By Jacob Messing

The Vegas Golden Knights have won five straight games, Nathan MacKinnon is finally breaking out, and the New Jersey Devils are leading their division.

Hot Topic: Sidney Crosby

Crosby has strung together his best three offensive games of the season with three goals and three assists this week. It had been a slow start to the season for the 30-year-old, who now owns nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points in 25 games.

It’s not often Crosby sits 29th in league scoring this far into the season, especially when he’s remained healthy all year, but this could be his turnaround. If it is, there’s still plenty of time for him to sneak into the scoring race.

Star Of The Week: Jonathan Marchessault

4 GP | 3 G | 6 A | 9 pts. | plus-six | three straight three-point games

If the Florida Panthers management wasn’t collectively shaking its head at the loss of Jonathan Marchessault, it is now.

The 26-year-old broke out for 30 goals and 51 points last season, only to find himself suiting up for his fourth team in five years. Now 19 games into Vegas’ inaugural season, Marchessault has continued to build his NHL resume by racking up points and leading the Golden Knights to a Pacific Division-leading 15-6-1 record.

He recorded three straight games of a goal and two assists.

Nikolay Goldobin is excited to make a good first impression with his new teammates as he prepares for his #Canucks debut in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/cKrDIHqSbL

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 4, 2017

AHL Call-Up To Watch: Nikol Or Gold?

Nikolay Goldobin, the 27th overall pick in 2014, has 50 goals and 113 points in 136 AHL games, split between the San Jose Barracuda and Utica Comets.

The averaged-sized 22-year-old was part of the Jannik Hansen trade last year and could finally find an NHL home with Vancouver after a short stint with San Jose, who is still aiming to keep its Stanley Cup window open.

Goldobin has seven goals and 19 points in 18 games with Utica this season and is playing like this call-up could be his final. Vancouver, 11-9-4, is currently in the second wild card spot and is playing like it belongs there; Goldobin could further cement that position.

Fantasy Player To Add

Alex DeBrincat | RW | Chicago Blackhawks

An offensive force in juniors, DeBrincat’s 5-foot-7 frame was questioned when he came to the NHL. He started off his rookie season slow, but has since recorded six goals and eight points in his past 10 games.

He’s growing more comfortable against the game’s best, and while he doesn’t support his fantasy owners in many categories he could be developing into a reliable scorer.

Chicago plays a whopping five times this week and DeBrincat is owned in just 16.4 percent of leagues. The Blackhawks have struggled to score goals, but their track history says they won’t misfire for long and a big schedule could bring out the best in DeBrincat and the ‘Hawks alike.

Game To Watch

Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators

Tuesday, Nov. 28, 8 PM EST.

After a 4-0 first-round sweep last playoffs, Nashville has played rollercoaster hockey, exchanging wins and losses consistently. They beat the three-time Cup champions in four games last April, marching to the Finals before inevitably losing to Pittsburgh.

Now, roughly a quarter into the new season, each team has bested the other in by goal in each of its two meetings, exchanging 2-1 victories.

The Central Division foes haven’t faced each other since Nashville acquired a reliable second line center in Kyle Turris, relinquishing nothing from its regular roster. Since then, the Predators are 6-1-0.

Meanwhile, Chicago has struggled to score, crawling to an 11-8-3 record, courtesy of arguable Vezina candidate Corey Crawford. The Blackhawks still appear to be the slow, out-of-prime team that Nashville swept in four games by using speed, goaltending, and determination.

The budding rivals are learning to hate each other more and more with each passing game, as the Predators have taken five of a possible six points versus Chicago this season and look to build on it as they reach for another Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

Injuries: Minimal Injuries To Report

New Jersey’s Kyle Palmieri will miss the next four to six weeks with a fractured foot.

Boston’s Brad Marchand was placed on the IR Monday, has missed his sixth straight game, but remains retroactive to November 11. A return date is up in the air.

Florida’s Radim Vrbata was placed on the IR on Saturday with an undisclosed injury.

Pittsburgh’s oft-injured Evgeni Malkin has missed three straight games with an upper-body injury and no note from the team.

Have a question or a comment for Jacob Messing? You can find him on Twitter @JMessing23.