthews, the NHL leader in goals (53 in 60 games) this season, has scored four in the two games against Buffalo.
Sabres forward Dylan Cozens leads them in points (18 in 23 games) since Jan. 1. Maple Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov could start Wednesday and is 10-2-0 with a .907 save percentage and one shutout in his past 12 games.
3. Ottawa Senators at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; BSW, TSN5, TVAS
Over 6.5 total goals: -125
Under 6.5 total goals: +105
Senators forward Brady Tkachuk, who leads them in goals (26 in 58 games) and shots on goal (248; tied for sixth in NHL) this season, is expected to return to the lineup after not playing Saturday because of an upper-body injury. Anaheim had a 5-1 road win against Ottawa on Feb. 15, led by three-point games by forward Frank Vatrano and defenseman Cam Fowler (each had one goal, two assists).
The Senators rank 13th in the NHL in goals per game (3.27), while the Ducks are averaging the fourth fewest (2.64) in the League. Anaheim forward Mason McTavish did not play Sunday because of a lower-body injury and is uncertain for the game Wednesday.
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