NHL On Tap: Ehlers expected back from knee injury for Jets against Stars

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 seven games on Friday.

#

Ehlers likely to return for Jets against Stars

Forward Nikolaj Ehlers is expected to return to the lineup for the Winnipeg Jets when they play the Dallas Stars at Canada Life Centre (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Ehlers has missed 19 games because of a knee injury sustained Jan. 18, when he was kneed by Dmitry Orlov of the Washington Capitals, who was suspended for two games by the NHL Department of Player Safety. Ehlers has scored 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 34 games this season. The Stars, who have won two straight games, begin a three-game road trip. The teams have played three games against each other this season, and each has gone beyond regulation. Winnipeg (24-21-9) won 4-3 in a shootout Nov. 2; Dallas (30-23-3) won 4-3 in overtime Feb. 11 and 3-2 in overtime Feb. 23. -- Tim Campbell, staff writer

#

Hurricanes look to bounce back at home vs. Penguins

The Carolina Hurricanes will try quickly to get over their 4-0 loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday when they play the Pittsburgh Penguins at PNC Arena (7 p.m. ET; SN, BSSO, ATTSN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). It's the second of a back-to-back for each team; the Penguins defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 at Amalie Arena on Thursday. It's also a matchup between the top two teams in the Metropolitan Division; Carolina (37-12-5) is first with 79 points in 54 games, and Pittsburgh (34-14-8) is second with 76 points in 56 games. The Hurricanes have lost their past two games, including 4-3 in overtime at the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, but they have won three straight at home, where they are 19-4-2 this season. The Penguins have won three in a row, allowing a total of three goals.-- Dan Rosen, senior writer

#

Kings seek to rebound against Blue Jackets

The Los Angeles Kings look to rebound when they play the Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, BSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Los Angeles (29-19-7) will try for better results after allowing four second-period goals in a 4-3 loss at the Dallas Stars on Wednesday. It was the Kings' first regulation loss on the road in 11 games, dating to a 6-2 loss at the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 17. Los Angeles center Trevor Moore has scored six points (two goals, four assists) in his past six games. Columbus (28-25-1) is 7-3-0 in its past 10 games, including a 4-3 win against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. Forward Patrik Laine has scored four goals in his past five games, including one against the Devils on Tuesday. -- William Douglas, staff writer

#

Friday schedule

Minnesota Wild at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, BSNX, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Kevin Fiala has scored nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past six games for Minnesota (32-17-3), which won 5-4 at the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. Forward Tage Thompson has scored a goal in three straight games and leads the Sabres (17-30-8) with 23. Buffalo ended a six-game losing streak with a 5-1 win at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, BSDET, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Red Wings (24-24-6) rookie defenseman Moritz Seider has scored 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) during a seven-game point streak. The Lightning (35-12-6) had their five-game winning streak end with their 5-1 loss at home to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.
New Jersey Devils at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, MSG+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Rangers (34-15-5) last played Wednesday, when they scored three goals in the third period to rally for a 5-3 win against the St. Louis Blues to end a two-game losing streak. The Devils (19-30-5) lost 4-3 at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. It's the first game between the Metropolitan Division rivals since the Rangers won 4-3 in a shootout at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 14.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; SN, BSSO, ATTSN-PT, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Hurricanes forward Derek Stepan will play his 800th NHL game, and is one point from 500 in the NHL (175 goals, 324 assists). The Penguins will try to win their fourth game in a row; they already have four winning streaks of at least four games this season. Pittsburgh center Sidney Crosby has scored six points (three goals, three assists) during a five-game point streak.
Los Angeles Kings at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, BSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Blue Jackets forward Jakub Voracek has six assists in his past five games, including two against the Devils on Tuesday. Kings forward Andreas Athanasiou is one goal from 100 in the NHL.
Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Stars forward Joe Pavelski is one point from 900 in the NHL (415 goals, 484 assists). Forward Kyle Connor has scored seven points (three goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak and forward Pierre-Luc Dubois has scored seven points (one goal, six assists) during a three-game multipoint streak for the Jets.
Vegas Golden Knights at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; SN, SN1, BSSC, BSSD, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Ducks (26-21-9) forward Trevor Zegras has scored eight points (two goals, six assists) in the past six games, including the game-winning goal with 22 seconds left in the third period of a 4-3 win against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. Golden Knights (30-21-4) forward Jonathan Marchessault has scored six points (two goals, four assists) in his past five games.