NHL On Tap: McDavid can extend point streak for Oilers

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 12 games Thursday.

McDavid goes for four-game point streak to open season

Connor McDavid will attempt to extend his season-opening point streak to four games when the Edmonton Oilers (1-2-0) host the Carolina Hurricanes (3-0-0) at Rogers Place on Thursday (9 p.m. ET: BSSO, SNW, ESPN+, SN NOW). The Oilers center was awarded the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer with 123 points (44 goals, 79 assists) last season and hasn't missed a beat to start this one. The 25-year-old scored a hat trick and added an assist to cap off his four-point performance in Edmonton's opening night 5-3 victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 12. He had single points in each of the subsequent two games and has six (four goals, two assists) in three games. McDavid isn't the only player coming into this game trying to extend a three-game streak. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl's playmaking skills have been on display enroute to a six-point start (one goal, five assists). For Carolina, forward Andrei Svechnikov is coming off a three-point game (two goals, one assist) in a 5-1 victory against the Seattle Kraken on Monday and has five points (three goals, two assists) in three games. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Quinn back at MSG with Sharks

David Quinn will again try his first win as coach of the San Jose Sharks when he returns to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, NBCSCA, ESPN+, SN NOW). Quinn coached the Rangers for three seasons before being fired following the 2020-21 season. San Jose has lost its first five games under Quinn (0-5-0) , including the first two to the Nashville Predators in the 2022 NHL Global Series in Prague and three since returning to North America. Quinn's first NHL win came against the Sharks on Oct. 11, 2018, in his fourth game with the Rangers. He was 96-87-25 with New York. San Jose is one of three teams without a win this season, along with the Minnesota Wild (0-3-0) and the Vancouver Canucks (0-3-1). The Rangers (3-1-0) are 2-0-0 at home. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Goligoski looks to reach milestone moment

Alex Goligoski is expected to play in his 1,000th NHL game when the Wild host the Vancouver Canucks at Xcel Energy Center (8 p.m. ET; SNP, BSN, BSWI, ESPN+, SN NOW). The 37-year-old defenseman, chosen in the second round (No. 61) by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2004 NHL Draft, has 459 points (85 goals, 374 assists) and a plus-69 rating in 999 games with the Penguins, Dallas Stars, Arizona Coyotes and Wild. Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau is still seeking his 600th NHL win; the Canucks lost 4-3 in overtime to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday and became the first team in NHL history to lose four straight games after holding a multigoal lead in each.-- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

Thursday games

Anaheim Ducks at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NESN, BSSC, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Bruins (3-1-0) will look to rebound from a 7-5 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. Boston forward David Pastrnak is tied for third in the NHL with eight points (three goals, five assists) in four games. The Ducks (1-3-0) have lost three in a row on the road, getting outscored 17-7, since opening the season at home with a 5-4 overtime victory against the Seattle Kraken. Anaheim closes its five-game road trip at the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.
Arizona Coyotes at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Jake Allen is expected to be back in net for the Canadiens after he missed their 3-2 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday after his wife Shannon gave birth to their third child. Montreal (2-2-0) is 2-0-0 at home and 0-2-0 on the road. The Coyotes (1-2-0) are halfway through their season-opening six-game road trip after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Monday for their first win of the season.
Dallas Stars at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; SNO, BSSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Stars (3-0-0) will try to remain undefeated under Peter DeBoer, who is the first coach in Stars/Minnesota North Stars history to win his first three games. Dallas has outscored opponents 13-3 with goalie Jake Oettinger stopping 84 of the 87 shots he's faced (1.00 goals-against average, .966 save percentage). The Maple Leafs (2-2-0) conclude a four-game homestand in which they are 2-1-0 so far. John Tavares (one goal, four assists) and Mitchell Marner (one goal, three assists) each has a four-game point streak to begin the season.
Los Angeles Kings at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, ATTSN-PT, BSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Kings (3-2-0) have won the first three games of their five-game road trip after beginning season with two losses at home. Gabriel Villardi has seven points (four goals, three assists) to equal his total in 25 games with Los Angeles last season. Bryan Rust (two goals, three assists) and Evgeni Malkin (three goals, one assist) each has a season-opening three-game point streak for Pittsburgh (2-0-1).
Nashville Predators at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Predators (2-2-1) will try again for the 900th victory in their history after going 0-2-1 in three games since returning from the 2022 NHL Global Series in Prague. Johnny Gaudreau has four points (two goals, two assists) in his first four games for the Blue Jackets (1-3-0), including a goal and an assist to help them rally to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 in overtime Tuesday for their first win of the season.
San Jose Sharks at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, NBCSCA, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Artemi Panarin has a season-opening four-game point streak for the Rangers and leads the NHL with 10 points (two goals, eight assists). With one point against the Sharks, the forward would match Rod Gilbert's Rangers record (11 in 1971-72) for the most in the first five games of a season.
Washington Capitals at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; TSN 5, RDSI, NBCSWA, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Capitals (2-2-0) have won two in a row after losing their first two games. The Senators (1-2-0) earned their first win of the season by defeating the Bruins 7-5 on Tuesday. This would have been Connor Brown's return to Ottawa, where played the past three seasons before being traded to Washington on July 13. But the forward sustained a lower-body injury during a 6-4 win against Vancouver on Monday and is expected be out long term.
New Jersey Devils at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN NOW)
The Islanders (2-1-0) wrap up a season-opening four-game homestand looking for their third-straight win. Oliver Wahlstrom has four points (three goals, one assist) in two games after missing New York's season opener with an upper-body injury. The Devils (1-2-0) look to build off a 4-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. New Jersey leads the NHL in shot attempts differential (plus 100) and shot attempts percentage (68.5) but is last in 5-on-5 save percentage (80.4 percent).
Vancouver Canucks at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; SNP, BSN, BSWI, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Canucks and Wild are each in search of their first win of the season. Minnesota has not had a lead this season, has allowed at least six goals in all three games and has been outscored 20-12. Vancouver center Elias Pettersson scored Tuesday reaching 100 goals in 249 games, the second-fewest among players who debuted with the Canucks (Pavel Bure, 154 games).
Carolina Hurricanes at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; SNW, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Hurricanes have outscored the opposition 11-3 and won the first two games of their five-game, Pacific Division road trip. The Oilers will try to end a two-game losing streak and get back on track in their season-opening six-game homestand.
Buffalo Sabres at Calgary Flames (9:30 p.m. ET; SN360, MSG-B, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Rasmus Dahlin (three goals, one assist) can become the first defenseman in NHL history with a season-opening, four-game goal streak and tie the Sabres record for a goal streak by a defenseman at any point in a season set by Phil Housley in 1988-89. Buffalo (2-1-0) began its four-game road trip with a 4-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Calgary (3-0-0) has been impressive with offseason addition Nazem Kadri leading the way with four points (one goal, three assists), including at least one in each game. Flames forward Milan Lucic is expected to play in his 1,100th NHL game.
Winnipeg Jets at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, TSN3, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Golden Knights (3-1-0) will try to rebound after letting a 2-0 lead slip away in a 3-2 loss to the Flames on Tuesday. Vegas' goaltending has been solid with Logan Thompson (2-1-0, 2.03 GAA, .938 save percentage, one shutout) and Adin Hill (1-0-0, 2.00 GAA, .939 save percentage) with Robin Lehner out for the season following hip surgery. The Jets (2-1-0) close a three-game road trip after defeating the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in overtime Wednesday.