NHL On Tap: Maple Leafs take on Bruins, look for 5th straight home win
Zadorov to make Canucks debut against Flames; Larkin expected to return for surging Red Wings
© Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images
Maple Leafs attempt to extend Scotiabank Arena magic
The Toronto Maple Leafs will attempt to extend their season-high home winning streak to five games (7 p.m. ET; SN, NESN, NHLN), but it won’t be easy. In order to continue their success at Scotiabank Arena, they’ll have to beat the rival Boston Bruins, which is always a difficult task. This will be the 769th game between these two Original Six teams, with Boston leading the series 347-309-13 with 99 ties, postseason included. The Bruins have won the past four, but the Maple Leafs (12-6-3) come in with momentum, having gone 7-2-1 in their past 10 games. Forward Mitch Marner broke out of an eight-game goal drought with a hat trick and shootout-ending goal in a 4-3 victory against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. On that same night, the Bruins (15-4-3) ended a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 home win against the San Jose Sharks. Bruins forward David Pastrnak had two assists against the Sharks and has at least one point in 17 of Boston’s 22 games this season. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
Pastrnak, Bruins face Matthews, Maple Leafs tonight
A familiar opponent
Well, Nikita Zadorov didn't have to go far. When the defenseman was traded from the Calgary Flames to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, he didn't have to move a muscle since the Canucks' next game was against ... the Flames, in Calgary. Zadorov is expected to make his Canucks debut on Saturday at Scotiabank Saddledome when the two teams face off (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY). The 28-year-old has six points (one goal, five assists) in 21 games this season while averaging 18:24 of ice time. Zadorov is expected to eat minutes on a team that will be without Carson Soucy for another 3-5 weeks after a sustaining an upper-body injury Nov. 12. But this game is about more than Zadorov. These are two teams that could be vying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs out of the Pacific Division, even though the Canucks (15-8-1) have had a far better start to the season than anticipated and the Flames (10-10-3) have had a worse one. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
Red Wings surging before Kane debut
The Detroit Red Wings (12-7-3) have been on a pretty good run lately, winning four of their past five games. While they patiently await the debut of forward Patrick Kane, who signed a one-year, $2.75 million contract with them Tuesday after recovering from hip resurfacing surgery he had June 1, they’ll look for more points when they visit the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, CITY, BSDET). Kane won’t play against the Canadiens (10-11-2), but Red Wings Dylan Larkin, who missed the past two games with an undisclosed injury, is expected to return. Montreal is 3-2-0 in its past five games. The Canadiens are 5-7-0 this season at Bell Centre, where they play six of their next seven. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
Saturday games
Tampa Bay Lightning at Dallas Stars (2 p.m. ET; BSSUN, BSSW, NHLN, SN)
Nikita Kucherov has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) during an eight-game point streak for the Lightning (10-9-5), who have lost three in a row. He led the NHL in November with 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists), setting a Lightning record for the month (Vincent Lecavalier, 25 points, November 2007). The Stars (13-5-3) have lost three of four (1-1-2). With an assist in Dallas’ 4-3 overtime loss to Calgary on Thursday, Joe Pavelski extended his point streak to eight games (nine points; five goals, four assists).
Chicago Blackhawks at Winnipeg Jets (3 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN3, NBCSCH)
Forward Anthony Beauvillier, acquired by the Blackhawks (7-14-0) in a trade with the Canucks on Tuesday, is expected to make his debut with them in Winnipeg. This is the first of a back-to-back for Chicago, which plays at the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. The Jets (12-8-2) have lost three in a row. Winnipeg center Cole Perfetti has eight goals in 22 games this season, matching his total in 51 games last season.
New York Rangers at Nashville Predators (4:30 p.m. ET; BSSO, MSG)
The Rangers (16-4-1) are 8-2-0 in their past 10 games. Defenseman Adam Fox, who had missed 10 games with a lower-body injury, returned and played 21:31 in New York’s 3-2 win against the Red Wings on Wednesday. The Predators (11-11-0) had their six-game winning streak end with a 6-1 loss to the Wild on Thursday. Nashville defenseman Alexandre Carrier is out week to week with an upper-body injury sustained on a hit by Minnesota forward Kirill Kaprizov in that game.
