NHL On Tap: Stars look to slow Canucks’ roll

Welcome to 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 15 games Saturday.

Canucks scoring big entering matchup with Stars

It’s no surprise that the Dallas Stars are 7-1-1 entering their game at the Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SNP, BSSW). They made the Western Conference Final last season. But the Canucks are a surprise, off to a 7-2-1 start after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs three seasons in a row. They lead the NHL in goals per game (4.60) and are fourth in goals against per game (2.20). Center Elias Pettersson has 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 10 games, one short of the NHL lead held by New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (five goals, 15 assists). -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Battle between past 2 Cup winners comes to Vegas

The Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2022. One year later, the Vegas Golden Knights hoisted the Cup. On Saturday, the Golden Knights will play the Avalanche for the first time as defending champions at T-Mobile Arena in Vegas (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, ALT). As they enter this battle of the past two Cup winners, Vegas is showing no sign of a championship hangover. Anything but. The Golden Knights’ 5-2 victory against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday means they’ve yet to lose a game in regulation this season. Indeed, their 10-0-1 start makes them the 13th team in NHL history with a season-opening point streak of at least 11 games. Jonathan Marchessault, the 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, led the way against the Jets with his sixth NHL hat trick. Remarkably, 18 of the 22 skaters used by the Golden Knights this season have scored at least one goal -- and it’s only the first week of November. The Avalanche (7-2-0) were shut out in back-to-back games for the first time since 2016 before rebounding with a 4-1 win against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Oilers struggling to gain traction

The Edmonton Oilers (2-6-1) are starting to fall behind the leaders in the Pacific Division. Edmonton will be desperate for a win when it hosts the Nashville Predators (4-6-0) at Rogers Place (3 p.m. ET; SN, NHLN, BSSO). The Oilers were hoping a 5-2 win against the Calgary Flames at the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium on Oct. 29 would propel them in the right direction, but they were unable to overcome mistakes in a 4-3 loss to the Stars on Thursday. Edmonton has yet to win at Rogers Place this season (0-3-1). Nashville lost 6-1 at home to Edmonton on Oct. 17, so will be looking for a measure of revenge. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

Saturday games

Nashville Predators at Edmonton Oilers (3 p.m. ET; SN, NHLN, BSSO)

The Predators have started a five-game road trip with regulation losses at the Canucks (5-2) and at the Seattle Kraken (4-2). Nashville is 1-4-0 on the road this season. Oilers forward Evander Kane has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past two games.

Winnipeg Jets at Arizona Coyotes (4 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN3)

Lawson Crouse has three goals in his past two games for the Coyotes (5-4-1), and forward Matias Maccelli has a seven-game point streak (one goal, seven assists). Arizona forward Logan Cooley has eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 10 games and is tied with Philadelphia Flyers forward Bobby Brink for the NHL rookie scoring lead. The Jets (4-4-2) have lost three in a row (0-1-2) after a three-game winning streak.

Boston Bruins at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; BSDET, NESN)

The Bruins (9-0-1) have a 10-game point streak, a franchise record to open a season. Boston forward Pavel Zacha has a three-game goal streak and five-game point streak (four goals, two assists). The Red Wings have lost four of their past five games (1-3-1), including a 4-1 loss at the Bruins last Saturday, and are 0-for-17 on the power play in their past four games.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; SN1, BSSUN)

The Lightning (4-3-3) are winless on the road (0-3-1), including a 4-2 loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. They are also winless when trailing after the first period this season (0-2-2). The Senators (4-5-0) have lost their past two at home and are 3-3-0 at Canadian Tire Centre. Ottawa forward Claude Giroux has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past three games.

Montreal Canadiens at St. Louis Blues (7 p.m. ET; BSMW, SNE, CITY, TVAS)

Sean Monahan has scored in four straight games for the Canadiens (5-3-2), who have lost two straight (0-1-1). The Blues (4-4-1) defeated the Devils 4-1 on Friday after losing three of their previous four (1-3-0). Goalie Joel Hofer could start for the Blues after Jordan Binnington made 33 saves Friday.

