NHL On Tap: Horvat looks to keep rolling for Canucks at Canadiens

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 four games Wednesday.

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Bo knows goals

Bo Horvat has scored two goals in four of his past five games with the Vancouver Canucks (4-6-3) visiting the Montreal Canadiens (6-6-1) on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, RDS, ESPN+). The center scored twice in a 6-4 win at the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, giving him eight goals over that stretch. He's the third Vancouver player in the past 26 seasons to score at least eight goals in a five-game span, joining Mikael Samuelsson (eight goals in 2009-10) and Alexandre Burrows (nine goals in 2009-10). Horvat has 12 goals in 13 games this season, second in the NHL to Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, who has 14 goals in 14 games. It's no coincidence the Canucks are 4-1-1 since their 0-5-2 start. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Crosby, Ovechkin face off for slumping Penguins, Capitals

The struggles of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals have overshadowed the first Sidney Crosby-Alex Ovechkin matchup of the season (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, TVAS). The Penguins (4-6-2) have lost seven in a row (0-6-1) for the first time since Jan. 26-Feb. 8, 2006, and made some lineup changes during practice Tuesday. Jeff Carter was the third-line center and is a game-time decision to play for the first time since Oct. 29. Forward Kasperi Kapanen was on a fifth line, an indication he'll be a healthy scratch, and Marcus Pettersson replaced Brian Dumoulin on the top defense pair to the left of Kris Letang. The Capitals (6-6-2) ended a four-game skid (0-2-2) with a 5-4 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, when Ovechkin extended his point streak to six games (seven points; five goals, two assists) and moved within 13 goals of Gordie Howe (801) for second in NHL history. According to NHL Stats, Ovechkin has 61 points (32 goals, 29 assists) in 62 games against Crosby and the Penguins, Pittsburgh's captain countering with 84 points (28 goals, 56 assists). Ovechkin (788 goals, 635 assists) and Crosby (523 goals, 900 assists) each has 1,423 points in his 18th NHL season. Each team needs a spark and hopes to find it from two of the greatest players of this generation. -- Jon Lane, staff writer

Ducks still searching for regulation win

Yes, you read that correctly: the Anaheim Ducks are the lone team in the NHL without a regulation victory this season. They'll try to change that when they host the 5-6-1 Minnesota Wild (10 p.m. ET; TNT, SN360, TVAS, BSW). The biggest issue for the Ducks (4-8-1) is what they've given up: 4.62 goals per game, the most in the League, and haave allowed at least four goals in 11 of their 13 games. It doesn't help that Anaheim lost defenseman Jamie Drysdale, who had surgery for a torn labrum and is out 4-6 months. To say it's been a rough start for the Ducks would be an understatement. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Wednesday games

Carolina Hurricanes at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; BSFLX, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Goalie Frederik Andersen is 5-3-0 with a 2.72 goals-against average and .891 save percentage for the Hurricanes (8-3-1), whose four-game winning streak ended with a 3-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. This is the first of a five-game homestand for the Panthers (7-5-1), who are 3-0-1 at FLA Live Arena this season. Florida forward Eric Staal will play his 1,300th NHL game. It's the 13th game to feature brothers Eric, Panthers defenseman Marc Staal and Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal, a combination that's included Jared Staal, now an assistant coach for Florida's American Hockey League affiliate in Charlotte.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, TVAS)
The Capitals are without center Nicklas Backstrom (hip surgery) and forwards Tom Wilson (torn ACL), T.J. Oshie (lower body), Carl Hagelin (hip surgery), Connor Brown (torn ACL) and Beck Malenstyn (broken finger). Defensemen John Carlson (lower body) and Dmitry Orlov (lower body) will miss their sixth and second game, respectively. The Penguins are tied for 10th in the NHL with 3.50 goals per game but tied for 26th in goals against (3.67).
Vancouver Canucks at Montreal Canadiens (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, RDS, ESPN+)
It's the second half of a back to back for each team. Jake Allen made 41 saves to help Montreal defeat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in a shootout on Tuesday. Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes has 10 assists in a seven-game point streak. He's still looking for his first goal of the season. The Canadiens will be without Juraj Slafkovsky after the rookie forward was suspended two games by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Wednesday for boarding Red Wings forward Matt Luff.
Minnesota Wild at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; TNT, SN360, TVAS, BSW)
This is the second half of a back to back for the Wild, who lost 1-0 at the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. It was the second straight shutout defeat for Minnesota, which lost 4-0 at the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. Ducks forward Troy Terry has eight points (one goal, seven assists) in a five-game point streak.