NHL On Tap: Red Wings, Blue Jackets square off in Stadium Series at Ohio State
Ovechkin resumes Gretzky chase when Capitals host Lightning; surging Pastrnak, Bruins face Penguins
© Jason Mowry/Getty Images; Andrea Cardin/NHLI via Getty Images
Games of the day
Detroit Red Wings at Columbus Blue Jackets (6 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, Disney+, TVAS-D, FX-CA)
The Blue Jackets (29-22-8) will look to extend their winning streak to four games when they face the Red Wings (30-23-6) at Ohio Stadium in the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series. This is the first outdoor game for Columbus and the fifth for Detroit (2-0-2). The winner of the game on the Ohio State campus will move into the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The teams are tied with 66 points and occupy the two final playoff spots in the East. James van Riemsdyk scored two goals for the Blue Jackets in a 5-2 win at the Red Wings on Thursday. The forward has the most outdoor experience in NHL history and will be playing his eighth such game. He has six points (three goals, three assists) in outdoor games: four with the Philadelphia Flyers and three with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Detroit forward Alex DeBrincat can extend his point streak to nine games. He scored Thursday to give him 12 points (six goals, six assists) during his streak.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals (12:30 p.m. ET; FDSNSUN, MNMT, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS)
Alex Ovechkin continues his quest to become the NHL’s all-time goals leader when the Capitals (38-13-8) host the Lightning (34-20-4). The forward needs 12 goals to pass Wayne Gretzky (894) and has 30 goals in 43 games. He scored in a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday to give him 30 goals for the 19th time in his 20 NHL seasons. The Capitals will try to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay can extend its season-high winning streak to eight games. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves in a 3-0 win against the Flames on Thursday for his fourth shutout of the season and 38th in the NHL. Brandon Hagel will look to extend his point streak to eight games. The Lightning forward had a goal and assist Thursday and has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in a seven-game point streak.
Boston Bruins at Pittsburgh Penguins (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, TVAS)
David Pastrnak will look to extend his NHL career-high point streak to 17 games when the Bruins (27-25-8) face the Penguins (24-28-9). The forward has 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) during his streak, the longest in the NHL this season. He also leads Boston with 73 points (31 goals, 42 assists) in 60 games. Nova Scotia natives Sidney Crosby and Brad Marchand will face each other for the 44th time in the NHL. The two were teammates with Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off last month, winning the tournament. Crosby leads Pittsburgh with 61 points (18 goals, 43 assists) in 59 games, and Marchand is second on Boston with 47 points (21 goals, 26 assists) in 60 games.
Other games Saturday
Nashville Predators at New York Islanders (12:30 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MSGSN, NHLN)
The Predators (21-30-7) face the Islanders (26-25-7) in the first of a three-game road trip looking to build off a 2-1 victory that ended an 11-game winning streak for the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. New York ended a four-game losing streak (0-4-0) with a 2-1 win at Boston on Thursday.
Calgary Flames at Florida Panthers (3 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SN)
The Flames (28-22-8) will play the third of a six-game road trip, their longest of the season, at the Panthers (36-21-3). Calgary is one point behind the Vancouver Canucks for the second wild card from the Western Conference. Florida has won two straight, including a 4-3 victory against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday in a rematch of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, and seven of nine. Anton Lundell had a goal and two assists in the win.
Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, SNE, CITY, TVAS)
The Canadiens (28-26-5) will look to extend their winning streak to a season-high four games in the opener of a home-and-home against the Sabres (24-28-5). Montreal center Nick Suzuki had two goals and an assist in a 4-3 overtime win against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. Forward JJ Peterka can extend his point streak to four games (two goals, one assist) for Buffalo, which lost 5-2 at the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday but has won six of eight.
San Jose Sharks at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; SN1, NBCSCA)
The Senators (29-25-4) will look to end a five-game losing streak when they host the Sharks (15-36-9), who have lost seven straight (0-4-3). Center Tim Stutzle has 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in a 10-game point streak for Ottawa. San Jose center Macklin Celebrini is third in NHL rookie scoring with 42 points (18 goals, 24 assists) in 48 games, trailing Matvei Michkov of the Flyers and Lane Hutson of the Canadiens (each with 44 points).
Edmonton Oilers at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SNP, SNO, CBC)
The Oilers (34-21-4) will try to end a season high five-game losing streak when they visit the Hurricanes (34-21-4) to end a five-game trip. Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl has scored in seven consecutive games (eight goals) and has 14 points (nine goals, five assists) during a 10-game point streak. Carolina forward Mikko Rantanen had a goal and assist against Buffalo on Thursday, giving him five points (two goals, three assists) in nine games since being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in a trade on Jan. 24.
Philadelphia Flyers at Winnipeg Jets (7 p.m. ET; SNW, NBCSP)
Connor Hellebuyck can win his ninth straight start when the Jets (42-15-3) host the Flyers (26-26-8). He is 36-7-2 with a 2.02 goals-against average and .926 save percentage with six shutouts in 45 starts this season. Forward Matvei Michkov has eight points (three goals, five assists) during a three-game point streak for Philadelphia, which is 3-0-1 in its past four.
Los Angeles Kings at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, KCAL)
The Blues (28-26-6) will go for their fourth straight win when they host the Kings (31-18-8). St. Louis is three points behind Vancouver for the second wild card from the West. Blues forward Robert Thomas had an assist in a 5-2 win at the Capitals on Thursday to push his point streak to eight games (12 points; four goals, eight assists). Los Angeles had a seven-game point streak (5-0-2) end when it lost 6-2 at the Dallas Stars on Friday.
New Jersey Devils at Utah Hockey Club (9 p.m. ET; Utah16, MSGSN)
Forward Clayton Keller has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) during a six-game point streak for Utah (27-24-9), which will try for its fourth straight win. He had an NHL career-high five points (one goal, four assists) in a 6-1 win against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. Utah is two points behind Vancouver for the second wild card from the West. The Devils (32-22-6) will play the third of a give-game trip. Forward Jesper Bratt had a 10-game point streak (16 points; two goals, 14 assists) end in a 5-1 loss at the Avalanche on Wednesday.
Chicago Blackhawks at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, CHSN, KCOP-13)
Chicago (17-35-7) will look for its first win in six games (0-4-1) when it visits the Ducks (26-25-7). Defenseman Connor Murphy had three assists in a 7-5 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. The Ducks are 8-2-1 in their past 11 games and defeated the Canucks 5-2 on Thursday to pull within six points of them for a wild card. Forwards Ryan Strome and Troy Terry each had a goal and two assists.
Vancouver Canucks at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; KHN, KONG, CITY, SN, CBC)
The Canucks (27-21-11) will end a five-game road trip at the Kraken (25-31-4) having lost three of four. After losing the last two of its four-game road trip that ended Tuesday in St. Louis, Seattle returns home to Climate Pledge Arena, where it has lost three straight (0-2-1).
