NHL On Tap: Makar, Avalanche look to keep rolling against Wild

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 eight games Sunday.

Makar continues record-breaking season for Avalanche

Cale Makar set the Colorado Avalanche single-season record for goals by a defenseman when he scored his 24th goal in a 6-3 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. Makar and the Avalanche, who've won five of six, look to keep rolling when they visit the Minnesota Wild on Sunday (6 p.m. ET; SN360, BSWI, BSNX, ALT, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Makar is six goals from becoming the first NHL defenseman to score at least 30 in a season since Mike Green (31) did so for the Washington Capitals in 2008-09. Makar leads NHL defenseman in goals and is second in points with 73 behind Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators (79). No defenseman has scored 90 points in a season since Ray Bourque scored 91 for the Boston Bruins in 1993-94. The Wild (39-20-4) seek their sixth straight win following a 3-2 overtime victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets in goalie Marc-Andre Fleury's Minnesota debut Saturday. -- David Satriano, staff writer

Josi looks to extend point streak

Josi can extend the longest active point streak in the NHL to 13 games when the Predators host the Philadelphia Flyers (6 p.m. ET; BSSO, NBCSP+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Josi has scored 26 points (four goals, 22 assists) during the streak and an NHL career-high 79 points (18 goals, 61 assists) in 63 games. If Josi scores a point against the Flyers, he would tie Makar for the longest point streak by a defenseman this season. Josi has already matched his NHL career high of 12 games in 2019-20. His next point will also push him to 80, which would make him the fourth NHL defenseman to reach that mark in the past 20 seasons., joining Brent Burns in 2018-19 (83 points in 82 games for the San Jose Sharks), Erik Karlsson in 2015-16 (82 points in 82 games for the Ottawa Senators) and Nicklas Lidstrom in 2005-06 (80 points in 80 games for the Detroit Red Wings). The Predators (37-24-4) hold the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, while the Flyers (21-33-11) are 31 points behind the Washington Capitals for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Panthers, Maple Leafs clash after Saturday stress

The Florida Panthers visit the Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; SNO, BSFL, ESPN+, NHL LIVE) after each had a tough time against an opponent who's out of Stanley Cup Playoff contention Saturday. The Panthers (44-14-6) outshot the Senators 49-22 but needed a goal from Aleksander Barkov with 2:16 left in the third period and Barkov's shootout game-winner to claim a 4-3 victory. The Maple Leafs (40-19-5) outshot the Montreal Canadiens 51-18 but lost 4-2 when Montreal's Paul Byron and Christian Dvorak scored in the final 2:28. Toronto forward Auston Matthews scored his 47th goal of the season and is tied with Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl for the NHL lead. With their third straight road loss, the Maple Leafs dropped into fourth in the Atlantic Division and the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Panthers are 9-1-1 in March and first in the Atlantic. -- Tim Campbell, staff writer

Sunday schedule

Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Islanders (2 p.m. ET; TNT, SN360, NHL LIVE)
The Lightning (40-18-6) are 3-6-0 in their past nine and ended a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 overtime win at the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. Forward Brock Nelson has scored 11 goals in his past 12 games and six points (three goals, three assists) in a three-game point streak for the Islanders (28-26-9), who lost 6-3 at the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
Buffalo Sabres at New York Rangers (5 p.m. ET; MSG+, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Tage Thompson has a four-game point streak (three goals, two assists) for the Sabres (23-33-9), who have played four straight overtime games (3-0-1). Forward
Alexis Lafreniere
has an NHL career-high five-game point streak (one goal, four assists) for the Rangers (41-19-5), who have won five of seven and are one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for second in the Metropolitan Division.
Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins (5 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, BSDETX, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Detroit (26-31-8) lost 2-1 in overtime at home to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday and is 3-8-2 in March. Forward Evgeni Malkin is a game-time decision for Pittsburgh (39-17-10) after the forward did not play in a 5-1 loss to the Rangers on Friday with an illness.
Philadelphia Flyers at Nashville Predators (6 p.m. ET; BSSO, NBCSP+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Flyers defeated the Predators 5-4 in Philadelphia on March 17. Flyers forward Joel Farabee scored the game-winning goal in that game and has a four-game point streak (two goals, four assists).The Predators have lost two straight and three of five.
Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild (6 p.m. ET; SN360, BSWI, BSNX, ALT, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Cam Talbot likely will start for the Wild after goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves and allowed two goals in his Minnesota debut Saturday. Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov has scored 15 points (11 goals, four assists) in his past 11 games. The Avalanche have scored at least one power-play goal in six straight games (8-for-18, 44.4 percent).
Arizona Coyotes at Winnipeg Jets (7 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSAZX, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Coyotes forward Phil Kessel is expected to skate in his 965th consecutive game and pass Doug Jarvis (964 consecutive games from Oct. 8, 1975-Oct. 10, 1987) for sole possession of the second-longest "Ironman" streak in NHL history. Kessel's streak began on Nov. 3, 2009, when he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Flyers defenseman Keith Yandle holds the longest streak in the NHL, which he could extend to 988 games in their game Sunday. Arizona (20-40-4) has lost four in a row. Forward Kyle Connor has scored 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in a 10-game point streak for the Jets (31-25-10), who've won five of seven.
Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; SNO, BSFL, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Jonathan Huberdeau has scored five points (two goals, three assists) in a three-game point streak and leads the Panthers and is fourth in the NHL with 89 points (21 goals, 68 assists) in 64 games. Florida finishes a seven-game road trip and is 4-1-1 so far. Toronto forward Mitchell Marner has scored nine points (four goals, five assists) in a five-game point streak.
Montreal Canadiens at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSG, MSG+2, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Cole Caufield has scored nine points (six goals, three assists) in his past seven games for the Canadiens (18-37-10), who defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Saturday to finish a six-game homestand with a 2-2-2 record. Forward Nico Hischier has scored nine points (two goals, seven assists) in his past five games for the Devils (23-37-5), who will be eliminated from playoff contention in the Eastern Conference with a regulation loss Sunday.