NHL On Tap: Avalanche try to get back on track against Flames

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 Sunday.

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Avalanche, Flames clash in Colorado

Two of the top teams in the NHL play one another when the Colorado Avalanche host the Calgary Flames on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; SN1, SNE, SNO, SNW, ALT, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Colorado (41-13-5) leads the Central Division and the League with 87 points and is second with a .737 points percentage (Carolina Hurricanes, .750) but has struggled recently, losing four of its past five games. The Avalanche will be without captain Gabriel Landeskog, who will have knee surgery Monday. Calgary (36-15-7) leads the Pacific Division with 79 points and a .681 points percentage and looks to win its third straight after a 3-0 victory against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. The Flames have won 16 of 19 and are led by Johnny Gaudreau, who has scored 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in an eight-game point streak. Gaudreau scored in overtime in a 4-3 win for the Flames at the Avalanche on March 5. -- David Satriano, staff writer

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Sabres, Maple Leafs to play outdoors

The Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs will play the third and final outdoor game this season, the 2022 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario, on Sunday (4 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, TVAS, NHL LIVE). The Heritage Classic follows the 2022 Discover NHL Winter Classic at Target Field in Minneapolis on Jan. 1 and the 2022 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Feb. 26. Snow is in the forecast in Hamilton, and a sprinkling of it in the late afternoon should only add to the spectacle, which will feature half the field decked out in the red, white and blue stars and stripes for Buffalo and the other half in red and white with a maple leaf for Toronto. A sold-out crowd of around 25,000 is expected. The Maple Leafs (37-16-5) are hoping a change in scenery could help their struggling defense and goaltending. Toronto has allowed four or more goals in five straight games and in nine of 11, but it has also scored four or more in six of seven. Goalie Petr Mrazek will start because Jack Campbell remains out with a rib injury; Mrazek allowed four goals on 12 shots in two periods before being replaced by Erik Kallgren in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday. Buffalo (19-32-8) is looking to continue its role as spoiler and what better place to do it than on a national stage. The Sabres are coming off a 3-1 win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, their third win in five games against teams currently in position to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The run started with a 5-1 win against the Maple Leafs on March 2. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

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Panthers begin seven-game road trip

The Florida Panthers (40-13-5) have won five in a row heading into a season-long, seven-game road trip, which starts against the Los Angeles Kings (10 p.m. ET; BSW, BSFL, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). The Panthers are 14-7-5 on the road this season, and have womn five straight away games. They average 3.58 goals per game on the road, third in the NHL behind the Toronto Maple Leafs (3.90) and Tampa Bay Lightning (3.69). The Kings (32-20-8) have lost two straight (0-1-1) after a three-game winning streak. Los Angeles has scored one power play goal in its past eight games (18 opportunities). -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Sunday schedule

Carolina Hurricanes at Pittsburgh Penguins (1 p.m. ET; SN360, ATTSN-PT, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Hurricanes (41-12-5) have won four in a row after a 3-1 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. Sidney Crosby has scored 11 points (five goals, six assists) in an eight-game point streak for the Penguins (35-15-9), who are 4-1-1 in their past six. Pittsburgh forward Kasperi Kapanen could play his 300th NHL game.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Buffalo Sabres (4 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, TVAS, NHL LIVE) at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario
The 2022 Heritage Classic is the Sabres' third NHL outdoor game; they're 0-0-2. They lost 2-1 in a shootout to the Penguins in the 2008 Winter Classic in Buffalo and 3-2 in overtime to the New York Rangers in the 2018 Winter Classic in New York. The Maple Leafs will be playing in their fourth NHL outdoor game; they're 2-1-0. Toronto won 3-2 in a shootout against the Detroit Red Wings in the 2014 Winter Classic in Ann Arbor, Michigan and 5-4 in overtime against the Red Wings in the 2017 Centennial Classic in Toronto. The Maple Leafs lost 5-2 to the Washington Capitals in the 2018 Stadium Series in Annapolis, Maryland.
Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues (7 p.m. ET; BSMW, TSN3, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Jets (26-23-10) are 4-2-1 in their past seven games and 2-0-1 against the Blues this season; they are playing the last of a three-game road trip. It's the second half of a back-to-back set for the Blues (34-17-7), who defeated the Nashville Predators 7-4 on Saturday.
Nashville Predators at Minnesota Wild (7 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWI, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
It's the second time the Predators (33-21-4) and Wild (34-19-4) have played each other this season; Nashville defeated Minnesota 5-2 on Oct. 24. The Predators' three-game winning streak ended against St. Louis on Saturday. The Wild are 17-6-1 at Xcel Energy Center this season.
Montreal Canadiens at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
This is the second half of a back-to-back set for each team. The Canadiens (15-35-8) lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday; the Flyers (18-30-10) lost 3-1 to the Hurricanes. Philadelphia forward Claude Giroux, who will play his 999th NHL game, is one shy of 900 points in the NHL.
Vegas Golden Knights at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Golden Knights (32-24-4) have lost three in a row and are 3-6-0 in their past nine games. The Blue Jackets (29-27-3) will be without forward Boone Jenner, who was placed on injured reserve Saturday and is week to week with a back injury.
Anaheim Ducks at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; MSG+, BSSC, BSSD, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
It's the fourth of a five-game road trip for the Ducks (27-24-10), who lost 2-1 to the New Jersey Devils in a shootout Saturday and are 0-2-1 on the trip. The Islanders (23-24-8) have won two in a row, scoring a combined 11 goals against the Blue Jackets (6-0 win on Thursday) and Jets (5-2 win on Friday). New York center Brock Nelson has scored four goals in his past four games.
Calgary Flames at Colorado Avalanche (8 p.m. ET; SN1, SNE, SNO, SNW, ALT, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar had his point and assist streaks end at 13 games and forward Nathan MacKinnon had his 12-game point streak end in a 2-0 loss at the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, the first time Colorado was shut out this season. Flames forward Elias Lindholm has scored seven goals in his past seven games and 16 in his past 17 games.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, BSSUN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
It's the fifth of a six-game road trip for the Lightning (37-15-6), who lost 4-1 to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday and have lost three straight in regulation for the first time this season. The Canucks (29-23-7) won three in a row before a 4-3 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals on Friday. Vancouver forward J.T. Miller has an 11-game point streak (seven goals, 16 assists).
Florida Panthers at Los Angeles Kings (10 p.m. ET; BSW, BSFL, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Florida forward Aleksander Barkov has scored 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in a four-game point streak. Los Angeles goalie Jonathan Quick is one shy of 700 games played in the NHL.