THE BOX SEATS
Edition Seven (November 20th-27th, 2023)
THE BOX SEATS
Edition Seven, November 20th – 27th, 2023.
The National Hockey League had a successful journey to Sweden last weekend, with the Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings playing in Stockholm from Thursday to Sunday in Ice Hockey Game Recaps.
On Thursday, Ottawa scored four goals in the first period before Detroit rallied back with four goals of their own in the second. German native Tim Stutzle batted in the game-winning goal with two seconds left in overtime to give the Senators a 6-5 victory with dozens of his friends and family in attendance making the short trip over from Viersen, Germany.
On Friday, the Maple Leafs beat the Red Wings by a final score of 3-2 with forward William Nylander, a Swedish native and son of NHL great Michael Nylander, who was in attendance.
The weekend saw the Minnesota Wild lose a 2-1 shootout to Ottawa on Saturday and a 4-3 overtime defeat to Toronto, which now leads to the question of whether head coach Dean Evason will have his job when the team lands back in Saint Paul this week. As we head into Thanksgiving week in the United States, let’s take a quick look at a couple of NHL players to keep an eye on in this week’s action.
PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS WEEK
Valeri Nischuskin – Forward, Colorado Avalanche
The man Colorado Avalanche fans affectionately call “Big Val” has once again lived up to his nickname as of late, with some clutch goals. The 28-year-old winger has four goals and an assist in his last three games.
And with forward Artturi Lehkonen declared week-to-week with an injury, the Avs will need Nischuskin to continue his hot scoring run this week, with showdowns against Nashville, Vancouver, Minnesota, and Calgary.
Artemi Panarin – Forward, New York Rangers
This veteran sniper has been on fire for the Blueshirts, opening the year with a 15-game point streak. “The Breadman” has 10 goals and 16 assists on the hockey season and now officially holds the longest scoring streak in New York Rangers franchise history. The Rangers, who have won 12 of their last 15 games, take on Dallas, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Boston this week.
Team Trends To Watch For
- The Nashville Predators, who are on a 12-2 run to the over in the first period, continue to lead the league in that department after a 2-0 lead after the opening frame in their game on Saturday against Chicago. New Jersey also is close behind with a 12-3 mark to the first period over.
- The New York Rangers have been on fire, winning four games in a row and earning at least one point in each of the last eleven games. The Blueshirts head on the road for three games this week in Dallas, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia before returning home on Saturday to take on the Boston Bruins in a matinee affair.
NATIONAL TELEVISION SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK
November 22nd
Boston at Florida 
– 7:00p ET on TNT/MAX
It’s a rematch of last Spring’s First Round Playoff series, which saw the Panthers spoil Boston’s magical regular season run. Defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour are both back from injury for Florida.
Vegas at Dallas 
– 9:30p ET on TNT/MAX
Two Western Conference powers collide in Texas for this late evening affair. The Golden Knights eliminated the Stars in six games last year to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
November 24th
Pittsburgh vs Buffalo 
– 6:00p ET on TNT/MAX
An early evening start on Black Friday pits the Penguins against the Buffalo Sabres, who are learning to navigate the schedule without star scorer Tage Thompson.
Colorado at Minnesota 
– 8:30p ET on TNT/MAX
Two Central Division foes clash in Saint Paul to wrap up the TNT national doubleheader. Minnesota returns to North America after getting swept in a pair of NHL games in Stockholm, Sweden, over the weekend.
November 25th
Toronto vs Pittsburgh – 7:00p ET on NHL Network
It’s Sidney Crosby and the Penguins taking on Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada. We see Toronto playing for just the second time this week as they return from their trip to Sweden.
Frozen Fashion: The Hockey Jersey of The Week
Each Week, we will select one NHL team jersey to highlight the design and the history of that specific sweater. This week, we look at a new Neon tradition in Big D.
When the Dallas Stars unveiled their current logo in 2013, they would debut a new primary color in “Victory Green.” In 2021, the Stars released a third jersey that is solid black with a new shade called “Skyline Green,” which draws inspiration from the Downtown Dallas skyline, which has many buildings trimmed in bright neon green to alert lower-flying aircraft and helicopters that frequent the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
National Hockey League Trivia Question
Last Week: Which player was the first in National Hockey League history to win more than two individual awards in one season?
Answer: The late Chicago Blackhawks forward Stan Mikita won the Art Ross Trophy (Most Points), the Lady Byng Trophy (Most Gentlemanly Player), and the Hart Trophy (League’s Most Valuable Player) in both the 1966-67 and 1967-68 seasons.
Q: Which NHL Player scored the most Power-Play Goals in a single season?
Hint: It happened way back in the 1985-86 season
Come Back Next Week to find out The Answer!
Check out all the updated National Hockey League, NHL Odds, NHL standings, schedules, lineups, futures odds, team stats, recent news and betting tips right here at Point Spreads.
