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 12 games on Saturday.
Bruins, Canadiens renew Original Six rivalry
The Boston Bruins visit Bell Centre to face the Montreal Canadiens for the first time this season (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, CITY, NESN, NHLN). Boston has won 10 straight games against Montreal (teams did not meet in 2020-21), having not lost to their Original Six rivals since a 5-4 defeat at Bell Centre on Nov. 5, 2019. Although Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retired this offseason, the Bruins are 11-1-1, which is better than their 10-2-0 record through 12 games last season, when they set NHL records with 65 wins and 135 points. Jeremy Swayman (6-0-0, 1.49 goals-against average, .952 save percentage, one shutout) can become the second Bruins goalie to start a season 7-0-0, joining Tim Thomas, who won his first seven decisions in 2010-11. The Canadiens (6-5-2) snapped a four-game losing skid (0-3-1) with a 3-2 overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Three of Cole Caufield’s five goals this season have been scored in overtime, including his winner against Detroit. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
Canucks rolling in the Pacific
OK, the Vancouver Canucks (10-2-1) aren’t rolling so much that they lead the Pacific Division. But they’ve won five in a row and are two points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for first, so they’re doing quite nicely. The Canucks look for their sixth straight win when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs (7-5-2) at Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET; SN). There is a whole lot going right for the Canucks, who lead the NHL in goals per game (4.54), are second in goals-against per game (2.00) and have the League’s fourth-best power play (32.7 percent). With their 5-2 win against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, the Canucks reached 10 wins in 13 games or fewer for the first time in their history. They’ll now deal with the Maple Leafs, who are coming off a 5-4 shootout win against the Calgary Flames on Friday. William Nylander has been sizzling for the Maple Leafs, extending his season-opening point streak to 14 games (nine goals, 12 assists) with two goals and an assist Friday. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
Sleepless in Seattle
Tensions are running high for the Edmonton Oilers (2-9-1), who have lost four games in a row, including 3-2 on Thursday to the San Jose Sharks, with whom they’re now tied for fewest points in the NHL. The Oilers play another Pacific Division rival Saturday when they visit the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena (10 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, TVAS2, CITY, SN, CBC). Edmonton has lost eight of its past nine games (1-7-1) and the struggles are all over the ice. Forward Connor McDavid had 64 goals last season but has two in 10 games this season and has not scored since Oct. 17, a stretch of seven games. Defenseman Evan Bouchard has 11 points (three goals, eight assists), but is a minus-6. Goalie Jack Campbell was waived and sent to the American Hockey League. His partner, Stuart Skinner, has an .854 save percentage. The Oilers, legitimate contenders for the Stanley Cup at the start of the season, hope to begin to climb out of their last-place hole against the Kraken (5-6-3), who defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 on Thursday and have taken points in four their past five games (3-1-1). -- Shawn P. Roarke, director of editorial
Saturday games
Columbus Blue Jackets at Detroit Red Wings (1 p.m. ET; BSDET, BSOH, NHLN)
Patrik Laine will return for the Blue Jackets (4-6-3), who’ve lost seven of their past eight games (1-4-3). The forward missed nine games with an upper-body injury. Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko has four points (three goals, one assist) in a four-game point streak. The Red Wings (7-5-2) are 2-4-2 in their past eight games after starting the season 5-1-0. Dylan Larkin leads them with 17 points (five goals, 12 assists). This is Detroit’s final game before they head to Stockholm for the 2023 NHL Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal, where they’ll play the Ottawa Senators and Maple Leafs next weekend.
Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets (3 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSSW)
This is the second of a three-game road trip for the Stars (8-3-1), who are 5-1-1 on the road this season. With an assist in a 5-2 win against the Blue Jackets on Thursday, Joe Pavelski has 1,013 points (454 goals, 559 assists), tied with Pat LaFontaine for 10th most in NHL history by a United States-born player. The Jets (7-4-2) have won three in a row. Kyle Connor’s hat trick against the Nashville Predators on Thursday was his fifth in the NHL.
Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, CITY, NESN, NHLN)
Brad Marchand got two assists in a 5-2 win against the New York Islanders on Thursday to move past Rick Middletonn (496) for the eighth most in Bruins history. Caufield leads the Canadiens with 13 points (five goals, eight assists); Sean Monahan (six goals, six assists) and Nick Suzuki (five goals, seven assist) are next with 12.
