The NHL regular season is in its final stretch and tonight's six-game slate carries massive playoff implications. Seeding, home ice, and draft lottery positioning are all still in play. ESPN's own playoff watch calls tonight one of the most consequential Wednesday slates of the season.
| Matchup | Time (ET) | Records | Goalies | Line | O/U |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas @ Buffalo (TNT) | 7:00 PM | 49-20-12 vs 50-23-8 | Oettinger vs Ellis | BUF -108 | 6.5 |
| NY Rangers @ Tampa Bay | 7:00 PM | 33-39-9 vs 50-25-6 | Shesterkin vs Vasilevskiy | TB -148 | 6.5 |
| Detroit @ Florida | 7:00 PM | 39-38-4 vs 41-30-10 | Gibson vs Bobrovsky | DET -155 | 6.5 |
| Toronto @ Ottawa | 7:30 PM | 32-35-14 vs 43-27-11 | Woll vs Reimer | OTT -180 | 6.5 |
| San Jose @ Chicago | 8:30 PM | 38-34-8 vs 28-39-14 | Askarov vs Knight | SJ -125 | 6.5 |
| Seattle @ Vegas | 10:00 PM | 34-35-11 vs 38-26-17 | Kokko vs Hart | VGK -298 | 6.5 |
This is the game of the night. Dallas (49-20-12) and Buffalo (50-23-8) are two of the best teams in hockey meeting in a nationally televised showdown. The Sabres are having a breakout season — 50 wins after years of futility — led by Tage Thompson (40G, 81 PTS) and Rasmus Dahlin (55 assists). Jake Oettinger draws the start for Dallas against Colten Ellis for Buffalo. The line is essentially a pick'em at BUF -108.
The Rangers (33-39-9) have been a massive disappointment this season, but Igor Shesterkin is still one of the best goalies on earth. He faces Andrei Vasilevskiy and a Tampa Bay team (50-25-6) that is rolling. Two elite netminders, but the teams around them couldn't be more different. Tampa -148 reflects the talent gap at every position except goalie.
Detroit (39-38-4) is -155 on the road at Florida (41-30-10). Florida has the better record, the better home splits, and Bobrovsky in net. Something is off — this line screams injury news for the Panthers that hasn't fully surfaced. We're staying away until we understand why the books have Detroit this heavily favored in a building where Florida has historically dominated.