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 nine games Thursday.
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Oilers look to push winning streak to 15
The Edmonton Oilers can equal the third-longest winning streak in NHL history and move within two of the League record by pushing their run to 15 in a row with a victory against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Place (9 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN1, NBCSCH). The Oilers could tie the 1981-82 New York Islanders and 2012-13 Pittsburgh Penguins. Only the 2016-17 Columbus Blue Jackets (16 games) and 1992-93 Penguins (17) have had longer winning streaks. Edmonton (27-15-1) is undefeated since a 3-1 loss at the Islanders on Dec. 19 and its streak includes 2-1 victory at Chicago (14-32-2) on Jan. 9. Goalie Stuart Skinner has won 11 consecutive games to surpass Grant Fuhr (10 in a row in 1985-86) for the Oilers record and has a 1.44 goals-against average, .949 save percentage and one shutout during that span. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
Anything he can do ...
The back-and-forth battle at the top of the points race has been scintillating this season. No sooner does Nikita Kucherov have a four-point night (three goals, one assist) for the Tampa Bay Lightning against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, Nathan MacKinnon does him one better with four goals and one assist for the Colorado Avalanche against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. Kucherov is up again Thursday, when the Lightning play the Arizona Coyotes (23-20-3) at Amalie Arena (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSSUN). Kucherov is second to MacKinnon with 80 points (31 goals, 49 assists) in 47 games; MacKinnon has 82 (30 goals, 52 assists). It marks the first time since 1995-96 that multiple players have reached the 80-point mark in 48 games or fewer. Mario Lemieux did it in 31 games that season, with Jaromir Jagr hitting 80 in 37 and Ron Francis in 44. The Lightning (25-18-5) are also working their way up the standings. They're fourth in the Atlantic Division, six points back of the Florida Panthers for second and one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs after winning six of their past seven games. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
Roy returns to Montreal as Islanders coach
Patrick Roy said he doesn't want his return to Montreal to be a distraction. Well, he'll have to stick two of his Stanley Cup rings in his ears not to hear the reaction of the fans and media when the Islanders visit the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, MSGSN). The Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup 24 times, more than any other team by far, but not since Roy was their goalie. In their last two Cup runs, in 1986 and 1993, he was voted the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This will be Roy's third game as Islanders coach after replacing Lane Lambert on Jan. 20. He hasn't been behind the bench at Bell Centre since Nov. 14, 2015, when he made his third of three visits as coach of the Avalanche. Colorado was 3-3-0 against Montreal under Roy, including 1-2-0 on the road. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist
Thursday games
Philadelphia Flyers at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; BSDET, NBCSP, SNP, SNO, SNE)
Cam Atkinson has 10 points (five goals, five assists) during a six-game point streak for the Flyers (25-17-6), who have lost three straight in regulation. The Red Wings (24-18-5) are 1-2-0 in their past three. The teams combined for 13 goals in Detroit's 7-6 shootout win at Little Caesars Arena on Dec. 22.
New York Islanders at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, MSGSN)
The Islanders (20-16-11) are 1-1-0 under Roy after defeating the Dallas Stars 3-2 in overtime Sunday and losing to the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Tuesday. The Canadiens (19-21-7) have lost three straight in regulation by a combined score of 19-7.
Boston Bruins at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, NESN)
The Bruins (29-9-9) had a five-game winning streak and nine-game point streak (6-0-3) end with a 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. Brad Marchand, who scored twice against Carolina, is tied with Ray Bourque for fifth in Boston history with 395 goals. The Senators (18-24-1) are 4-1-1 in their past six. Claude Giroux is one assist from becoming the sixth active player to reach 700 in the NHL.
Arizona Coyotes at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSSUN)
Clayton Keller and Lawson Crouse are on pace to top 30 goals this season, with Keller at 19 goals in 46 games and Crouse at 18 in 45. The last time the Coyotes had multiple 30-goal scorers in a season was 2005-06 (Shane Doan and Mike Comrie). Kucherov has four games with at least four points and at least three in four of his past eight.
New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes (7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN2, BSSO)
Sebastian Aho has five points (one goal, four assists) on a three-game point streak for the Hurricanes (26-15-5), who are 9-2-1 in their past 12. The Devils (24-18-3) lead the NHL with 16 come-from-behind wins after rallying from down 5-3 to defeat the Golden Knights 6-5 in overtime Monday.
Anaheim Ducks at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; BSSD, BSSW, BSSC)
The Stars (28-13-6) are 8-1-0 in their past nine and 11-3-0 in their past 14 against the Ducks. They've won 10 in a row against them at home. Anaheim (16-30-1) is 2-5-0 in its past seven and 3-9-1 in its past 13.
Nashville Predators at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSWI, BSN)
John Hynes is 1-0-0 against the Predators, who fired him May 30. Minnesota hired him Nov. 27 and defeated Nashville 6-1 on Nov. 30, his second game as its coach. The Wild (21-21-5) have scored 16 goals during a three-game winning streak. The Predators (25-21-1) are 1-3-0 in their past four.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SNW, BSOH)
Jonathan Huberdeau has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in his past 11 games after going 12 games without a point, but the Flames (21-21-5) have lost three in a row after a four-game winning streak. The Blue Jackets (14-23-9) are 1-4-1 in their past six and 3-6-4 in their past 13.
Chicago Blackhawks at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN1, NBCSCH)
Connor McDavid has 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists) during a 16-game home point streak and leads the Oilers with 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) during their 14-game winning streak. Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones has four points in his past three games (one goal, three assist). Chicago has lost the first two games of its four-game road trip, including 6-2 at the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, and 18 consecutive road games (0-17-1) dating to Nov. 12.
