NHL On Tap: Panthers visit Rangers looking to extend point streak to 12

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 three games Monday.

Panthers try to extend point streak

The Florida Panthers (10-0-1) have the longest NHL point streak since the Chicago Blackhawks opened the 2012-13 season 21-0-3. They're coming off an impressive 5-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes, who were 9-0-0 entering the game Saturday. Florida has 21 points, the most in the NHL, and four players who have scored at least 10 points thus far -- forwards Anthony Duclair (eight goals, four assists), Aleksander Barkov (seven goals, five assists) and Jonathan Huberdeau (three goals, nine assists) each has scored 12 points and defenseman Aaron Ekblad has scored 10 points (four goals, six assists). In a
recent roundtable
, I said the Panthers would remain without a regulation loss until they played at the Boston Bruins on Oct. 30. Well, they got through that game with a point and here they are. Let's see if they can keep it going against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Monday (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, BSFL, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

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Ovechkin goals chase returns to Washington

The Alex Ovechkin watch continues when the Washington Capitals host the Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Ovechkin, who has scored 10 goals in 11 games this season, is one behind Brett Hull (741) for fourth in NHL history. The Capitals forward did not score in a 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday but has yet to go consecutive games without a goal this season and has scored 35 goals in 56 games against the Sabres. Keep an eye on Sabres forward Rasmus Asplund. The 23-year-old has scored 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 11 games after scoring 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in 28 regular-season games last season. --Shawn Roarke, senior director of editorial

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Maple Leafs, Kings look to stay hot

The Toronto Maple Leafs (7-4-1) will look to extend their winning streak to six games and complete a sweep of a five-game homestand when they host the Los Angeles Kings (7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS, BSW, NHL LIVE). The Kings begin a four-game road trip seeking their fifth-straight win. Toronto forwards John Tavares (five goals, four assists) and Mitchell Marner (three goals, eight assists) each has a five-game point streak. If goalie Jack Campbell plays, it will be his first game against the Kings since they traded him to the Maple Leafs on Feb. 5, 2020. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Monday schedule

Florida Panthers at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, BSFL, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Rangers return home after a 1-1-2 road trip that ended with a 6-0 loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday. The Panthers can match the longest point streak from the start of a season in franchise history (12 games), set in 1996-97 (8-0-4). Florida center Aleksander Barkov, who didn't play against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday because of a lower-body injury, will be a game-time decision.
Buffalo Sabres at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Sabres have allowed one power-play goal in their past six games (15 opportunities) and are second in the NHL in penalty killing (89.7 percent). The Capitals are 0-2-1 in their past three games but are 7-1-2 in their past 10 against the Sabres.
Los Angeles Kings at Toronto Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS, BSW, NHL LIVE)
Kings forward Alex Iafallo has scored seven points (four goals, three assists) during a five-game point streak. Maple Leafs goalie Petr Mrazek is out four weeks with a groin injury, so Jack Campbell will start for the seventh time in the past eight games. He has allowed five goals in his past four starts.