NHL Games of the Week: Saturday, February 27th – Friday, March 5th

Mick Kern
February 26, 2021

Saturday, February 27^th – Toronto Maple Leafs at Edmonton Oilers

7 pm Eastern SiriusXM 91

It’s being billed as Connor McDavid versus Auston Matthews, and while that makes for an enticing marquee, this game is more than that. The Maple Leafs appear to be separating themselves from the pack in the North Division, but the Oilers have recently made some strides towards the top spot in the group.

Sunday, February 28^th – Boston Bruins at New York Rangers

Noon Eastern SiriusXM 91

While the Bruins have played high-level hockey consistently since the puck dropped back in mid-January, the young Rangers are still searching for their game. That’s not completely unexpected, as Boston was tabbed as one of the top contenders for the Stanley Cup this season, while it’s all about building a contender for New York.

Monday, March 1^st – Vancouver Canucks at Winnipeg Jets

8 pm Eastern SiriusXM 167

Move over Toronto and Edmonton; the Winnipeg Jets also have designs on top spot in the North Division, and tonight faces a Canucks’ team that has been frustrating to watch so far this season.

Tuesday, March 2^nd – Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins

7 pm Eastern SiriusXM 91

The Keystone State teams meet up in Pittsburgh, with both of these clubs in the middle of a five-team dogfight for advantageous playoff positions for the upcoming post-season. This could be a preview of one of those playoff battles.

Wednesday, March 3^rd – Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights

10 pm Eastern SiriusXM 91

If you haven’t heard already, Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov is worth the price of admission, or at the very least your attention. He’s put a wonderfully entertaining twist into the Minnesota attack, and the result is they are right in the thick of the battle for a playoff spot in the suddenly wild Western Division. As for the Golden Knights, they are arguably the gold standard in that group.

Thursday, March 4^th – Winnipeg Jets at Montreal Canadiens

7 pm Eastern SiriusXM 91

Despite playing .611 hockey, the prevailing trends were not favourable for head coach Claude Julien, so he was replaced by long-time junior coach Dominique Ducharme. Can he get Les Canadiens playing at the same level they did out of the gate last month? They face a tough test tonight in the Winnipeg Jets.

Friday, March 5^th – Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins

7 pm Eastern SiriusXM 91

While you might expect both of these teams to qualify for the post-season in the tough East Division, the truth is neither team can coast to mid-May, not with the Flyers, Penguins, and Islanders all fighting for their playoff lives. And it’s always fun to watch former Bruins’ captain Zdeno Chara go up against his old team.