NHL On Tap: Sabres host Blue Jackets in thick of wild card race

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 10 games Tuesday.

Sabres seek fourth straight win

The Buffalo Sabres appear to be heating up at the right time. They have won three in a row and five of their past six and are in the thick of the Eastern Conference wild card race entering their home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN NOW). Buffalo (31-23-4) is one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs following their 7-4 win against the Washington Capitals on Sunday, the fifth time they've scored seven goals in a game this season. Tage Thompson scored his 40th goal of the season and is riding a six-game point streak (five goals, five assists). The Blue Jackets (19-35-6) lost 3-2 in overtime to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. Forward Jack Roslovic has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past five games. -- William Douglas, staff writer

Meier-less Sharks press on

The Timo Meier Era ended Sunday when the San Jose Sharks traded the forward to the New Jersey Devils, so the Sharks will have a new look when they host the Montreal Canadiens (10:30 p.m. ET, NBCSCA, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW). San Jose (18-30-12) has had troubles at home (6-15-8). The Canadiens (25-30-4) begin a four-game Western swing and could have a new face in their lineup in forward Denis Gurianov, acquired in a trade with the Dallas Stars for forward Evgenii Dadonov on Sunday. Montreal will finish February with a winning record (5-3-0). The Sharks are 3-5-1 in the same period. -- Dave Stubbs, columnist

Kaprizov continues to dazzle

There are a few must-watch players in the NHL and Kirill Kaprizov is definitely among them. The forward leads the Wild with 71 points (37 goals, 34 assists) in 60 games, including a hat trick that helped them to a 3-2 comeback win in overtime against the Blue Jackets on Sunday. So, I'm interested to see what he pulls out of the bag of tricks when the Wild (33-21-6) play the New York Islanders (31-25-7) at Xcel Energy Center (8 p.m. ET; BSN, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW). Kaprizov finished his natural hat trick with 20 seconds remaining in OT and is one of five NHL players to do so (Sharks forward Tomas Hertl was the most recent in a 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 8, 2022). Kaprizov is sizzling and has helped the Wild go on a six-game point streak (5-0-1) and lead the NHL with 14 points (6-1-2) since Feb. 11. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Tuesday games

Detroit Red Wings at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN5, BSDET, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Red Wings (28-23-8) are 7-3-0 in their past 10 games. Forward Michael Rasmussen is out indefinitely; he left in the first period of Detroit's 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning after a puck hit him on the left knee. The Senators (29-26-4) are coming off a 6-2 win against the Red Wings on Monday. Forward Claude Giroux had a goal and three assists, his first four-point game since he had two goals and two assists for the Flyers in a 5-3 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 21, 2019.
Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, TVAS, BSSUN, BSFL, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Panthers (29-26-6) enter the "Battle of Florida" without forwards Aleksander Barkov (undisclosed) and Sam Bennett (lower body) for the second consecutive game. Florida forward Anthony Duclair had an assist in his season debut; he was out after having offseason surgery for an Achilles injury. Forward Tanner Jeannot is expected to debut for the Lightning (37-18-4) after he was acquired from the Nashville Predators on Sunday.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Buffalo Sabres (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN NOW)
The Sabres' next seven games after Tuesday are against opponents holding a playoff spot. Forward Jeff Skinner has nine points (five goals, four assists) during a six-game point streak. Columbus is 6-17-4 on the road. Forward Johnny Gaudreau has a team-high 54 points (15 goals, 39 assists) in 58 games.
Los Angeles Kings at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Kings (33-20-8) end a five-game road trip. Forward Alex Iafallo will become the 24th active undrafted skater to play 400 NHL games. The Jets (35-24-1) have lost three in a row and five of their past six. Forward Nino Niederreiter, acquired from the Predators on Saturday, is expected to debut with Winnipeg.
New York Islanders at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; BSN, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Islanders have won three of four, including 4-0 at the Jets on Sunday. Forward Bo Horvat has four short-handed goals this season, tied with Sam Lafferty of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Reilly Smith of the Vegas Golden Knights for most in the NHL. Since Feb. 11, the Wild lead the NHL with a .940 save percentage while allowing a League-low 1.67 goals-against per game.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, ATTSN-PT, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Penguins (29-21-9) have won two in a row. Sidney Crosby has 71 points (26 goals, 45 assists) in 59 games this season, his 13th with at least 70, passing Mario Lemieux for the most in Penguins history. The Predators (29-22-6) have won three straight. Defenseman Roman Josi scored two goals in a 6-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday to extend his point streak to five games (four goals, six assists).
Seattle Kraken at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, ROOT-NW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
This is the start of a four-game road trip for the Kraken (32-21-6), who have lost three in a row and are 3-6-1 this month. The Blues (26-28-5) are 0-3-2 in their past five games and have been outscored 21-8. Forward Kasperi Kapanen, who the Blues claimed off waivers from the Penguins on Saturday, is expected to play.
Boston Bruins at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SN1, SNW, SNP, TVAS, NESN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
It's the second half of a back to back for the Bruins (46-8-5), who defeated the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Monday for their seventh consecutive win. They will be without forward Taylor Hall (lower body) for the second straight game. The Flames (27-21-12) are 3-4-3 in their past 10. Forward Mikael Backlund's five-game point streak (four goals, four assists) ended in Calgary's 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
Chicago Blackhawks at Arizona Coyotes (9 p.m. ET; BSAZ, NBCSCH, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Blackhawks (21-33-5) play the second of a back to back after a 4-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday ended their five-game winning streak. They'll be without forward Patrick Kane, a healthy scratch because of roster management, for the third consecutive game. The Coyotes (20-30-9) have lost two in a row following their nine-game point streak (5-0-4). Forward Nick Schmaltz has a goal in each of his past three games.
Montreal Canadiens at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, RDS, TSN2, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Sharks are 12-1-0 against the Canadiens on home ice since the turn of the century, winning their first 12 until losing 4-0 on Oct. 28. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki is riding a three-game goal-scoring streak. His 20 goals are one shy of the NHL career high he set last season.