Buffalo Sabres at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SN360, SNO, SNW, SNP, MSG-B, NHLN)

Forward William Nylander has 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in a 10-game point streak, a Toronto record to open a season. The Maple Leafs (5-3-2) have lost three in a row (0-1-2). The Sabres (5-6-0) are coming off a 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday after they had won two in a row.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, BSOH)

Dmitri Voronkov has three points (one goal, two assists) in his first four NHL games for the Blue Jackets (4-4-2). The Capitals (4-4-1) have killed eight straight penalties over their past four games (3-1-0). Washington has scored first in one of nine games this season.

Los Angeles Kings at Philadelphia Flyers (7:30 p.m. ET; BSW, NBCSP)

The Kings (6-2-2) have won their first five road games and have scored 42 goals through their first 10 games, the most since 1993-94. Goalie Cal Petersen could make his Flyers debut against his former team after Samuel Ersson made 21 saves in a 5-1 win against the Sabres on Friday. Petersen was recalled by the Flyers (5-5-2) from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League because Carter Hart is sidelined with a mid-body injury.

Carolina Hurricanes at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, BSSO)

Semyon Varlamov has made 66 saves over two straight shutouts for the Islanders (5-2-2), who are on a four-game point streak (3-0-1). The Hurricanes (6-5-0) had won three in a row before a 2-1 loss at the New York Rangers on Thursday.

Florida Panthers at Chicago Blackhawks (8 p.m. ET; BSFL, NBCSCH)

The Panthers (5-3-1) are on a four-game point streak (3-0-1). Florida forward Sam Reinhart has eight goals in nine games, one shy of the NHL lead (Alex DeBrincat of the Red Wings, Travis Konecny of the Flyers, Frank Vatrano of the Anaheim Ducks). Rookie center Connor Bedard has six points (four goals, two assists) in nine games for the Blackhawks (3-6-0), including a goal in each of his past two games and three of his past four.

New York Rangers at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; BSNX, BSWI, MSG)

Artemi Panarin can tie the Rangers record for a season-opening point streak; he has 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in a 10-game run. Darren Turcotte opened the 1990-91 season with 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in an 11-game point streak. The Rangers (8-2-0) have won six straight, but lost defenseman Adam Fox (lower body) and forward Filip Chytil (upper body) to injuries sustained in a 2-1 win against the Hurricanes on Thursday. The Wild (3-5-2) have lost four straight (0-3-1) and are last in the NHL on the penalty kill (63.6 percent).

Calgary Flames at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, SNW, SNO, SNE, CITY, SN1)

Jared McCann has scored in three straight games and has eight points (five goals, three assists) in his past seven games for the Kraken (4-5-2), who are 3-1-1 in their past five. The Flames (2-7-1) have lost six straight, all in regulation.

Pittsburgh Penguins at San Jose Sharks (10 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, NBCSCA)

Erik Karlsson returns to San Jose for the first time since the Sharks traded him to the Penguins on Aug. 6. Karlsson won the Norris Trophy as the best NHL defenseman with the Sharks last season and had 243 points (52 goals, 191 assists) in 293 games with them from 2018-23. He has six points (two goals, four assists) in nine games for the Penguins (3-6-0), who have lost two straight. The Sharks (0-9-1) are the only winless team in the NHL.

Dallas Stars at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SNP, BSSW)

The Stars have won three in a row overall and opened the season with a five-game road point streak (4-0-1). Dallas forward Matt Duchene has five points (two goals, three assists) in a five-game point streak. Quinn Hughes of the Canucks leads NHL defensemen with 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 10 games. Forward J.T. Miller also has 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 10 games.

Colorado Avalanche at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, ALT)

Defensemen Cale Makar and Bowen Byram of the Avalanche missed practice Friday, but coach Jared Bednar suggested both are expected to play. Forward Jonathan Drouin was reunited with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen on the top line at practice, but Bednar said it isn’t a guarantee it will stay that way for the game. Golden Knights forward William Karlsson can tie the team record for longest point streak (nine games) with a point against the Avalanche; he has four goals and seven assists in his past eight. The record is shared by Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Reilly Smith and Alex Tuch.