A full NHL schedule in mid-March generally means plenty of playoff race fun is on tap, and Saturday is no different. Three teams in particular will take on tough opponents in key situations.
NHL schedule 2015: Playoff races heat up for Boston, Calgary
A trio of teams face tall tasks on Saturday.
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The day starts off in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins host the Boston Bruins. Boston is clinging to the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference even as the Panthers and Senators nip at its heels. Momentum is in the team's favor, however; Boston has won seven of its last ten and the Penguins are fresh off a shaky showing against the Oilers. Now is a good time for the Bruins to take advantage.
Later on, the Minnesota Wild roll into St. Louis on weary legs. The Wild engaged the Anaheim Ducks in a spirited, hard-nosed affair on Friday night that ended with a 2-1 loss. The weekend's schedule doesn't fall in their favor. If Minnesota loses to the Blues on Saturday, the weary Blues could lose in Dallas the next day, giving the Stars a leg-up in the playoff race. Look for the Wild to come out hungry to keep that from happening.
Finally, the Calgary Flames will play in the second night of a back-to-back in Colorado. The Flames are well ahead of the Avs in the playoff hunt, but with the Canucks and Wild so close to them in points, they can't afford to let two of them slip away against Colorado.
A full list of Saturday’s games is below. All times are eastern.
| Matchup | Time | Visitor TV | Home TV | National TV |
| Boston at Pittsburgh | 1 p.m. | NESN | ROOT | |
| Detroit at Philadelphia | 1 p.m. | FS Detroit | CSN | |
| Chicago at San Jose | 4 p.m. | WGN | CSN | |
| Toronto at Vancouver | 7 p.m. | CBC | ||
| Winnipeg at Tampa Bay | 7 p.m. | SN | SUN | |
| Montreal at NY Islanders | 7 p.m. | NBCSN, City | ||
| Florida at Carolina | 7 p.m. | FS Florida | FS Carolina | |
| NY Rangers at Buffalo | 7 p.m. | MSG | MSG | |
| Minnesota at St. Louis | 8 p.m. | FS North | FS Midwest | |
| New Jersey at Arizona | 9 p.m. | MSG+2 | FS Arizona | |
| Calgary at Colorado | 10 p.m. | Altitude | CBC | |
| Nashville at Los Angeles | 10 p.m. | FS Tennessee | FS West |
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