Marleau on tap 4.17

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 11 games Saturday.

Marleau to make history in Minnesota

Patrick Marleau will tie Gordie Howe's record for the most regular season games played in NHL history when the San Jose Sharks visit the Minnesota Wild (8 p.m ET; BSN, NBCSCA, NHL.TV) and the 41-year-old forward skates in his 1,767th game. Marleau, who returned to the Sharks on a one-year contract this season, has played 1,594 of his 1,766 games with San Jose, which selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 1997 NHL Draft. He also played 164 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2017-19 and eight games with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season. If all goes to plan, Marleau will pass Howe and set the record when the Sharks visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday. The Sharks (18-21-4) are sixth in the eight-team Honda West Division, four points behind the fourth-place St. Louis Blues. The top four teams will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Stars try to extend point streak

The Dallas Stars look to extend their point streak to six games when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets (8 p.m. ET; BSSW+, BSOH, NHL.TV). The Stars (16-14-2) improved to 3-0-2 in their past five after a 4-1 win against the Blue Jackets on Thursday and are sixth in the eight-team Discover Central Division, five points behind the fourth-place Nashville Predators. Dallas has played three fewer games than Nashville. The Blue Jackets (15-21-9) are seventh in the Central, 10 points behind the Predators. The top four teams will qualify for the playoffs. The Stars have received great production from forward Jason Robertson, playing on their top line with Joe Pavelski and Roope Hintz. Robertson has scored six points (four goals, two assists) in his past five games and is the second NHL rookie, along with Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov (35 points; 16 goals, 19 assists in 41 games), to reach 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists in 37 games) this season. The Blue Jackets are 2-9-2 in their past 13 games. -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

Red Wings seek fourth straight win

The Detroit Red Wings try for a season-high fourth consecutive win when they host the Chicago Blackhawks (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, BSDET+, NBCSCH+, NHL.TV) to close a two-game series. The Red Wings (16-23-6), last in the Central, are trying to make the most in a spoiler role. They defeated Chicago 4-1 on Thursday, keeping the Blackhawks four points behind the fourth-place Predators. Detroit swept the Carolina Hurricanes on April 10 and Monday to contribute to a logjam atop the division. The Hurricanes are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place; Carolina has a game in hand. The top four teams qualify for the playoffs. Blackhawks forward Alex DeBrincat has scored six points (two goals, four assists) in his past five games. Red Wings forward Adam Erne has scored eight points (five goals, three assists) in an eight-game point streak. -- William Douglas, staff writer

Saturday schedule

New Jersey Devils at New York Rangers, 12:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+, MSG, MSG+, NHL.TV)
The Rangers have won four straight against the Devils, outscoring them 19-4, including consecutive shutouts by goalie Igor Shesterkin on Tuesday and Thursday. New York is 9-3-2 in its past 14 games.
Washington Capitals at Philadelphia Flyers, 12:30 p.m. ET (NHLN, NBCSP, NBCSWA, NHL.TV)
The Capitals are 3-1-0 in their past four games after going 2-4-0 in their previous six and have won four straight against the Flyers, outscoring them 19-9. Forward Alex Ovechkin has scored six goals in five games against Philadelphia this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Buffalo Sabres, 3 p.m. ET (NBC)
The Sabres, who are last in the MassMutual East Division, will be eliminated from playoff contention with a regulation loss or a loss of any kind combined with a New York Rangers win of any kind against the New Jersey Devils. The Penguins, who are third in the East, are 3-0-1 in their past four games and 9-2-2 in their past 13. The top four teams qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Ottawa Senators at Montreal Canadiens, 4 p.m. ET (TSN2, RDS, TSN5, NHL.TV)
The Canadiens are fourth in the seven-team Scotia North Division, six points ahead of the fifth-place Calgary Flames, whom they defeated 2-1 on Friday. The top four teams will make the playoffs. Forward Connor Brown has scored 10 points (eight goals, two assists) in a nine-game point streak for the Senators, who are 1-5-0 in their past six games and last in the North.
St. Louis Blues at Arizona Coyotes, 6 p.m. ET (BSAZ, BSMW+, NHL.TV)
One point separates the fourth-place Blues and the fifth-place Coyotes for the final playoff spot in the Discover Central Division, with St. Louis having played two fewer games. Arizona has won four of the seven games between the teams this season.
Edmonton Oilers at Winnipeg Jets, 7 p.m. ET (CBC, SN, CITY TVAS, NHL.TV)
The Oilers look to tighten the race in the North Division; they are in third place and trail the second-place Jets by five points with two games in hand. Edmonton captain Connor McDavid has scored 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in six games against Winnipeg and is one shy of 70 (23 goals, 46 assists) this season.
Nashville Predators at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m. ET (BSSO, BSSO, NHL.TV)
The Hurricanes go for their sixth straight win against the Predators this season; they've held Nashville to two goals or fewer in each of their five victories. Center Sebastian Aho has scored seven points (five goals, two assists) against the Predators this season.
Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+, BSSUN, BSSUN+, NHL.TV)
The intrastate rivals face off with the Lightning tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the Central, one point ahead of the Panthers; Carolina has played two fewer games than Florida, one fewer than Tampa Bay. The Panthers go for their third straight win against the Lightning.
Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings, 7 p.m. ET (NHLN, BSDET+, NBCSCH+, NHL.TV)
Blackhawks forward Alex DeBrincat has scored 10 points (seven goals, three assists) in seven games against the Red Wings this season and 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 13 games against Detroit in his NHL career.
San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m. ET (BSN, NBCSCA, NHL.TV)
The Wild are third in the eight-team Honda West Division and 5-2-1 in their past eight games after a 3-2 win against the Sharks on Friday.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Dallas Stars, 8 p.m. ET (BSSW+, BSOH, NHL.TV)
The Stars are 3-0-1 in their past four games against the Blue Jackets. Stars forward Joe Pavelski has scored nine points (five goals, four assists) in seven games against Columbus this season.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Vancouver Canucks, postponed