5 NHL Questions: Ducks battle Blues in Western Conference showdown, Weber returns for Nashville

A daily NHL feature that asks five questions about the days games. Will they be answered? (That doesn’t count as one of the questions.)

by Patrick Iversen

Dec 7, 2013, 4:01 PM UTC

Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

1. Who wins the battle at the top of the West?

The Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues will face off on Saturday in a matchup of two of the Western Conference's best teams. It's the first game between the two powerhouses this season, and both teams are coming off big wins. Whoever wins this game will earn much-needed separation from division rivals, so expect this to be a tightly-contested battle.

2. Will Dallas finally defend their home ice against the Flyers?

Philadelphia visits the suddenly icy DFW metroplex on Saturday, where they haven’t lost since 2007. The last time these two teams met, the Flyers embarrassed the Stars with the HBO cameras rolling. Dallas has been playing well of late, having earned at least a point in 15 of their last 18 games. The key here might be whether Dallas’ power play (the worst home power play in the league) can take advantage of Philadelphia’s tendency to visit the penalty box.

3. Shea Weber is back. Will that be enough for Nashville to beat Washington?

The Predators will probably get their captain back from a three-game absence on Saturday, and the timing could not be any better. Nashville has managed just five goals during their four-game losing streak, and Weber's presence on the blueline should help spark the offense a bit.

4. How will Stephen Weiss perform in his first game against Florida?

Weiss spent his entire career with the Panthers before joining the Detroit Red Wings in free agency this summer. Now he'll face his old teammates for the first time on Saturday. Weiss has not had a particularly good season so far, with just four points in 24 games. Will he be extra motivated with familiar faces in town?

5. Will the Devils win the shots battle?

New Jersey only managed 11 shots on goal (a franchise-low) on Friday against Detroit. They're going to have to do better than that on Saturday with Henrik Lundqvist in the pipes for the Rangers.