NHL Games to Watch this Weekend

↵Every weekend, The Sporting Blog takes a look at the NHL games we’ll be watching. ↵

↵↵SATURDAY ↵

↵↵Stars at Blackhawks: In Dallas, addition by subtraction never looked so good. The Stars have won seven of their last 10 games as they’ve clawed their way back into playoff contention and are now tied for seventh with Minnesota. Now that they’ve fought their way back into the top eight, it’s time for Dallas to aim higher, and their next target ought to be fifth place Anaheim. The Ducks are only two points ahead of Dallas, but the Stars have four whole games in hand. If the Stars can pass Anaheim, and there’s every reason to think they can, then it’s time to aim higher, and stealing two points from a Chicago team that they very well might face in the first round would seem to be in order. ↵

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↵↵SUNDAY ↵

↵↵Philadelphia @ New York Rangers: Watching the Rangers play against Washington on Wednesday night, it seems clear that head coach Tom Renney got the message to his team that the season was in danger of slipping away. Still, the Rangers were only able to get away with the extra point against Washington thanks to some sloppy defensive play on Washington’s part, and I don’t need to remind anyone that we don’t play 4-on-4 in overtime or have shootouts in the playoffs. With the Devils surging to the top of the Atlantic, New York’s more immediate concern is tracking down the Flyers. The two teams are tied for fourth, but the Flyers have a pair of games in hand, making Sunday’s game critical for the Rags if they want to keep pace. ↵

↵↵San Jose @ New Jersey: The Sharks get to wrap up their Eastern road trip with a delightful visit to Newark, offering the Devils their second stern test in a row at home after Friday’s meeting with the Bruins. No, it isn’t a playoff game, but it might just be the best hockey you’ll have a chance to watch before April. ↵

↵↵Montreal @ Vancouver: It wasn’t all that long ago that I was wondering out loud just how much longer Vancouver head coach Alain Vigneault could hold onto his job. But now the Canucks have won four straight, and given how tight the standings are in the Western Conference, it was more than enough to catapult the Canucks back into playoff position. Meanwhile back East, it’s the Canadiens who are coming apart at the seams, and folks are wondering whether or not it’s time for Montreal head coach Guy Carboneau to find a new job as his team has lost four straight and eight of their last ten. ↵

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↵↵FRIDAY ↵

↵↵Boston @ New Jersey: The last time these two teams met we were treated to a mid-season classic that ended with a 4-3 Devils win courtesy of Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner. It seems like you can never take your eyes off this Devils team for fear of losing track of them. Not only have they managed to win the lead in the Atlantic Division, they’re now tied with Washington for second place overall in the East. With a 12-point gap between New Jersey and Boston, one would like to think the #1 seed in the East is sewn up. Then again, did I mention that Martin Brodeur started practicing with the team on Thursday? ↵

↵↵Catching up: Devils 1, Bruins 0 ↵

↵↵San Jose @ Buffalo: Despite playing an impressive third period in Boston on Tuesday night, this latest East Coast swing for the Sharks hasn’t been much to write home about, with the team going 1-0-2 on the trip and 1-1-3 in their last five. The big gap the team built up over Detroit early in the season has all but evaporated, with the Red Wings lying just a point off San Jose’s pace at the top of the Western Conference. Picking up two points against Buffalo would seem to be in reach with Thomas Vanek out of the lineup, but Buffalo head man Lindy Ruff knows how important getting back into the playoffs is to a Buffalo team that missed last year once Chris Drury and Daniel Briere bolted for big money in New York and Philadelphia. ↵

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↵↵Catching up: Sabres 6, Sharks 5, shootout ↵

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