December has arrived, and we have another great week of NHL action coming up. Today, I’m going to choose the top five games on the schedule for December 3rd through the 9th. Let’s get into it.
Colorado Avalanche vs LA Kings Dec. 3
This is a battle of two Western Conference powerhouses. The Avalanche currently lead the Central Division with 31 points, and the Kings are third in the Pacific with 29 points but have multiple games in hand over their competition. These teams played way back on October 11th, and Colorado took home a 5-2 victory. The Kings will be looking to answer back in meeting number two.
A couple of players to watch are Nathan MacKinnon for Colorado and Trevor Moore for LA. MacKinnon has been doing MacKinnon things recently with seven points in his last five games. Moore has been very hot for the Kings, scoring four goals and two assists for six points in his last five games.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Philadelphia Flyers Dec. 4
The Battle of Pennsylvania makes the list and is the second game of a home-and-home set. While this rivalry hasn’t recently had the pure hatred that it did in the early 2010s, it is one that can pop off at any time. Both of these teams have very similar records as well, making the points on the line even more important. This is a big game for both teams and will hopefully feel like Pittsburgh vs Philadelphia is supposed to.
Two players to watch in this one are Jake Guentzel for the Pens and Tyson Foerster for the Flyers. Guentzel has a goal and three assists in his last five games playing on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust. Philly’s youngster Tyson Foerster is starting to heat up offensively after a very slow start to the season. He’s scored two goals and an assist in his last five games and is starting to earn more ice time.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Tampa Bay Lightning Dec. 6
It’s a big week for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they go from a home-and-home with the Flyers to playing the Tampa Bay Lightning. These teams played this past week, and it was a phenomenal hockey game. After going down 2-0 in the first period, the Penguins were able to claw their way back and win the game 4-2. Both teams are fighting for wild card positioning in the standings and are separated by just two points. I expect another phenomenal game this week.
My players to watch are the goaltenders. It was Tristan Jarry vs Andrei Vasilevskiy in the first matchup, and both guys made some huge saves. Ultimately, Jarry was able to outduel Vasy and get the win. I’m hoping it will be those two between the pipes again for this matchup.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators Dec. 7
Another big rivalry matchup makes the list with the Battle of Ontario between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators. The Maple Leafs have been playing well, while the Senators have been one of this season’s biggest disappointments so far. The good news for Ottawa is they have a ton of games in hand on everyone else and could certainly make a run up the standings if they get hot. The Senators were able to beat the Leafs back in early November and could really use a big win to try to build some positive momentum.
Mitch Marner and Brady Tkachuk are the players to watch in this one. Marner leads the Leafs with five points in the last five games, including three goals. He’s starting to shoot the puck more and is getting rewarded for it. If anyone is going to drag the Senators into the fight to turn their season around, it’s Brady Tkachuk. He’s been a point-per-game player with five points in his last five games and needs to lead the way for Ottawa. This is a huge game for the Senators, and I expect Brady Tkachuk to leave his mark all over it.
Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars Dec. 9
This is another huge Western Conference matchup between powerhouse teams. Vegas and Dallas are already meeting for the third and final time this season, and Vegas has taken both matchups so far in extra time. These two teams almost always play great games against one another and have built a very healthy dislike stemming from their playoff series last spring. They met in the Western Conference Finals, and very well could again this year. They play close, physical games, and Saturday’s matchup should be no different.
A couple of players to keep an eye on are Jack Eichel for Vegas and Joe Pavelski for Dallas. Eichel has five points in his last five games and continues to be one of the Golden Knight’s best players. Ageless wonder Joe Pavelski is doing the same for the Stars. He has six points in his last five games and leads the Stars in scoring this season.
Another week of great NHL action is on the way. There are some awesome matchups this week in both conferences. Hopefully, you get a chance to watch some of these games. I know I will be watching as many as I can.
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