Welcome to the NHL On Tap, a daily look at the games on the NHL schedule. There are four games on the schedule for Friday, including one nationally televised in the United States and one in Canada.
Games of the day
Vancouver Canucks at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; Victory+, SN)
Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and Stars forward Roope Hintz go head-to-head for the first time this season before facing off at the 4 Nations Face-Off from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston. Hughes, who leads the Canucks with 58 points (14 goals, 44 assists), will represent the United States. Hintz, who leads the Stars with 20 goals, will play for Finland. The Stars (32-17-1) have won three straight and four of five but will be without defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who is week to week and will miss the 4 Nations Face-Off for Finland after sustaining a knee injury on Tuesday. The Canucks (23-17-10), who play the final game of a three-game road trip, have won three straight.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Utah Hockey Club (9 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, Utah 16)
The Blue Jackets (25-19-7) look to continue their hot streak when they visit Utah at Delta Center. Columbus, which won 2-1 in overtime against the Golden Knights on Thursday, has won two straight and is 9-2-1 in its past 12 games. Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli has six points (four goals, two assists) in his past four games. His 15 goals and 29 points in 51 games this season already surpass his rookie season totals of 12 goals and 27 points in 49 games last season. Utah, which is 8-11-5 at home this season, will be without forward Logan Cooley, who is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury and will be reevaluated after the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Nashville Predators at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NHLN, MSG-B, TVAS)
Buffalo (19-26-5) will look to build upon an impressive 7-2 win against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday when it hosts the Predators at KeyBank Center in the second of a four-game homestand. Buffalo forwards Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka each scored a hat trick in the win. Thompson has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in his past seven games, and Peterka has seven points (four goals, three assists) in his past four games. Nashville (18-24-7) has lost two straight after winning its previous five matches. Forward Filip Forsberg, who will represent Sweden in the 4 Nations Face-Off, has 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in his past 11 games for the Predators.
