NHL On Tap: Wild host Flyers looking to win seventh straight game

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 Tuesday.

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Wild try for seventh straight win

The Minnesota Wild will try for their seventh straight win when they host the Philadelphia Flyers (8 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWIX, NBCSP+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Minnesota (40-20-4) has won at least six straight games three times this season following a 3-2 overtime victory against the Central Division-leading Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, topped by an eight-game streak from Nov. 24-Dec. 9. The Wild acquired Marc-Andre Fleury from the Chicago Blackhawks prior to the NHL Trade Deadline to bolster their goaltending for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but goalie Cam Talbot has won eight straight starts and was NHL First Star for the week ending March 27. The Flyers (21-34-11) will be eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention with a regulation loss. Forward Joel Farabee has scored seven points (three goals, four assists) during a five-game point streak for Philadelphia, which is 1-3-0 on a five-game road trip. -- William Douglas, staff writer

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Maple Leafs, Bruins clash in Atlantic

The Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NESN, SNO, TVAS, ESPN+, NHL LIVE), with each team tied for third in the Atlantic Division at 41-19-5 and one point behind the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning. Toronto is 6-3-1 in its past 10 games and center Auston Matthews has set an NHL career high in goals, scoring No. 48 in a 5-2 win against the Atlantic-leading Florida Panthers on Sunday. The Bruins are riding a four-game winning streak and 9-1-1 in their past 11. Boston captain Patrice Bergeron, who returned to the lineup Saturday for his 1,200th NHL game after he missed four with an elbow infection, has scored 65 points (24 goals, 41 assists) in 70 games against Toronto, his most against a single opponent. Here's hoping these bitter Original Six rivals will meet in the playoffs, which would be the 17th time since 1932-33. Boston has won the last six postseason series following Toronto's run of four straight. -- Dave Stubbs, columnist

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Josi can extend streak, set points record for month

Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi can extend his point streak to 14 games when they host the Ottawa Senators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, TSN5, RDS2, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Josi had two assists for the Predators (38-24-4) on Sunday and has scored 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) in his past 13 games. He leads NHL defensemen with 81 points (18 goals, 63 assists) in 64 games this season; he's the fifth defenseman to score at least that many in fewer than 65 games, and needs three points against the Senators (23-36-6) to tie the NHL record for points in a month by a defenseman (31), set by Bobby Orr for the Bruins in March, 1971. -- David Satriano, staff writer

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Tuesday games

Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, NESN, SNO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Maple Leafs have lost four straight regular-season games against the Bruins in Boston, having been outscored 19-7 at TD Garden since their most recent win, Nov. 11, 2017, a 4-1 victory. Bruins forward David Pastrnak has scored four goals in his past two games after not scoring in five straight.
Carolina Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The teams play for the third and final time this season; the Hurricanes are 2-0-0 against the Lightning, a 2-1 overtime win Nov. 9 in Tampa and a 3-2 victory at home March 22. Carolina (44-15-7) has won two straight and is 7-3-2 in its past 12 after a 6-1 win at the Washington Capitals on Monday. Tampa Bay (41-18-6) has won two straight since losing three in a row. The Lightning begin a four-game homestand; they are 19-6-4 at Amalie Arena.
Montreal Canadiens at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; BSFL, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Canadiens (18-37-11) have points in five of their past six games (2-1-3) and continue a four-game road trip after a 3-2 shootout loss at the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. Forward Jonathan Huberdeau, who leads the NHL with 69 assists, has scored six points (two goals, four assists) in his past four games for the Panthers (44-15-6).
New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; SNE, SNP, ATTSN-PT, MSG, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Ryan Strome is day to day with a lower-body injury for the Rangers (42-19-5), who have won six of their past eight games (6-2-0). New York forward Frank Vatrano has scored four goals in six games since being acquired in a trade with Florida on March 16. The Penguins (40-17-10) are second in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the Rangers. They lost 5-1 in New York on Friday before an 11-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. Pittsburgh forward Evgeni Malkin has scored six goals in his past four games.
New York Islanders at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, MSG+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Brock Nelson has a four-game point streak (four goals, three assists) and 12 goals in his past 13 games for the Islanders (28-27-9), who have lost two straight after going 7-1-1 in their previous nine games. Forward Jakub Voracek has a five-game point streak (two goals, three assists) for the Blue Jackets (32-29-5), who are 4-4-4 in their past 12.
Ottawa Senators at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, TSN5, RDS2, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Filip Forsberg leads the Predators with 37 goals and has scored 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in his past 10 games. Forward Matt Duchene is second with 34 goals and has nine multigoal games this season. Senators forward Brady Tkachuk has scored two goals in his past eight games after scoring three goals in three games.
Philadelphia Flyers at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWIX, NBCSP+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Kirill Kaprizov has scored 19 points (13 goals, six assists) in his past 15 games and 81 points (36 goals, 45 assists) in 63 games, two from the Wild record for most points in a season set by Marian Gaborik (83) in 2007-08. The Flyers are 3-6-1 in their past 10 games. Philadelphia forward Kevin Hayes has scored seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past five games.
Colorado Avalanche at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SNW, ALT, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Center Nathan MacKinnon is out with an upper-body injury for Colorado (46-14-6), which is first in the Central Division; Calgary (40-17-8) is first in the Pacific Division. The Avalanche and Flames meet for the third time this month; Calgary won 4-3 in overtime on March 5, and Colorado won 3-0 on March 13, each game in Denver.
Dallas Stars at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; SN1, SNE, SNO, SNP, BSSC, BSSD, BSSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Defenseman Miro Heiskanen will return for the Stars after missing 11 games with mononucleosis. The Stars (36-25-3) are 6-5-0 without him. The Ducks (27-29-11) have been outscored 38-17 during a nine-game skid (0-7-2).