HNIC Coast To Coast: McDavid Chases 100 Assists In Rivalry Weekend

Welcome back to HNIC Coast To Coast, Canada Sports Betting’s weekly look at NHL action on Saturday and Sunday, particularly games involving Canadian teams. All seven teams of the north are in action on Saturday, including two of the biggest Canadian rivalries taking centre stage on Hockey Night in Canada. Sunday provides even more action as two teams take on back-to-backs. Let’s dive right in!

7:00 p.m. ET HNIC Matchup: Toronto Maple Leafs @ Montreal Canadiens

Canadian hockey’s most classic rivalry makes its last stop for 2023/24 Saturday, as the Maple Leafs and Canadiens face off at the Bell Centre. Toronto looks to lock up a strong spot in the Atlantic Division ahead of the playoffs, while the Canadiens are closer to the moral victory track at the moment, out of the playoff picture but feeling good with wins in four of their last six.

The season series so far has seen Toronto win both games, though the Habs have kept things tight along the way. The Leafs needed a shootout to win the season opener, and when the two teams faced each other a month ago, it took a late-third-period goal from John Tavares to secure victory.

Canada Sports Betting will have a more in-depth preview up on Saturday, so be sure to check in!

10:00 p.m. ET HNIC Headliner: Edmonton Oilers @ Calgary Flames

If Leafs/Habs is the marquee Canadian rivalry of the East, then the Battle of Alberta is the rivalry of the West! For the Oilers, this game is a must-win if they want to try to steal the Pacific Division from the Vancouver Canucks in the dying seconds, as they currently see themselves seven points back with eight games to go and two games in hand. Win both of those extra games and we have a real contest, but it’ll realistically require near-perfection for the next eight games. With a 5-3-2 record in their last 10, such a run doesn’t feel super likely, but Edmonton has had its share of win streaks this year so nothing can be fully ruled out.

Also keep an eye on Connor McDavid, who is making a last-minute go at taking his usual spot atop the Art Ross Trophy race, while pushing for a historical milestone in the assist column. Since the All-Star break, the generational talent has put up nine goals and a perplexing 50 assists across 29 games. In his last 10 games, he’s put up four goals and 16 assists. McDavid also sits at 97 assists, putting him three helpers away from 100 – an accomplishment only achieved previously by Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Orr.

A terrible eight-game stretch for the Flames (1-7-0) has eliminated any playoff implications for Calgary, who are now 18 points back of the second wild card with seven games to go. However, there is an immense amount of pride at play when it comes to taking on Edmonton, so don’t be shocked if they bring their best.

Other Canadian NHL Games On Saturday

There are four other games in Canadian NHL action on Saturday:

Winnipeg Jets @ Minnesota Wild, 4:00 p.m. ET – A six-game losing streak in late March seems to have all but killed the Jets’ chances of winning the Central Division, as they now sit seven points back of Dallas and four behind Colorado. They’re in no threat of giving up a playoff position, but home ice would be nice, so a win against rival Minnesota would be key here.

New Jersey Devils @ Ottawa Senators, 7:00 p.m. ET – The Senators are stumbling across the finish line to end this season, but have an opportunity to play spoiler this weekend with a pair of games against teams making final pushes for Metropolitan Division spots. Saturday is the first of two, with the heavily disappointing Devils coming in as losers of three in a row, basically needing to win out to have even a miracle shot at getting back into the picture.

Vancouver Canucks @ Los Angeles Kings, 10:00 p.m. ET – We mentioned above that the Oilers are chasing the top of the Pacific Division. Well, the Canucks are who they’re chasing. This game will be huge for holding onto what once seemed like a locked-in spot. For Los Angeles, a win would be massive for locking in a playoff berth, though the odds of falling out seem pretty low at this point.

Away Team			Home Team	Time (ET)
Winnipeg Jets	-122	+102	Minnesota Wild	4:00 PM
Toronto Maple Leafs	-175	+140	Montreal Canadiens	7:00 PM
New Jersey Devils	-122	+102	Ottawa Senators	7:00 PM
Vancouver Canucks	-110	-110	Los Angeles Kings	10:00 PM
Edmonton Oilers	-155	+128	Calgary Flames	10:00 PM

Sunday Canadian NHL Action

There are two games involving Canadian NHL teams on Sunday:

Ottawa Senators @ Washington Capitals, 6:00 p.m. ET – The spoiler tour continues for Ottawa on Sunday, with a chance to shut down Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals. Unlike the Devils, Washington is right in the thick of the second wild card battle, so the points are crucial for them. In “no way this can be right” facts, Ottawa’s goal difference this year is better (-27) than Washington’s (-37) despite being 12 points back in the standings.

Montreal Canadiens @ New York Rangers, 7:00 p.m. ET – Things don’t get much easier for Montreal after taking on Toronto, as they shift from the Bell Centre to Broadway to take on the Rangers, who currently have a shot at the Presidents’ Trophy. An 11-3-0 run in their last 14 games has vaulted them to the top of the NHL standings with six games to go. They’ll take on Detroit on Friday, which could make this streak even hotter before the Habs even reach the building. So far this year, the two teams have split the season series, with Montreal winning in a shootout in January and New York winning in regulation in February.

Away Team			Home Team	Time (ET)
Ottawa Senators	TBD	TBD	Washington Capitals	6:00 PM
Montreal Canadiens	TBD	TBD	New York Rangers	7:00 PM