NHL Stars Battle for Streaks in Key Matchups

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The NHL schedule heats up Wednesday with four pivotal matchups, including high-stakes games featuring streaking stars and playoff implications. Key players like David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins and Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs aim to extend their impressive performances, while teams jockey for position in the standings.

The Boston Bruins (23-19-6) face the New Jersey Devils (26-17-6) at 7 p.m. ET, with Bruins forward David Pastrnak riding a four-game multipoint streak (11 points; five goals, six assists). Pastrnak’s consistency has been a bright spot for Boston, who are on a four-game point streak (3-0-1). The Devils, meanwhile, look to snap a four-game losing streak (0-2-2) and honor former coach Jacques Lemaire by inducting him into the Devils Ring of Honor.

In Toronto, the Maple Leafs (30-16-2) host the Columbus Blue Jackets (22-18-7) at 7:30 p.m. ET. Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who has scored in four straight games, is one goal shy of becoming the sixth U.S.-born player to record nine consecutive 20-goal seasons. Matthews has eight goals in nine games since returning from an upper-body injury. Toronto’s William Nylander, second in the NHL in assists (52) and fourth in points (67), is also on a four-game multipoint streak.

Out west, the Florida Panthers (28-17-3) visit the Los Angeles Kings (25-14-5) at 10 p.m. ET. Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov looks to extend a nine-game point streak (13 points; three goals, 10 assists) against the Kings, dating back to 2019. Los Angeles, coming off a 5-1 loss to Pittsburgh that ended their nine-game home winning streak, seeks to reignite their offense. Kings captain Anze Kopitar, with 1,254 career points, needs one goal to move into third place on the franchise’s all-time scoring list.

In the nightcap, the Winnipeg Jets (31-14-3) take on the Colorado Avalanche (28-19-1) at 9:30 p.m. ET. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon aims to extend an 11-game home point streak (18 points; six goals, 12 assists), while Jets center Mark Scheifele, tied for fourth in the NHL in goals (27), looks to spark Winnipeg after a recent slump.

As the playoff race intensifies, these matchups could prove pivotal in shaping the postseason landscape.