Key NHL Games To Watch For The Week Of March 2

The NHL season resumed on Wednesday after nearly a three-week Olympic break, as we are now on the road to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Every remaining game of the NHL season will be live on DAZN with NHL.TV worldwide, excluding Canada and the U.S. 

It is expected to be a memorable stretch between now and June. 

Each week, DAZN News will take a look at three games to watch on NHL.TV on DAZN.

Tampa Bay Lightning @ Minnesota Wild: Tuesday, March 3/Wednesday, March 4 (8.30pm ET/1.30am GMT/3.30am CEST)

The second-best team in the Eastern Conference is meeting the third-best team in the Western Conference. 

Despite losing back-to-back contests, the Lightning (38-16-4) still are 20-3-1 in their last 24 games and sit on top of the Atlantic Division. Every team has a bump in the road during the season and this is no different.

The Wild (35-16-10) also has lost two in a row. Quinn Hughes has been the player they expected since acquiring him in December with 36 points in just 29 games.

Buffalo Sabres @ Pittsburgh Penguins: Thursday, March 5/Friday, March 6 (7pm ET/Midnight GMT/2am CEST) 

Two teams in the top four of the East are squaring off. The Sabres (35-19-6) lead the Penguins by a point. Buffalo, though, is coming off back-to-back losses and needs a win to stay in a good position in the conference. 

The Penguins (31-15-13) will be without Sidney Crosby for the next couple of weeks due to an injury. They are off to a good start with Crosby, winning 5-0 on Sunday over the Vegas Golden Knights. So, Pittsburgh needs to rack up wins while its star is out of action for the time being. 

Minnesota Wild @ Colorado Avalanche: Sunday, March 8 (2pm ET/7pm GMT/9pm CEST)

Two of the top three teams in the West lock horns in Denver. The Avalanche (39-10-9) have been on top of the conference for the bulk of the season. But they have been on the skids of late in going 8-8-2, which has allowed the Wild to move within seven points at the start of the week.

You never want to say it's a must-win in the first week of March, but that is the case here if the Wild wants to catch the Avalanche.