Schedule Analysis: Home Dominance

With a four-day work schedule next week, the NHL kicks things into high gear before Christmas.

Four's a Crowd
While you'll want to avoid teams playing two games (Anaheim, Arizona, Winnipeg), and with half the league playing four games this week, there will certainly be plenty of opportunities for fantasy scoring. Here are the rankings for the four-game teams on a busy pre-holiday schedule.

1. Chicago Blackhawks
More importantly than playing three at home, where Chicago boasts a 11-3-1 record, the Hawks' strength of schedule is arguably the easiest of all teams playing a full schedule.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 3-0 (13:7 GF:GA)

2. Florida Panthers
Winners in four of their last six road tilts, Florida plays three of four away from Sunrise. Derek MacKenzie (undisclosed) had to be helped off the ice Saturday and there was no update after the game.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 2-1 (9:7 GF:GA)

3. New Jersey Devils
New Jersey will split the week with two on the road and two at home. Lee Stempniak (illness) is questionable heading into Sunday's game.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 2-0 (8:5 GF:GA)

4. Boston Bruins
Boston has three of four at home, where they haven't been nearly as good (6-7-1) as on the road (10-2-2). Their only road game will be the back half of a home-and-home with Pittsburgh. Ryan Spooner has a three-game point streak.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 0-0-1 (2:3 GF:GA)

5. Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo starts off their week with a back-to-back occurrence and then hosts Anaheim and Chicago. However, neither of the latter have been very good on the road this season (combined record of 8-15-4), so don't count out the Sabres.There's still no timetable for the return of Cody McCormick (blood clots).
Combined record against this week's opponents: 0-1-1 (7:9 GF:GA)

6. New York Rangers
It will be fairly important for the Rangers to shake their recent woes as they will have a light schedule (six games in three weeks) ahead of them starting next week and going into 2016. Derick Brassard has a multi-goal effort in two of his last three games. Brassard has good career numbers versus Winnipeg, so his production could continue.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 1-2 (11:13 GF:GA)

7. Edmonton Oilers
Repeat after me: Edmonton is one of the NHL's hottest teams! Can they really keep their winning streak, which is now up to five games, in tact? They begin a stretch where they will play six of seven tilts on the road where they are 4-10-1 this season. Leon Draisaitl, Teddy Purcell and Taylor Hall combined for 11 points in their high-scoring affair with the Rangers on Friday. Lauri Korpikoski had a hat trick in the same game. Oscar Klefbom (finger) will not travel with the team this week.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 2-1-1 (15:15 GF:GA)

8. Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus will split the week with a pair on the road and pair at home. Curtis McElhinney started again in Saturday's loss to the Isles as Sergei Bobrovsky continues to heal a strained groin. Either way, they've put in some strong efforts against Arizona and Philly. Jared Boll (foot) was activated from IR on Saturday.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 2-0 (9:3 GF:GA)

9. Calgary Flames
Right there with the Oilers, Calgary has won five in a row, but they'll squeeze a four-game road trip into the week, where they are just 3-9-2 this season., Kris Russell (hand) not only played in Saturday's win over the Rangers, but had a pair of assists.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 2-1 (10:9 GF:GA)

10. Tampa Bay Lightning
While Tampa Bay is 0-for-2 against former division rival Washington this season, Ben Bishop has allowed more than two goals only once in his last nine appearances. Tyler Johnson will reportedly be out a week with an undisclosed injury. Ondrej Palat did not return to Saturday's game due to an undisclosed injury. Steven Stamkos' goal-scoring drought is at eight games.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 1-2 (7:7 GF:GA)

11. Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver is in the midst of a six-game road trip. Derek Dorsett (personal) is questionable for Sunday's game.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 2-0-1 (9:6 GF:GA)

12. San Jose Sharks
San Jose has been very good (10-5-1) on the road, where they'll play their next five tilts, including four this week. But they'll face three of their opponents (all Atlantic teams) for the first time this season.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 0-1 (2:5 GF:GA)

13. Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh is in disarray, no arguing that. Add in their first two tilts against Boston and Washington, and it could be an ugly start for Mike Sullivan behind the bench, especially with Kris Letang (undisclosed) out. However, that news could could spell good news for Olli Maatta's fantasy owners.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 1-0 (3:1 GF:GA)

14. Washington Capitals
Washington has two solid wins over Tampa Bay and a spiraling Pens squad, but something seems off about this schedule, as most of the team's on their docket are scratching and clawing for a win.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 2-2 (9:11 GF:GA)

15. Ottawa Senators
Ottawa's only game this season against this week's opponents was a 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay, and their remaining opponents (L.A., San Jose and Washington) have all been formidable plays. To top it off, Craig Anderson had to be pulled this weekend to send a message to a sleeping defense.
Combined record against this week's opponents: 0-1 (1:4 GF:GA)

Three of a Kind
The rest of the league will play your ordinary three-game schedule this week. Here's three with favorable and three with unfavorable schedules.

Good
St. Louis is outscoring this week's opponents 15-7 and is a combined 4-0 against Winnipeg, Nashville and Calgary. Jake Allen stood tall against one of the NHL's best offenses Saturday.

Of Philadelphia's three opponents, only one (Carolina) is above .500 in their last 10 games, while the Flyers are 6-3-1 over their last 10.

Detroit begins a four-game home stand, starting with three straight this week. The combination of the Wings' 10-5-3 record at Joe Louis Arena and opponents like Buffalo and Vancouver should have them in high-gear for streaking Calgary, if they're still streaking by the time the Flames get to Detroit. Tomas Tatar has 13 points in his last 15 contests.

Bad
Finishing out their six-game road trip, Los Angeles tours Northeastern Canada, where this time last season they lost two of three (Montreal, Toronto) and were outscored 13-10. Kyle Clifford is likely to sit Monday. Four of Marian Gaborik's six goals this season have come in the last nine games.

Minnesota will host two this week and usually that bodes well for the Wild, who are 10-3-1 from Xcel Energy Center, but all three teams are quality opponents who are looking to stop skids. It could be a tough week for Wild players. Mikael Granlund was demoted to the second power-play unit in Friday's loss to Arizona. Darcy Kuemper has been quite reliable in his last four games and could find himself with a few extra starts in the coming weeks. Jason Pominville (five points in his last five games) moved to the Wild's top power-play unit Friday.

Montreal is another quality team losing a bit of grip. While you might look to the Canadiens to claim an advantage in home games against west coast teams like San Jose and Los Angeles, neither are slouches in road games and Dallas is good just about anywhere they play. Dustin Tokarski is playing well, suggesting he could be taking the reigns from Mike Condon.