Calgary Flames at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; SN1)
This is the second half of a back-to-back set for the Flames, who lost 5-4 in a shootout to the Maple Leafs on Friday. Nazem Kadri had an assist to extend his point streak to five games (two goals, five assists) for the Flames, who have points in three straight (2-0-1). The Senators (5-7-0) will try to turn their fortunes around at home, where they’ve lost five in a row in regulation. Tim Stutzle leads the Senators with 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 12 games.
Carolina Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSSUN)
The Hurricanes (8-6-0) are coming off a 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Friday, their first meeting since Florida swept Carolina in four games in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference Final last season. Brett Pesce, out since Oct. 19 after having lower-body surgery, played 18:38 against the Panthers. The Lightning (6-4-4) are coming off their first regulation loss at home this season, 5-3 to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Nikita Kucherov has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in his past four games.
Vancouver Canucks at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; SN)
Elias Pettersson had the 28th three-point game of his career on Thursday (one goal, two assists), passing Alexander Mogilny (27) and tied with Petri Skriko for the 11th most in Canucks history. The Maple Leafs have allowed four or more goals in eight straight home games to start a season for the first time in their history. Jake McCabe, who missed six games with a groin injury, logged 20:15 of ice time against the Flames on Friday.
Washington Capitals at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; MNMT, MSGSN)
It’s the second half of a back-to-back set for the Capitals (6-4-2), who defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-2 on Friday. Martin Fehervary left in the second period with a lower-body injury. Coach Spencer Carbery did not have an update on the defenseman after the game. The Islanders (5-4-3) have lost three in a row (0-2-1). Simon Holmstrom’s shorthanded goal in a 5-2 loss to the Bruins on Thursday was his second of the season. Logan O’Connor of the Avalanche leads the NHL with three.
Buffalo Sabres at Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSG-B)
The Sabres (7-6-1) are coming off a 3-2 win against the Minnesota Wild on Friday. Jeff Skinner, who had a goal and an assist against the Wild, leads the Sabres with 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 14 games. The Penguins (6-6-0) have won three in a row. Sidney Crosby scored his 557th NHL goal in a 4-3 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, tying Mike Modano (Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars) and Luc Robitaille (Kings) for ninth in NHL history with one franchise.
Arizona Coyotes at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSSO)
Matias Maccelli’s nine-game point streak (two goals, eight assists) ended in his 100th NHL game when the Coyotes (6-6-1) lost 2-1 to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. The Predators (5-8-0) return home after winning once on a five-game road trip (1-4-0). Filip Forsberg leads them with 14 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 13 games.
St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche (9 p.m. ET; BSMW, ALT)
Goalie Joel Hofer has won three in a row and is 3-1-0 with a 2.50 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and one shutout for the Blues (6-5-1). Robert Thomas has five goals in as many games for St. Louis, which has won three of four (3-1-0). The Avalanche (8-4-0) lost their first game at home this season (4-1-0) on Thursday, 4-3 to the Kraken. Mikko Rantanen, who leads the Avalanche with 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists), has four points (two goals, two assists) in his past two games.
Edmonton Oilers at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, TVAS2, CITY, SN, CBC)
Leon Draisaitl has one goal in his past nine games for the Oilers. Defenseman Darnell Nurse is one goal away from 70 and would be the fourth defenseman in Oilers history to score that many behind Kevin Lowe (74), Charlie Huddy (81) and Paul Coffey (209). Kraken forward Matty Beniers, last year’s Calder Trophy winner as NHL rookie of the year, scored his first goal of the season in a 4-3 win against the Avalanche on Thursday.
Philadelphia Flyers at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; BSW, NBCSP)
It’s the second half of a back-to-back set for the Flyers (6-7-1), who defeated the Anaheim Ducks 6-3 on Friday for their second win in their past seven games (2-5-0). Flyers goalie Carter Hart missed that game due to illness and his status for Saturday is not known. The Kings (8-2-3) are on an eight-game point streak (6-0-2) after a 4-3 overtime loss to the Penguins on Thursday. Kings forward Adrian Kempe has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in an eight-game point streak and forward Quinton Byfield has eight assists in his past five games.
