Alex Ovechkin, Randy Carlyle and Nicklas Lidstrom: All Must-Watches This Week

With the trade deadline behind us, NHL teams are now preparing for the stretch run. With teams having only 15 to 18 games remaining, this week will be a pivotal one for most clubs.

Throw a little parity into the mix and you've got yourself some real intriguing playoff races.

In the Eastern Conference, no team has legitimately been eliminated from a playoff berth. While in the West, every team besides Edmonton and Columbus still has reasonable hope.

It's not often that you have 28 of the 30 NHL teams with a shot at making the playoffs in March. However, this season is unlike any other.

Here is a look at the five things to look forward to most this week.

Ovechkin Responds

In Sunday night's loss against the Flyers, Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin turned the puck over in his own zone for the game's only goal. In response, head coach Dale Hunter gave Ovechkin a lengthy 7:26 between shifts.

On Tuesday night, the Capitals play the fourth game of their five-game home stand as they host the Carolina Hurricanes. How will the Great Eight respond?

Rivalry Renewed in Beantown

While the Sabres and Bruins are nowhere near each other in the standings, the two teams have had plenty of bad blood between them this year. While they have split their four games thus far, that is not the reason to watch Thursday night's rematch in Boston.

This year's melodrama began when Milan Lucic steamrolled Buffalo netminder, Ryan Miller. In the next matchup, Paul Gaustad stood up for his team and got involved in a scrap with Lucic. Ever since then, the rivalry has intensified. 

In fact, the first three games between the two teams featured 42, 54 and 90 penalty minutes. Thursday night will be the first matchup in Boston since the Lucic-Miller incident.

Randy Carlyle's Impact

Randy Carlyle may be 1-0 as the new head coach of the Maple Leafs, but the week ahead will be a telling one for Carlyle and his team.

The Leafs will host the Bruins on Tuesday, head out to Pittsburgh on Wednesday and host the Flyers on Saturday. In other words, they will be facing three of the top five teams in the Eastern Conference.

Sitting only five points out of the final playoff spot, Carlyle has an important week ahead of him. While he may be a newcomer, he has very little time to adapt.

Lidstrom's Health

While the Detroit Red Wings' playoff spot may be secure, the health of their captain is most definitely not. 

Lidstrom has been out with a deep bone bruise and will miss his fourth straight game on Tuesday when the Red Wings face the Flyers in Philadelphia. At the age of 41, Lidstrom's health is a major question mark in what may be his final season.

Following Tuesday's matchup, the Wings play host to the Kings on Friday and go to Nashville on Saturday. Lidstrom hopes to return by then, but will they play him?

Can the Streaks Continue?

The two longest current winning streaks in the NHL belong to the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

After defeating the Coyotes on Monday, the Pens have pushed their win streak to six games. With the next three games at home against Toronto, Florida and Boston, Pittsburgh still has their eyes set on the division.

While the Rangers have continued to roll, Pittsburgh has crept to within just eight points of the No. 1 team in the division and league.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning have strung together four wins in a row to position themselves only a point behind the Capitals in ninth place and four points behind the Winnipeg Jets in eighth place.

Better yet, Tampa is only six points behind the Southeast Division-leading Panthers. With games against Ottawa, Washington and Carolina looming, Guy Boucher knows it's now or never for his club.