Flames-Islanders, Blackhawks-Oilers highlight weekend schedule

Each Friday, NHL Network and ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes will provide readers with three games he is looking forward to that weekend.

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Calgary Flames at New York Islanders (Saturday, 7 p.m. ET; SNW, MSG+, MSG+2, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)

The Islanders are 5-6-2 following 13 straight road games to begin the season and now get to open their brand new home, UBS Arena. It's sure to be a great atmosphere but each team will also be in need of a win. New York has lost four straight, outscored 19-4, and will be without defenseman Ryan Pulock for 4-6 weeks because of a lower-body injury. And they don't have anyone with more than nine points (center Brock Nelson; seven goals, two assists). Center Mathew Barzal has eight (four goals, four assists) and forward Anthony Beauvillier has seven (three goals, four assists).
The Flames continue a season-long seven-game road trip and are 3-2-4 in their past nine games following a 6-1-1 start. Forward Johnny Gaudreau (19 points; six goals, 13 assists), center Elias Lindholm (18 points; eight goals, 10 assists), forward Matthew Tkachuk (15 points; eight goals, seven assists) and forward Andrew Mangiapane (12 goals) have led the way offensively and center Blake Coleman has been a nice add offensively (six points; three goals, three assists) and physically (36 hits). Not to mention goalie Jacob Markstrom (6-3-4, 1.68 goals-against average, .942 save percentage and five shutouts) has been playing like a Vezina Trophy candidate.

Chicago Blackhawks at Edmonton Oilers (Saturday, 10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, NBCSCN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)

Oilers defenseman Duncan Keith will face the Blackhawks for the first time since he was traded to Edmonton on July 12, 2021. Keith won the Stanley Cup three times, the Conn Smythe Trophy, voted as most valuable player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, once and the Norris Trophy, voted as best defenseman in the NHL, twice in his 16 seasons in Chicago, and ranks second in games played (1,192) and 10th in points (625) in Blackhawks history. Edmonton (12-4-0) has alternated losses and wins through its past six games.
The Blackhawks (5-9-2) have looked like a completely different team since Derek King took over for Jeremy Colliton as coach on Nov. 6. They have won four straight under King and have allowed a total of six goals. Forwards Patrick Kane (17 points; six goals, 11 assists) and Alex DeBrincat (12 points; nine goals, three assists) each has been doing his thing, defenseman Seth Jones (14 points; two goals, 12 assists) has come on strong lately and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who has won his past three starts with a .950 save percentage) finally looks comfortable in net. But Chicago begins a tough stretch of three games in four nights in Western Canada.

Washington Capitals at Seattle Kraken (Sunday, 9 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, NBCSWA, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)

The Capitals (10-2-5) are 5-0-1 in their past six games and play a back-to-back set this weekend at the San Jose Sharks on Saturday and at the Kraken on Sunday. We know the tear forward Alex Ovechkin has been on (26 points; 12 goals, 14 assists) but he has gotten plenty of offensive support; Washington has 14 players who have scored at least two goals and rank third in the NHL in goals scored (3.41, third) and goals against (2.29) per game.
The expansion Kraken (4-11-1) have lost five straight by a combined score of 24-14 and have allowed the second-most goals per game in the NHL (3.69), ahead of only the Arizona Coyotes (3.82). It has been a tough time defensively in front of goalie Philipp Grubauer. Seattle's schedule doesn't get any easier with games against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday, the Capitals on Sunday and the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. Seattle needs more scoring depth; forwards Jordan Eberle (eight), Jared McCann and Brandon Tanev (six each) are the only players who have scored more than four goals for the Kraken.