The second 15-game slate over a three-day span is highlighted by the Rangers visiting the Bruins in the annual NHL Thanksgiving Showdown. The matinee is available on TNT and HBO Max in the U.S. as well as on Sportsnet in Canada.
* Brady Tkachuk is set to return to the Senators’ lineup in his hometown of St. Louis, where he grew up while his father, Keith, played for the Blues.
* Nathan MacKinnon can help the Avalanche record 11 straight victories for the second time in franchise history when they visit the Wild during the eighth game in NHL history where each team has a winning streak of at least six contests entering play.
Rangers pitted against Bruins in annual NHL Thanksgiving Showdown
A full day of hockey and leftovers is headlined by a Black Friday tradition as the Rangers visit the Bruins in the annual NHL Thanksgiving Showdown.
* Artemi Panarin (1-2—3 in 2 GP) and J.T. Miller (1-2—3 in 2 GP) can match the franchise mark for most points in Thanksgiving Showdown games held by Derek Stepan (1-3—4 in 4 GP). Miller returned to New York’s lineup Wednesday and assisted on a goal by Panarin to help the Rangers record their League-leading 10th road win of the season.
* David Pastrnak has 2-1—3 in four career Thanksgiving Showdown contests, including a highlight-reel assist on Boston’s overtime winner against New York six years ago. He can become the fifth player with three goals in those games, following former teammates Patrice Bergeron (4), David Krejci (3) and Rick Nash (3) as well as Sidney Crosby (3).
Tkachuk’s return to lineup among the 14 notes for Friday’s 14 other games
Below are notes for each of the 14 other contests during Friday’s schedule, with many more available in today’s edition of Live Updates:
* Brady Tkachuk is set to return to the Senators’ lineup as Ottawa continues its season-high seven-game road trip in his hometown of St. Louis. Tkachuk had three points through three games this season and needs another three to move into a tie for fifth place on the franchise’s all-time list with Wade Redden (410), who played 23 games for the Blues after his 11 seasons with the Senators.
* Nathan MacKinnon needs one point to become the first player with 40 this season as the Avalanche aim to extend their winning streak to 11 games against the surging Wild, who enter the matinee with victories in each of their last six contests. Colorado can become the 12th team in NHL history with four straight shutouts and ninth since 1929-30 (when forward passing was permitted inside all three zones), a feat last achieved by St. Louis (4 GP from March 19-26, 2016).
* Already with accolades aplenty in his career, Sidney Crosby can climb another list in League history when he clashes with the Blue Jackets and needs one game-winning goal to pass Patrick Marleau (101) for the third most by a single player with one franchise.
* Alex Ovechkin has found the score sheet in nine of his 13 games since Nov. 1 (9-6—15) – a total that includes nine goals, tied for the third most among all players during that span. The Capitals captain, whose 348 career home games with a goal are tied with Gordie Howe for the most in NHL history, can become the third player age 40 or older in League history with 10 goals in a calendar month. He would join Howe (11 in Feb. 1969 w/ DET) and Johnny Bucyk (10 in Jan. 1976 w/ BOS).
* Connor Bedard is set to play his seventh career game against fellow No. 1 pick Steven Stamkos, who secured his 319th multi-point game Wednesday and needs three points to reach 1,200 in his career. Bedard has 5-4—9 and a 2-2-2 record through the first six head-to-head contests (Stamkos: 5-1—6, 4-2-0 record).
* Macklin Celebrini (39-58—97 in 94 GP) is closing in on 100 career points when his Sharks host the Canucks at SAP Center. Celebrini, whose five three-point games are tied with Bedard for the second most among all players this season, can become the seventh teenager in NHL history to reach 100 career points in 95 or fewer games; Crosby (80 GP) is the only active player to achieve the feat.
* Matthew Schaefer (7-9—16 in 24 GP) is set for his 25th career game when the Islanders host the Flyers at UBS Arena. The No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft leads Islanders defensemen with four goals and eight points since Nov. 1 and can become the third 18-year-old blueliner in League history to score five goals in a calendar month, alongside Phil Housley (7 in Jan. 1983) and Bobby Orr (5 in Nov. 1966).
