Capitals vs. Sabres: Sabres on a Roll, Celebrini’s Boston Return & More NHL Action
Thursday, March 12th, brings a packed NHL schedule with 14 games, including several key matchups with playoff implications. From the Buffalo Sabres’ incredible winning streak to Macklin Celebrini’s return to Boston, here’s a breakdown of what to watch.
Sabres Seek Historic Ninth Straight Victory
The Buffalo Sabres (32-27-7) are riding high with an impressive eight-game winning streak, facing off against the Washington Capitals at KeyBank Center. This streak is their second-longest of the season, following a 10-game run from December 9th to 31st. Remarkably, all eight wins have come in regulation, a feat Buffalo hasn’t achieved in 20 years, since a similar streak from March 3-16, 2006. Currently, the Sabres hold a four-point lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division.
The Capitals, meanwhile, are playing the second night of a back-to-back after a 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Alex Ovechkin is just two goals away from joining Wayne Gretzky as the only players in NHL history to reach 1,000 career goals (regular season and playoffs combined). You can learn more about Ovechkin’s incredible career here.
Stars’ Dominance & Oilers’ Pursuit
In the Central Division, the Edmonton Oilers continue their challenging road trip against the red-hot Dallas Stars. The Stars (40-14-10) are on a 13-game point streak (12-0-1), tied for the second-longest in franchise history and third-longest in the NHL this season. They trail the Colorado Avalanche by five points for the division lead.
Connor McDavid and the Oilers are looking to build momentum after a 4-3 win in Colorado. McDavid currently leads the NHL in scoring with 110 points (36 goals, 74 assists), six ahead of Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov. He also boasts a 19-game road point streak and is just three hat tricks away from 400 career NHL goals.
Celebrini Returns to Boston
San Jose Sharks’ rookie sensation Macklin Celebrini makes his return to TD Garden to face the Boston Bruins. Celebrini spent last season playing college hockey at Boston University before being selected first overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. The Bruins (36-22-6) are enjoying a remarkable 13-game home winning streak.
Despite the Bruins’ strong home form, Celebrini has been on a scoring tear, with goals in four consecutive games. He recently became the third-fastest teenager to reach 90 points in a season, achieving the milestone in just 62 games. Only Sidney Crosby (54 games) and Wayne Gretzky (56 games) reached 90 points faster.
Ducks Aim to Extend Pacific Division Lead
The Anaheim Ducks (36-25-3) will look to pad their lead in the Pacific Division against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Ducks have already surpassed their win total from last season and are aiming for their first playoff appearance since 2017-18. However, they face a struggling Maple Leafs team that has lost eight straight games (0-6-2).
Lightning & Red Wings Battle for Atlantic Position
The Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings face off in a crucial Atlantic Division matchup. The Lightning have lost six of their past seven games, while the Red Wings are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Florida Panthers. A regulation win for Detroit would put them just one point behind Tampa Bay.
Full NHL Schedule – March 12th
- San Jose Sharks at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, NESN, SNP, SNE)
- Washington Capitals at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; MNMT2, MSG-B)
- Anaheim Ducks at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, KCOP-13, Victory+)
- Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, FDSNDET, TVAS)
- Columbus Blue Jackets at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, SCRIPPS)
- Calgary Flames at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, SNW)
- St. Louis Blues at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, FDSNSO)
- Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SNO, SN1)
- Philadelphia Flyers at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; FDSNWIX, FDSNNO, NBCSP)
- New York Rangers at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, MSG)
- Chicago Blackhawks at Utah Mammoth (9 p.m. ET; Utah16, CHSN)
- Nashville Predators at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, FDSNSO)
- Pittsburgh Penguins at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, SCRIPPS, SNE, TVAS)
- Colorado Avalanche at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, KING 5, KONG, KTVD, ALT2)
