Every Saturday, FTR will pick the five games to watch over the upcoming weekend.

This weekend's soundtrack: Everyday Is Like Sunday by Morrissey -- because four of the five most intriguing match-ups with direct impact on playoff standings take place on Sunday. Plus, it's my favorite Morrissey solo song.

#1 Detroit Red Wings at Chicago Blackhawks, Sunday @ 12:30 PM EST
The Hawks continue to roll while the Red Wings remain up and down. Still, no one's counting out a back-to-back Cup finalist, and a big win against a division rival could springboard the Wings into a strong stretch run. The Western standings are precarious, though, and a regulation loss carries quite an impact for the teams bunched between 8th and 13th place. Add in the cachet of an Original Six match-up

#2 St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche, Saturday @ 6 PM EST
The Blues have quietly put together a nice stretch that's kept them in the Western Conference playoff battle. Part of their surge has been powered by the combination of Paul Kariya and Brad Boyes, two guys who were pretty much written off not too long ago. Colorado has struggled in the brief stretch following the Olympics, losing two out of three to Detroit and Phoenix, though newcomer Peter Mueller has started strong. Will Colorado return to form to slow down St. Louis's rise or will the Blues come back down to earth?

#3 Calgary Flames at Minnesota Wild, Sunday @ 3 PM EST
Calgary and Minnesota are within spitting distance of each other, and with Nashville pulling away from the pack, these two teams are in a group of six fighting tooth and nail for the remaining 8th spot. It's the proverbial four-point swing, and a critical game for anyone with a vested interest in the Western Conference.

#4 Carolina Hurricanes at Atlanta Thrashers, Sunday @ 5 PM EST
While this might look ugly on paper, this particular matchup comes with plenty of intrigue. Since shipping Ilya Kovalchuk out, the Thrashers have earned points in six straight games, scoring three goals or more by committee in each of those. The Hurricanes only have three losses since Eric Staal assumed the captaincy in January. Carolina's torrid run has done the seemingly impossible, putting 8th place within striking distance despite the horrific first half of the season.

#5 Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators, Sunday @ 3 PM EST
Following the acquisition of Denis Grebeshkov and the non-trade of Dan Hamhuis, the Predators have one of the deepest bluelines in the league. They've been hot, too, going 6-2-2 in their last ten. While the Preds aren't threatening for home ice (yet), they've put some distance between themselves and the teams scrambling for the final playoff spot. This particular match-up might be a first-round playoff preview, as it's realistic to think that the Canucks will finish 3rd while the Predators wind up in the 6th spot.