* Brad Marchand is averaging 1.18 points per game this season and is on pace to nearly double his point total from 2024-25 with the Panthers, who are 3-0-1 in their past four home games against the Flames dating to Jan. 4, 2022. According to NHL EDGE, Marchand has already surpassed several of his highs from last season including hardest shot (2025-26: 82.46 mph; 2024-25: 81.90 mph), 80+ mph shots (2025-26: 5; 2024-25: 4) and 22+ mph speed bursts (2025-26: 3; 2024-25: 2).
* Nikita Kucherov and the Atlantic Division-leading Lightning look to log a sixth straight win during their second and final game at Little Caesars Arena this season (also Oct. 17). Dylan Larkin delivered the overtime goal during the first contest for Detroit, which sits just three points back of Tampa Bay as the Red Wings hope to end a lengthy playoff drought.
* Nick Suzuki and the Canadiens can also climb the Atlantic Division standings when they joust Jack Eichel and the Golden Knights. Suzuki is one of four current Montreal players who played during its six-game victory versus Vegas in the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals (also Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield & Brendan Gallagher), four months before the Golden Knights acquired Eichel in a blockbuster deal with the Sabres.
* The latest rendition of the Freeway Faceoff rivalry renews on Friday when the Pacific Division leading Ducks and Kings meet for their 168th regular-season matchup. Anze Kopitar (32-58—90 in 93 GP) owns the most career points by any player against the Ducks, while 21-year-old Cutter Gauthier (14-14—28 in 23 GP) sits within striking distance of the 30-point mark thanks to an active five-game assist streak. Gauthier can join Leo Carlsson (8 GP in 2025-26) and Paul Kariya (6 GP in 1995-96) as the third player in Ducks history with a six-game assist streak before age 22.
* Jason Robertson has tallied 11 times over his past eight contests dating to Nov. 11 and can become the third player in franchise history with a dozen goals in a month multiple times (also 15 in Nov. 2022). He would join Minnesota North Stars forwards Dino Ciccarelli (4x; last: 14 in Oct. 1986) and Tom McCarthy (2x; last: 12 in Jan. 1984).
* Simon Nemec enters the Devils’ matinee against the Sabres after scoring his second career overtime goal Wednesday (also Nov. 12). He needs one more before celebrating his birthday while representing Team Slovakia at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 to become the first defenseman in NHL history with three before age 22.
* The Hurricanes continue their season-high seven-game homestand when they go head-to-head with the Jets. Nikolaj Ehlers (Team Denmark) has collected 3-4—7 in 10 outings at Lenovo Center this season and needs one assist to pass Frans Nielsen (306) for the most in a career by a Danish player in NHL history; Ehlers already owns the mark for most goals (229) and points (535).
QUICK CLICKS
* Morgan Geekie emerges as unlikely offensive force for Bruins
* Wyatt Johnston making push for Canada Olympic spot while shining for Stars
* NHL.com writers thankful for hockey on holiday
* 2025 Prospects Challenge: 4 things learned in Game 2
* Wild, FanDuel Sports Network to hold first-ever Ojibwe-language broadcast of NHL game
NHL PODCASTS WEEKLY ROUNDUP
* NHL Unscripted with Virk and Demers (Nov. 27): Guest – Shoresy’s Trevor Risk
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (Nov. 26): Guest – Devan Dubnyk
* NHL Forček (Nov. 26): Malík ke 20. výročí slavného nájezdu
* NHL @TheRink (Nov. 26): Guest – Mathieu Darche
* Energy Line with Nate and JSB (Nov. 25): Guest – Tyler Toffoli
* 100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon (Nov. 24): Guest – Lou Lamoriello
* NHL Längs Sargen (Nov. 24): Kan Wallstedt vara ett OS-namn?
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