NHL On Tap: Bedard, Blackhawks host Ovechkin, Capitals
Quick faces Kings 1st time with Rangers; Sharks end 6-game trip against Golden Knights
© Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire, David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images
Bedard vs. Ovechkin? Yes, please
It’s a hot topic each time Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft, faces another No. 1 selection. Well, it happens again because Bedard vs. Alex Ovechkin, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 Draft, is must-see hockey TV when the Blackhawks host the Washington Capitals on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSCH, SN). Bedard has 11 goals in his first 26 NHL games and leads all rookies and the Blackhawks with 21 points. Ovechkin has 827 goals, second most in NHL history behind Wayne Gretzky (894). This season he is tied for the Capitals lead with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists). It’s the young phenom vs. the legendary veteran. It’s also the second half of a back-to-back set for each team. The Capitals (13-8-3) shut out the New York Rangers 4-0 on Saturday; the Blackhawks (8-16-1) defeated the St. Louis Blues 3-1. Chicago has won two in a row for the first time this season. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
Quick gets reacquainted with Kings
Goalie Jonathan Quick is expected to make his first start against his former team when the Rangers (18-6-1) host the Los Angeles Kings (16-4-4) at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m. ET; BSW, MSG). Quick played 17 seasons with the Kings and is their all-time leader in games played (743), wins (370) and shutouts (57), and is likely on his way to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He helped lead the Kings to Stanley Cup victories in 2012 and 2014 and won another as a member of the Golden Knights last season. Quick won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup Playoff MVP in 2012 and is in his first season with the Rangers. He has a 7-0-1 record in nine games (eight starts) with a 2.34 goals-against average and .918 save percentage. The Rangers have lost two in a row for the first time this season and are coming off a 4-0 loss to the Capitals on Saturday. Los Angeles lost 3-2 in overtime at the New York Islanders on Saturday, which ended a three-game winning streak. The game against the Rangers is the last of a four-game road trip. Pheonix Copley is expected to start in goal for the Kings after Cam Talbot made 27 saves Saturday. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer
Sharks defying conventional wisdom with dramatics
Bill Parcells once said, "You are what your record says you are." Though wise words from an NFL Hall of Fame coach who won the Super Bowl two times, that hasn't applied to the San Jose Sharks in recent weeks. A team that got an earful from general manager Mike Grier two days after they allowed 10 goals for the second consecutive game and fell to 0-10-1 on Nov. 4 is 8-17-2 and conclude a six-game road trip at the Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NBCSCA, SN). Here's what the Sharks have done in a 5-2-0 run since Nov. 25: Defeated the Vancouver Canucks (4-3) and New Jersey Devils (6-3); rallied from down three goals in the third period to stun the New York Islanders 5-4 in overtime; and spoiled Patrick Kane's debut for the Detroit Red Wings by scoring four goals in 5:29 of the second to erase a 4-0 deficit, tied the game 5-5 with 1:29 left in the third and won 5-4 in OT. The Golden Knights (18-5-5) are the first team to reach 40 points this season (41) and did it in 28 games, one shy of their fastest achieved in 2020-21. They begin a four-game homestand after playing five of seven on the road. -- Jon Lane, staff writer
Sunday games
Florida Panthers at Columbus Blue Jackets (1 p.m. ET; BSFL, BSOH, NHLN, SN)
The Blue Jackets (9-15-5) will be without captain Boone Jenner when they host the Florida Panthers (16-8-2) at Nationwide Arena. The forward is expected to be out six weeks with a broken jaw sustained when hit by a shot from defenseman Ivan Provorov in a 5-2 win against the St. Louis Blues on Friday. Jenner leads the Blue Jackets with 13 goals and is second with 18 points. Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe has six points (three goals, three assists) in a four-game point streak. Florida has won three of its past four games (3-1-0), including 3-1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.
New Jersey Devils at Edmonton Oilers (4 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN, MSGSN)
Evan Bouchard can extend his point streak to 11 games and the Edmonton Oilers (11-12-1) will look for their seventh straight win when they host the New Jersey Devils (14-10-1) at Rogers Place. Bouchard has 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) on a 10-game point streak. He is the first Oilers defenseman to have a 10-game point streak since Paul Coffey, who did it seven times. Oilers captain Connor McDavid has 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) in an eight-game point streak. Devils captain Nico Hischier has nine points (four goals, five assists) in seven games since returning from a head injury sustained Oct. 27, including two goals in a 4-2 win at the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
Washington Capitals at Chicago Blackhawks (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSCH, SN)
The Capitals are 7-0-2 when scoring the first goal this season. Evgeni Kuznetsov got his 392nd NHL assist on Saturday; he’s tied with Mike Gartner for the fifth most in Capitals history. Anthony Beauvillier, whom the Blackhawks acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 28, scored his first goal with them in a 3-1 win against the Blues on Saturday. Chicago forward Jason Dickinson has seven goals in his past 10 games.
Nashville Predators at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, BSSO)
The Canadiens (12-12-3) will look for their second consecutive win when they host the Predators (14-13-0). Montreal won 3-2 in a shootout at the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday and haven’t had two straights wins since Nov. 22-24. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki has four points (two goals, two assists) in his past four games. The Predators had a three-game winning streak end with a 4-0 loss at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Los Angeles Kings at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; BSW, MSG)
The Kings have not lost in regulation in 12 road games this season (11-0-1). Defenseman Drew Doughty (three goals, two assists) and forward Adrian Kempe (one goal, four assists) each have points in their past four games for Los Angeles. The Rangers are 8-2-0 at home and 9-2-1 against Western Conference opponents this season.
Winnipeg Jets at Anaheim Ducks (8 p.m. ET; BSSD, BSSC, TSN3)
The Jets (15-8-2) will try to extend their winning streak to four games when they visit the Ducks (10-16-0) in the second of a four-game road trip. Jets forward Kyle Connor had two goals in a 4-2 win at the Colorado Avalanche on Friday and has four points (three goals, one assist) in his past two games. The Ducks have one win in their past 11 games (1-10-0) after a 1-0 loss at the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Anaheim is 5-9-0 at Honda Center this season.
Minnesota Wild at Seattle Kraken (9 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, BSWI, BSN)
The Wild (9-12-4) have lost two straight after winning their first four games under new coach John Hynes, who replaced the fired Dean Evason on Nov. 27. Minnesota lost 4-3 at the Edmonton Oilers on Friday in the third of a four-game road trip. The Wild will be without defenseman Jonas Brodin, who sustained an upper-body injury on a hit from Oilers forward Evander Kane 18 seconds into the third period. The Kraken (8-13-6) have lost seven straight (0-5-2), including 4-3 in overtime to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second of a six-game homestand Saturday.
San Jose Sharks at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NBCSCA, SN)
Sharks forward Tomas Hertl has elevated his game in the season-long absence of captain Logan Couture, a forward recovering from a lower-body injury who resumed skating Dec. 6 for what coach David Quinn said was for, "15 minutes". Hertl has scored goals in consecutive games (three and two apiece) and has seven points (five goals, two assists) in his past four games. The Golden Knights could turn to goalie Jiri Patera for his season debut and third NHL start after Logan Thompson made 19 saves in a 6-1 win at the Dallas Stars on Saturday, his sixth consecutive starts since Adin Hill (lower body) was sidelined Nov. 30.
