Six games are scheduled on the regular NHL schedule for this Monday, February 20. Here are the elements of these matches that will hold our attention.
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Senators visit league leaders
The Ottawa Senators will be looking to get one step closer to a playoff berth as they visit the Boston Bruins at TD Garden for an afternoon game (1 p.m. ET; NESN, TSN5, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW).
With a 7-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Sunday, the Senators (27-24-4) are just five points away from joining the New York Islanders for second place in fourth place, the last giving access to the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. Additionally, the Senators have four games in hand over the Islanders.
However, the task does not look easy for the Ottawans, since they will visit the best team in the NHL, which is even more dominant at home. The Bruins (42-8-5) have suffered just five losses at home this season, including two in regulation (22-2-3).
The Bruins are on a three-game winning streak with a 6-2 win over the Islanders on Saturday. Upon returning to action after missing 17 games due to hand and leg injuries, Jake DeBrusk collected a goal and an assist, he who regained his place on the first line and the first wave of massive attack.
Julien Gauthier expected to be on the Senators roster after being acquired from the Rangers along with a conditional 2023 seventh-round pick for the forward Tyler MotteSunday.
the attacker Brady Tkachuk had a goal and two assists against the Blues to extend his career-high point streak to six games.
Islanders in poor condition head to Pittsburgh
It’s not just losses for the New York Islanders heading into their all-important game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena (7 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, MSGSN, ESPN+ , SN NOW). There are also injuries.
The Islanders (28-24-7) are 1-2-2 in their last five games and suffered a 6-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday. To make matters worse, Lane Lambert’s squad lost the striker’s services Mathew Barzal in the first period due to a lower body injury. attackers Josh Bailey et Jean-Gabriel Pageau are also in the infirmary with upper body injuries. The Islanders will therefore be deprived of three important pieces against Pittsburgh (27-19-9).
Don’t expect the Penguins to take pity on their visitors, having just lost three of their last four games, including a 5-2 loss at home to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. The Penguins and Islanders currently hold the two fourth aces spots in the Eastern Conference with a total of 63 points. Behind them, four teams are only three points behind them in the race, which makes this duel on Monday all the more crucial.
Rangers and Jets look ahead
Tyler Motte is set to play his first game as a New York Rangers this season as the Winnipeg Jets visit Madison Square Garden (7 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, MSG, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The 27-year-old forward was acquired in a trade with the Ottawa Senators on Sunday for forward Julien Gauthier and a conditional seventh-round pick. He has nine points in 38 games this season, missing 16 due to injury. It’s a return to the Big Apple for Motte, who helped the Rangers reach the Eastern Finals last season before agreeing to a one-for-one contract with the Senators as a free agent.
The Rangers (33-14-9) trail the New Jersey Devils by four points for second place in the Metropolitan Division. They had at least one point in their last seven games (6-0-1), but saw their six-game winning streak come to an end with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
The Jets (34-21-1), who suffered a 4-2 loss to the Devils on Sunday after leading the game 2-1, find themselves in the midst of a very tight race in the Central Division. Winnipeg sits three points behind the Dallas Stars and top of the division, and leads the Colorado Avalanche by two points in second place.
the attacker Blake Wheeler is just one point away from becoming the first player in Atlanta Thrashers/Jets franchise history to reach 800 points.
On schedule today…
Ducks d’Anaheim vs Panthers de la Floride (13 h HE; SN, BSFL, BSSC, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Sénateurs d’Ottawa vs Bruins de Boston (13 h HE; NESN, TSN5, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Kraken de Seattle vs Sharks de San Jose (16 h HE; NBCSCA, ROOT-NW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Flyers de Philadelphie vs Flames de Calgary (16 h HE; SN1, SNW, TVAS2, NBCSP, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Islanders de New York vs Penguins de Pittsburgh (19 h HE; ATTSN-PT, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Winnipeg Jets vs. New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, MSG, ESPN+, SN NOW)