We're firmly into the second half of the 2019-20 NHL season now, with every team in the league having played at least 42 games heading into the weekend.
That means the playoff race is starting to become clearer, with the cream rising to the top. There's still a ton of hockey to be played, of course, and last season taught us that even the teams currently at the bottom of the standings shouldn't be counted out yet.
With a few teams from the north side of the border toiling just outside the current playoff picture, there's still hope.
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Hockey Night in Canada goes completely Canadian on Jan. 11. Four of the seven Canadian clubs will be in action — in two all-Canadian matchups — when Hockey Night in Canada kicks off on Saturday, starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Who plays on Hockey Night in Canada tonight?
- Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators
- Puck drop: 7 p.m. ET
These are two of the teams that desperately need a spark sooner rather than later before they miss out on the postseason. The Habs and Sens have combined for three wins out of their last 20, an ugly stat that accurately portrays the dire state of the nearby rivals.
- Edmonton Oilers vs. Calgary Flames
- Puck drop: 10 p.m. ET
The Battle of Alberta always makes for good television, especially when both teams are playing well. The Oilers return to their home province after a successful swing through some of the Eastern Conference cities and seem to be back to the free-flowing, fun hockey that they showed glimpses of earlier this season.
As for the host Flames, they are also on a hot streak. Calgary has won four in a row, and nothing would be sweeter than to make it five at the expense of Edmonton.
What channel is Hockey Night in Canada on?
- TV channel: CBC
CBC has been the home of Hockey Night in Canada since its television inception in 1952.
With Rogers Communications becoming the primary Canadian rightsholders for the NHL in 2014, CBC has been joined by Rogers-owned Sportsnet and CityTV as broadcast networks for HNIC games.
Longtime host Ron MacLean is joined by David Amber and play-by-play announcers Jim Hughson, Dave Randorf and Paul Romanuk.
Hockey Night in Canada schedule January 2020
| Jan. 4 | 7 p.m. | Tampa Bay vs. Ottawa |
| 7 p.m. | NY Islanders vs. Toronto | |
| 7 p.m. | Pittsburgh vs. Montreal | |
| 10 p.m. | NY Rangers vs. Vancouver | |
| Jan. 11 | 7 p.m. | Montreal vs. Ottawa |
| 10 p.m. | Edmonton vs. Calgary | |
| Jan. 18 | 7 p.m. | Chicago vs. Toronto |
| 7 p.m. | Vegas vs. Montreal | |
| 10 p.m. | San Jose vs. Vancouver |