Avalanche vs Golden Knights Olympic teammates Tkachuk, Matthews go eyeball-to-eyeball; streaking Sabres seek 8th win in row
There are 13 games on the NHL programme for Saturday, including four nationally televised in Canada. Here are five items to watch today, along with the decided game schedule.
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Avalanche vs Golden Knights: Avalanche Enters Sin City at Historic Midseason Pace
The Colorado Avalanche (27-2-7) aim for their seventh victory as they face the Vegas Golden Knights (17-8-10) at T-Mobile Arena (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, ALT). Nathan MacKinnon’s eight-game point streak concluded with a 1-0 win against the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday; however, Colorado still accomplished an NHL-leading 61 points and became the fourth team in NHL history to reach the 60-point milestone in just 36 games. Over and above, they extended their point streak to nine games (8-0-1).
Avalanche vs Golden Knights: Marner Leads Vegas Renaissance After Skid-Snapping Win
Mitch Marner is presently in excellent form for Vegas, having notched up two goals in a 7-2 win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, which fractured a three-game losing streak (0-2-1). He has collected nine points (three goals, six assists) over his last five games. Marner ranks second on the Golden Knights with 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 35 games.
Avalanche vs Golden Knights Battle of Ontario Gives Back in Playoff Rematch at Scotiabank Arena
Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators are set to face Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Battle of Ontario at Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, CITY, SNE, SNO, SNP) before they join forces as teammates on Team USA for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
This matchup marks the first encounter between the Senators and Maple Leafs since the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round, where Toronto triumphed over Ottawa in six games. In their 26-game head-to-head regular-season series (11-11-4), Matthews has outperformed Tkachuk with 34 points (17 goals, 17 assists) compared to Tkachuk’s 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists). However, Ottawa has claimed victory in its last five meetings, dating back to December 27, 2023.
Avalanche vs Golden Knights Toronto Aims to Convey Win Into Clash With Resilient Senators
Toronto (16-15-5) aims to capitalize on its recent 6-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, which halted a three-game losing streak during which it was outscored 14-4. Meanwhile, the Senators (18-13-5) are looking to bounce back from a 3-2 overtime defeat to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, which ended their four-game winning streak. Tim Stutzle scored and has accumulated 15 points.
Avalanche vs Golden Knights Battle of Alberta Reignites as McDavid, Oilers Face Sparkle Again
Connor McDavid aims to extend his magnificent 11-game point streak as the Edmonton Oilers (19-13-6) face off against the Calgary Flames (15-18-4) at Scotiabank Saddledome (10 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNW) in the second Battle of Alberta within a stretch of four days.McDavid, currently leading the NHL with 67 points (23 goals, 44 assists) over 38 games, came up with five assists in a 5-1 victory on Tuesday, accumulating 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists) during his ongoing streak. Leon Draisaitl, who recorded a hat trick, has also been influential, amassing 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in the course of his own five-game point streak. For More Details
Avalanche vs Golden Knights Pacific Powers Rise as Lubricator, Flames Hit Midseason Stride
Together, they have driven Edmonton to a magnificent 8-2-1 record in their last 11 games, placing them in a tie for first place with the Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division. For The Stampede City, Mikael Backlund registered an assist on Tuesday and has accomplished six points (four goals, two assists) during a three-game point streak, contributing to the team’s strong record of 6-2-0 in their previous eight games.
Avalanche vs Golden Knights: Thompson Shines as Surging Sabres Confront Slumping Bruins
Tage Thompson and the Buffalo Sabres (18-14-4) enter their match against the Boston Bruins (20-17-1) at KeyBank Center (7 p.m. ET; NESN, MSG-B) with a seven-game winning streak. This marks Buffalo’s longest winning streak since it achieved a 10-game run from November 8 to 27, 2018.
They have recorded a 4-0-0 record since Jarmo Kekalainen was appointed as general manager on December 1 and currently sit two points behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild card position in the Eastern Conference, following a 3-2 overtime victory against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.
Thompson, who is competing for a place on Team USA for the Olympics, has accumulated 10 points (six goals, four assists) over his last eight games. Meanwhile, Boston is looking to recover from a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) after suffering a 6-2 defeat to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, during which they conceded four goals in the third period. For More Articles Like That
Battle of the Sunshine State inflames in Sunrise
The climate in Florida is becoming progressively warmer. The Florida Panthers (20-14-2) have attained victories in five of their last six matches and eight out of their previous ten. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning (20-13-3) have secured two consecutive wins following a three-game losing streak (0-2-1) and currently sit in third place in the Atlantic Division, holding a one-point advantage over Florida.
The heat—both in temperature and emotions—will undoubtedly rise when these cross-state rivals clash in the Battle of the Sunshine State at Amerant Bank Arena (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, SCRIPPS).
Evenly Matched Rivals, Inflame Paths to Center Stage
The Panthers maintain a narrow lead in their rivalry since the 2019-20 season (15-11-3). Since that season, both teams have reached the Cup Final a total of six times, with each team claiming the Cup on two occasions. Furthermore, each team is poised to have its moment in the spotlight.
The Panthers will host the New York Rangers in the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic on January 2 at loan Depot park in Miami, while the Lightning will compete against the Boston Bruins in the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa in February.
