NHL On Tap: Hughes, Devils look to stay hot against Ducks

Welcome to the NHL On Tap. Three NHL.com writers will share what they are most looking forward to on the schedule each day. Today, their choices from the five games on Sunday. 

Devils regaining their footing

The New Jersey Devils have been finding more success lately, winning eight of their past 10 games (8-2-0), including a 6-3 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Though playing without top defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who’s out indefinitely after having surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle on Dec. 1, the Devils (16-11-1) have three key forwards back healthy, including Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Timo Meier. Hughes and Meier each missed about two weeks in November and Hischier was out a month (Oct. 26-Nov. 27). So, the Devils are trying to climb back into the Metropolitan Division standings and will look for more points when they host the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, BSSD, BSSC). Hughes, who had a hat trick against the Blue Jackets, leads the Devils with 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 23 games and Jesper Bratt is next with 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists) in 28 games. Meanwhile, the Ducks (10-19-0) continue to struggle and have lost five in a row and 13 of their past 14, including 5-1 at the New York Rangers on Friday. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

MacKinnon wielding a hot stick

Nathan MacKinnon is on a heater and has an opportunity to extend his point streak to 15 games, matching an NHL career high, when the Colorado Avalanche host the San Jose Sharks (8 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, ALT, SN). MacKinnon had two assists in a 6-2 loss at the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday and has 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) during his 14-game streak. MacKinnon is in familiar territory. He had 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) on a 15-game point streak from March 27 to April 28, 2021. He is tied for second in the NHL with 43 points (12 goals, 31 assists) in 30 games this season and became the fourth player in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history with at least 10 seasons with 30 or more assists, joining Joe Sakic (18 seasons), Michel Goulet (10), and Peter Stastny (10). The Avalanche (18-10-2) won their previous two games before losing in Winnipeg. The Sharks (9-18-3) were on a four-game point streak (3-0-1) before losing 1-0 at the Arizona Coyotes on Friday. San Jose forward Tomas Hertl has six points (five goals, one assist) in his past five games. -- Derek van Diest, staff writer

Eichel attempts to extend point streak to 10

Jack Eichel certainly isn’t resting on his laurels after helping the Vegas Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup last season. The forward has been one of the Golden Knights’ best players in 2023-24 and will try to extend his consecutive games point streak to 10 when they host the Ottawa Senators (8 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN5, TVAS). The 27-year-old has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in his past nine games and leads Vegas with 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 31 games this season. He’s on pace to pass his NHL career high of 82 points set in 2018-19 with the Buffalo Sabres. The Golden Knights (30-6-5) hope he can continue rolling against the Senators (11-14-0), who’ve lost three in a row and seven of their past 10. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Sunday games

Vancouver Canucks at Chicago Blackhawks (3 p.m. ET; NHLN, NBCSCH, SN, TVAS) 

This is the second half of a back-to-back set for the Canucks (20-9-2), who lost to the Minnesota Wild 2-1 in a shootout on Saturday. Quinn Hughes of Vancouver continues to lead NHL defensemen with 39 points (nine goals, 30 assists) in 31 games. It’s the start of a three-game homestand for the Blackhawks (9-19-1), who were outscored 11-2 in road losses to the Edmonton Oilers (4-1) and Seattle Kraken (7-1) in their past two games. Connor Bedard’s 10-game road point streak, during which he had 14 points (nine goals, five assists), ended at Seattle. 

Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes (6 p.m. ET; MNMT, BSSO, NHLN)

The Capitals (14-8-3) close out a four-game road trip, where they are 1-1-1 so far, including a 3-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Alex Ovechkin has not scored in his past 12 games, the longest goal drought of his career. It’s the second of a three-game homestand for the Hurricanes (16-12-2), who are 8-2-2 at PNC Arena this season and placed goalie Antti Raanta on waivers Saturday. Carolina forward Jack Drury is on a five-game point streak (one goal, four assists). 

Anaheim Ducks at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, BSSD, BSSC)

It’s the start of a five-game homestand for the Devils, who are 6-6-1 at Prudential Center this season. Bratt has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) during a seven-game point streak. Frank Vatrano leads the Ducks with 23 points (14 goals, nine assists) in 29 games and Mason McTavish is next with 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 24 games. 

San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche (8 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, ALT, SN)

The Sharks are not the pushovers they were at the beginning of the season, earning points in eight of their past 11 games (6-3-2). San Jose had one point through its first 10 games of the season (0-9-1). The Avalanche, who are 11-4-0 at Ball Arena this season, could be without defenseman Cale Makar, who missed the game Saturday against the Jets with a lower-body injury.

Ottawa Senators at Vegas Golden Knights (8 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN5, TVAS)

The Senators lost the first two of a five-game road trip, including 5-4 at the Dallas Stars on Friday. Ottawa is 3-5-0 on the road this season. Vegas is 11-3-5 at home and have the most points (45) in the NHL. They had a four-game winning streak end with a 5-2 loss to the Sabres on Friday.