NHL matchups, odds to watch: November 29
NHL.com identifies key gameday matchups and players to watch throughout the 2023-24 season.
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1. Detroit Red Wings at New York Rangers (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT)
DET moneyline: +170
NYR moneyline: -210
The Red Wings signed veteran right wing Patrick Kane to a one-year contract Tuesday, but he isn't expected to play Wednesday as he recovers from hip resurfacing surgery. Detroit is expected to be without top center Dylan Larkin (undisclosed), while New York could get elite defenseman Adam Fox (lower body) back from injury.
The Rangers are coming off a 5-1 home loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, while the Red Wings have won three straight games, outscoring their opponents 13-3 in the span. This matchup features two of the NHL’s top 10 power plays; New York ranks third (30.2 percent), and Detroit is tied for eighth (22.4).
After a slow start to the season, Rangers center Mika Zibanejad has bounced back with a four-game point streak totaling five points (three goals, two assists). Forward Chris Kreider is tied for second in the NHL in power-play goals (seven) behind Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks (eight). Forward J.T. Compher and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere are tied with Larkin for Detroit’s lead in assists (13) this season, and David Perron has scored four goals in his past five games.
2. Washington Capitals at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; MNMT2, MNMT, BSW, SN, TVAS)
WSH puckline (+1.5 goals): -142
LAK puckline (-1.5 goals): +120
The Kings are leading the NHL in goals per game (4.00), and the Capitals are averaging the second fewest in the League (2.33). But although Washington has lost consecutive games, they previously had won five straight and were 9-1-1 in a 11-game span from Oct. 25 to Nov. 22. Los Angeles is 4-3-3 through 10 home games, with each of those three regulation losses coming by multiple goals.
Center Dylan Strome leads the Capitals in goals (eight in 18 games). Left wing Alex Ovechkin, who leads Washington in points (12 in 18 games), has the lowest shooting percentage (7.1) of his NHL career but still has a high shot volume (70 shots on goal; tied for 25th in League). Kings forward Trevor Moore leads them in goals (11) and is quietly a point-per-game player (19 in 19 games).
3. Montreal Canadiens at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, SN, RDS)
Over 6.5 total goals: -115
Under 6.5 total goals: -105
The Blue Jackets have won three of their past four games, bouncing back from a prior nine-game winless streak (0-7-2 in span). Columbus scored seven goals in a win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 22 and is coming off arguably its biggest win of the season, 5-2 against the Boston Bruins on Monday, when backup goalie Spencer Martin stopped 31 of 33 shots faced in the victory. The Canadiens were shut out in a 4-0 road loss to the Kings on Nov. 25 but have the fifth-best 5-on-5 team save percentage (.931) in the NHL, far ahead of the Blue Jackets (.906; 19th).
Defenseman Mike Matheson leads the Canadiens in power-play points (nine) this season and is tied for sixth in the NHL at the position in the category. Center Boone Jenner leads the Blue Jackets in goals (11), points (16 in 23 games) and shots on goal (67) this season, but their power-play point leader is defenseman Ivan Provorov (five).
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