NHL On Tap: Wild host Devils, try to extend winning streak to five games

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 10 games Thursday.

Wild have earned elite status

The Minnesota Wild (15-6-1) have quietly joined the elite group of teams in the NHL. They were 10-3-1 with an NHL-high 59 goals in November, are first in the Central Division and tied with the Calgary Flames for second in the Western Conference, one point behind the Edmonton Oilers. The Wild host the New Jersey Devils (8 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWI+, MSG+ 2, ESPN+, NHL LIVE) having won four in a row and outscored opponents 23-7 during the streak. They'll get Mats Zuccarello back after the forward missed two games with an upper-body injury. He's third on the Wild with 16 points (six goals, 10 assists), one of 11 players with at least 10 points. "Everybody's involved in the offense," coach Dean Evason said after a 5-2 victory against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday. "That's what we like, and it's more fun to play that way." It has been fun watching the Wild, and at this rate more fans outside of Minnesota will be paying attention. -- Jon Lane, staff writer

Stars go for sixth straight win

The Dallas Stars will try to extend the longest active winning streak in the NHL to six games when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets at American Airlines Center (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, BSOH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Forward Roope Hintz has played a huge role during the stretch by scoring seven goals, including his first NHL hat trick in a 4-1 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. Dallas (11-7-2) has won six straight at home, outscoring opponents 25-8. It's the third of a four-game road trip for the Blue Jackets (12-8-0), who lost the first two and were shut out 6-0 at the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. Columbus also could have a goalie issue with Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo questionable because of non-COVID-19 illnesses.
Daniil Tarasov
was recalled from Cleveland of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis. -- Brian Compton, deputy managing editor

Blues-Lightning rematch

The St. Louis Blues visit the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, BSMW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE) to complete a home-and-home series that began with the Blues rallying to score three straight goals for a 4-3 shootout victory Tuesday. With the help of goals five seconds apart (a Lightning record) from forward Corey Perry and defenseman Erik Cernak, Tampa Bay (12-5-4) took a 3-0 lead in the first period. But St. Louis (12-7-3) scored twice in the second and Ivan Barbashev tied it 1:11 into the third before Ryan O'Reilly scored the deciding goal in the shootout. Lightning forward Steven Stamkos is expected to play after he missed the game Tuesday for the birth of his second child. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Thursday schedule

Colorado Avalanche at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, ALT, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Jonathan Drouin has scored five points (one goal, four assists) in his past five games for the Canadiens (6-16-2). The Avalanche (11-7-1) are 7-2-0 in their past nine games and 9-3-1 in their past 13 after starting the season 2-4-0.
St. Louis Blues at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, BSMW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich has scored seven points (four goals, three assists) during a four-game point streak. Perry has a five-game point streak (three goals, two assists) for the Lightning.
Buffalo Sabres at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; BSFL, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Panthers forward Sam Reinhart will play the Sabres for the first time since was traded to Florida on July 24. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad has scored 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in his past eight games for the Panthers (15-4-3). Buffalo (8-11-3) tries to avoid a third straight loss following a 7-4 defeat to the Seattle Kraken on Monday, when it allowed two shorthanded goals.
Chicago Blackhawks at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; SN, NBCSWA, NBCSCH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Blackhawks (7-12-2) play their next three games on the road, where they are 2-7-1 this season. The Capitals (14-4-5) begin a four-game homestand after letting a three-goal, third period lead slip away in a 5-4 loss at the Panthers on Tuesday. Washington is 7-1-3 at home.
Ottawa Senators at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, TSN5, RDS2, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Senators (4-15-1) take a six-game losing streak into PNC Arena. The Hurricanes have lost consecutive games in regulation for the first time this season, 4-2 to the Capitals on Sunday and 4-1 to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
San Jose Sharks at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; MSG+, NBCSCA, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Sharks (12-9-1) are 2-0-0 on their five-game road trip. Goalie James Reimer is 4-3-0 with a 1.73 goals-against average, .947 save percentage and one shutout on the road this season. The Islanders (5-10-2) resume play after having their previous two games postponed because of NHL COVID-19 protocol. Forwards Anders Lee, Josh Bailey, Kieffer Bellows and Ross Johnston, and defensemen Andy Greene and Adam Pelech, were removed Thursday. New York has lost eight in a row, including its first four games at UBS Arena, which opened Nov. 20.
Boston Bruins at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, NESN, MSG+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Bruins (11-8-0) will be without forward Brad Marchand, who will serve the second of a three-game suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety, and coach Bruce Cassidy, who is in COVID-19 protocol. Forward Mikael Granlund has scored 15 points (two goals, 13 assists) in his past 10 games for the Predators (12-9-1).
New Jersey Devils at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWI+, MSG+ 2, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Tomas Tatar has scored three goals in his past five games for the Devils, who are 2-4-2 in their past six. Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov has scored seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past three games.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Dallas Stars (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, BSOH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
It's the third of a four-game road trip for the Blue Jackets, who have been outscored 12-3 in the first two games. Stars forward Joe Pavelski has scored seven points (three goals, four assists) during a three-game point streak.
Calgary Flames at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; BSW, SNW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Flames (13-4-5) open a four-game road trip 6-1-1 in their past eight. Sean Durzi, a 23-year-old defenseman, has a three-game point streak to start his NHL career (one goal, three assists) for the Kings (9-8-4).