NHL On Tap: Kings visit Wild, try to keep pace in Pacific Division

Welcome to 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 nine games Tuesday.

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Kings trying to keep pace in Pacific

The Los Angeles Kings (32-18-7) have won four in a row, albeit in interesting fashion at times. Wins are wins, though, and they're second in the Pacific Division, one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights. Still, coach Todd McLellan wants to see more in-game consistency from the Kings, who, after taking a 5-1 lead in the first period, needed a shootout to defeat the Arizona Coyotes 6-5 on Saturday. They'll aim for consistency when they play the Minnesota Wild (30-21-5) at Xcel Energy Center (8 p.m. ET; BSN BSWI, BSW, ESPN+, SN NOW). Production hasn't been a problem for Los Angeles, which scored six goals in three of its past four wins and five in the other. It's keeping opponents from getting back into the game, like the Coyotes did. It's been an issue throughout the season, with the Kings allowing an average of 3.37 goals per game (22nd in the NHL) while scoring 3.35 goals per game (11th). They need their defense to keep things at bay. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Devils look to remain hot on home ice

The New Jersey Devils look to win their seventh straight game on home ice when they host the Montreal Canadiens at Prudential Center (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW). The Devils (37-14-5) are second in the Metropolitan Division, three points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, with 26 regular-season games remaining. New Jersey has outscored opponents 21-13, is 6-for-17 on the power play and 14-for-14 on the penalty kill over its past six home games. The Devils are 16-10-2 at home this season. Forward Dawson Mercer has four goals during a three-game goal streak for New Jersey. Montreal (23-29-4), which plays the third of a four-game road trip, has lost two straight after winning three in a row. -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

O'Reilly, Maple Leafs head to Buffalo

Ryan O'Reilly isn't well-regarded by Buffalo Sabres fans for the three seasons the forward played with the team. But without O'Reilly's departure to the St. Louis Blues on July 1, 2018, the Sabres (28-22-4) wouldn't have their offensive cornerstone, Tage Thompson, a forward leading Buffalo with 36 goals in 54 games and should easily eclipse the 38 he scored in 78 games last season. And if the Sabres, who have scored 11 goals in two straight victories, can reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he could be a finalist for the Hart Trophy given to the most valuable player in the NHL. O'Reilly has done well for himself since leaving Buffalo. He helped the Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019 and was voted the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the postseason. O'Reilly was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs (34-15-8) on Friday and had an assist in his first game, a 5-1 win against the Canadiens on Saturday. He'll return to Buffalo for the second time this season (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, TSN4, SN NOW), with the Maple Leafs looking to stay ahead of the third-place Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division. -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor
Tuesday games
Anaheim Ducks at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, BSSC, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Lightning (35-17-3) play the first of two straight at home after going 2-1-1 on a four-game road trip. Nikita Kucherov has 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in his past 13 games for Tampa Bay. The Ducks (17-33-7) are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday despite 51 saves from goalie John Gibson.
Detroit Red Wings at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, NBCSWA, BSDET, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Dylan Larkin has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in a seven-game point streak for the Red Wings (26-21-8), who are 5-1-0 in their past six. Washington (28-24-6) lost 4-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, in the 2023 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series on Saturday, its fourth straight defeat in regulation. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has missed four games while with his family following the death of his father, Mikhail.
Montreal Canadiens at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW)
New Jersey has an NHL-best 20 comeback wins this season, including 4-2 against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday when it scored three straight goals in the third period. The Devils record for comeback wins in a season is 23 (2017-18). Canadiens forward Josh Anderson has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past six games.
St. Louis Blues at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSMW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Carolina (37-10-8) has won three games in a row and is 12-1-1 since Jan. 12. Jesperi Kotkaniemi has goals in back-to-back games and three in his past four. Jordan Kyrou has seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past five games for St. Louis (26-27-3).
Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, TSN4, SN NOW)
The Maple Leafs are 1-3-0 in their past four games in Buffalo and have allowed at least four goals in all four. Toronto forward Auston Matthews has nine points (six goals, three assists) in nine games at KeyBank Center. Rasmus Dahlin has 59 points (14 goals, 45 assists) in 53 games and can become the first Buffalo defenseman with 60 points since Phil Housley had 81 (21 goals, 60 assists) in 1989-90. The Sabres are 2-6-0 in their past eight home games.
Los Angeles Kings at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; BSN BSWI, BSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
This is the first of a five-game road trip for the Kings, who are 15-9-5 away from Crypto.com Arena this season. Kevin Fiala has six points (three goals, three assists) in his past two games. The Wild have won two in a row. Filip Gustavsson is 14-8-2 with a 2.16 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and one shutout in 25 games (23 starts) this season.
Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, SNP, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Elias Pettersson has 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in his past eight games for Vancouver (22-30-4), which plays the first of two straight on the road. Defenseman Roman Josi has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in his past nine games for the Predators (26-22-6), who are seven points behind the Wild for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference.
Vegas Golden Knights at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; SN1, NBCSCH, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Shea Theodore has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past three games for Vegas (34-18-4) and seven (two goals, five assists) in seven games since returning to the lineup Jan. 27 after missing 20 games with a lower-body injury. The Golden Knights have won five straight. Patrick Kane has six points (five goals, one assist) in his past two games, including a hat trick and an assist in a 5-3 win against the Maple Leafs on Sunday for Chicago (18-32-5).
Philadelphia Flyers at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNW, NBCSP, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Samuel Erssson made 32 saves Monday and won his sixth consecutive start to begin his NHL career for the Flyers (23-25-10), who ended a four-game skid with a 4-3 win against the Calgary Flames. Leon Draisaitl has a goal in four straight games for the Oilers (30-19-8), who are 0-1-3 in their past four.