New York Islanders at Florida Panthers (6 p.m. ET; MSGSN, BSFL)
The Islanders (9-7-6) are 4-1-3 in their past eight games. Semyon Varlamov is 4-3-1 with a 2.50 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and two shutouts in eight starts this season for New York, including making 39 saves in a 5-4 overtime win at the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. The Panthers (14-7-2) went 6-2-1 away from home in November, tying their record for most road wins in a month (six in April 2022, March 2022, March 2021 and December 2015).
Buffalo Sabres at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, MSG-B)
This is the end of a four-game road trip for the Sabres (10-11-2), who are 1-2-0 on it. The Hurricanes (13-8-1) have gone 1-for-18 on the power play in their past five games.
Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, CITY, BSDET)
Robby Fabbri has scored five goals in his past five games for the Red Wings. Montreal forward Alex Newhook’s status for this game is uncertain after he sustained an undisclosed injury in the third period of a 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday. He crashed into the net and favored his left leg as he was helped off the ice.
Seattle Kraken at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; SN1, TVAS2, ROOT-NW)
The Kraken (8-10-6) are 0-1-1 halfway through a four-game road trip. This is the second half of a back-to-back for the Senators (8-10-0), who lost 4-2 to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. Claude Giroux scored Friday in his 100th game with the Senators. His 96 points (41 goals, 55 assists) are the second-most through 100 games in Ottawa history; Dany Heatley had 124 points (60 goals, 64 assists).
Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, NBCSP)
Forward Travis Konecny has 17 points (12 goals, five assists) in 23 games to lead the Flyers (11-10-2), who have lost four of their past five. The Penguins (11-10-1) are 3-4-1 in their past eight. Tristan Jarry became the first goalie in Penguins history, and the first in the NHL this season, to score a goal when he did so at 18:52 of the third period of Pittsburgh’s 4-2 win at Tampa Bay on Thursday.
Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; SN, NESN, NHLN)
The Bruins won the only previous game between these two rivals this season, a 3-2 shootout victory in Boston on Nov. 2. Defenseman Timothy Liljegren of the Maple Leafs sustained a high ankle sprain in that game when he became entangled with Bruins forward Brad Marchand and was put on long-term injured reserve. He skated Wednesday for the first time since the injury. Marchand was replaced on Boston’s top line by Jake DeBrusk on Thursday.
St. Louis Blues at Arizona Coyotes (9 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSMW)
The Blues (12-9-1) are 4-2-0 in their past six games. Brandon Saad’s goal in a 6-4 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday was his first in 12 games. The Coyotes (11-9-2) have won three in a row. Goalie Connor Ingram is 9-3-0 with a 2.52 GAA, .922 save percentage and one shutout in 13 games (12 starts).
Colorado Avalanche at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; BSSD, BSSC, ALT2)
It’s a quick back-to-back road trip for the Avalanche (15-6-1), who are 7-2-1 in their past 10 games. Cale Makar had 21 assists in November, tying Peter Stastny (Oct. 1983) for most in a calendar month in franchise history. The Ducks (9-14-0) have lost eight in a row. Their last win was Nov. 14, 3-2 against the Nashville Predators.
Vancouver Canucks at Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY)
The Flames have won two straight games, both in overtime, and three of four, leading defenseman Noah Hanifin to say, "There's been a big turn here lately," after the team's 4-3 win against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. Calgary led the NHL with seven comeback wins in November. Quinn Hughes did not have a point in the Canucks' 4-1 loss on Thursday to the Vegas Golden Knights, the second straight game he had gone without a point after an 11-game point streak in which he had 17 (four goals, 13 assists).
Washington Capitals at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MNMT)
This is the fourth of a five-game road trip for the Capitals (12-6-2), who have won two in a row. Tom Wilson scored his first NHL hat trick in his 700th game in Washington’s 5-4 win against Anaheim on Thursday. The Golden Knights (15-5-4) ended a three-game skid (0-1-2) with their 4-1 win against the Canucks on Thursday. Goalie Adin Hill left the game after the second period with a lower-body injury and did not return.
