NHL On Tap: 'Frozen Frenzy' takes center stage
Bruins against Bedard, Golden Knights' winning streak highlight League-wide slate of games
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Ovechkin vs. Matthews kicks off 'Frozen Frenzy'
Normally a game featuring a star looking for his first goal of the season and another on a three-game scoring drought wouldn’t attract a lot of attention. Then again, there is nothing ordinary whenever Alex Ovechkin and Auston Matthews go head-to-head. The Toronto Maple Leafs visiting the Washington Capitals (6 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, TSN4) is the perfect curtain raiser for the "Frozen Frenzy" on Tuesday, a celebration of hockey when all 32 NHL teams will be in action. Although Ovechkin is still looking for his first goal, perhaps more concerning is the fact that he has failed to register a shot in two of his four games. The 38-year-old forward has averaged 4.7 shots on goal per game in his NHL career (1,351 games), so his output this season (nine shots) has been significantly below what Capitals fans are accustomed to. From a glass-half-full point of view, Ovechkin is due, and what better motivation than being on the same ice surface as Matthews. Since entering the NHL in 2016, the 26-year-old forward ranks first in the League with 305 goals, eight ahead of Ovechkin. Matthews became the fifth player in NHL history to start a season with back-to-back hat tricks, but he has not gotten a point since. The odds suggest something has to give, and Tuesday could be the day both break out. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
Golden Knights eye seventh straight win to begin season
The final match of the 16-game slate is certainly one of the more intriguing ones, with the Vegas Golden Knights looking to remain unbeaten when they host the Philadelphia Flyers at T-Mobile Arena (11 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN). Vegas became the first defending Stanley Cup champion to begin a season 6-0-0 following a 5-3 win at the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Now, the Golden Knights will look to inch closer to the NHL record for the longest season-opening winning streak (10), which is shared by the 1993-94 Toronto Maple Leafs and 2006-07 Buffalo Sabres. On the other side, Philadelphia (3-1-1) is first in the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers have been led offensively by Travis Konecny (five goals, two assists), but they have also benefitted from the return of Cam Atkinson (three goals) and Sean Couturier (one goal, three assists). -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer
Boston takes on Bedard
OK, this may not be exactly fair, but with the Boston Bruins undefeated and Connor Bedard making an excellent first impression with the Chicago Blackhawks, this game at United Center (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, TVAS) is one everyone will be looking at. This is the second game between the two teams this season, with the Bruins defeating the Blackhawks 3-1 in their season opener Oct. 11. This time around, the Bruins will be looking to close out a four-game road trip on a high note and return to Boston undefeated. At 5-0-0, they’re one of three teams with an unblemished record this season, along with the Vegas Golden Knights (6-0-0) and Colorado Avalanche (5-0-0). Bedard, meanwhile, has four points (two goals, two assists) in six games, but will be looking to make a statement in his second home game of the season. There’s a lot of hockey Tuesday, but I’m not missing a second of this one. -- Amalie Benjamin, NHL.com staff writer
Tuesday games
Toronto Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals (6 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, TSN4)
Rookie Joseph Woll is expected to start for the Maple Leafs (3-2-0) after he stopped all 27 shots he faced in relief of Ilya Samsonov in a 4-3 overtime victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. The Capitals (1-2-1) have scored only five goals in four games (outscored 15-5), a head scratching lack of offense for a team featuring Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson.
Buffalo Sabres at Ottawa Senators (6:45 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, MSG-B)
The Senators (3-2-0) had won three straight prior to a 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. They have been led so far this season by Brady Tkachuk (four goals, two assists), Jake Sanderson (three goals, three assists) and Tim Stutzle (two goals, four assists), each of whom has six points. Buffalo (2-4-0) is playing the second of a back to back following a 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday.
Carolina Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSSUN)
After allowing the second-fewest goals in the NHL last season, the Hurricanes (3-3-0) have given up a League-leading 30 in their first six games of 2023-24. Tampa Bay (2-2-2) has struggled defensively as well, having allowed 24 goals in six games and 52 shots in the loss Saturday.
New Jersey Devils at Montreal Canadiens (7:15 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, MSGSN2)
Nico Hischier returned to practice for New Jersey on Monday after he left late in the second period of a 5-4 overtime win against the New York Islanders on Friday because of an upper-body injury. Jesper Bratt has eight points (three goals, five assists) during a three-game point streak for the Devils (2-1-1). The Canadiens (3-1-1), who have won three of four, are playing the second of a back to back following a 3-1 win at the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.
Dallas Stars at Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, BSSW)
The Stars (3-0-1) have benefitted and been hurt by their special teams this season. Dallas is the only NHL team yet to allow a power-play goal (12-for-12 on penalty kill), though it did give up three short-handed goals to the Philadelphia Flyers in a 5-4 overtime victory Saturday. The Penguins (2-3-0) have struggled so far this season despite not having played a team that qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year.
San Jose Sharks at Florida Panthers (7:45 p.m. ET; BSFL, NBCSCA)
Sam Reinhart, whose six goals are tied for second in the NHL, will look to extend his goal streak to five games for the Panthers (2-3-0). San Jose (0-4-1), the only NHL team without a win this season, will be playing the second of a five-game road trip.
Colorado Avalanche at New York Islanders (8 p.m. ET; MSGSN, ALT)
Forwards Artturi Lehkonen (two goals, four assists) and Mikko Rantanen (two goals, two assists) will each be looking to extend his three-game point streak for the Avalanche. New York (2-1-1) started the season with consecutive wins before losing 5-4 in overtime to the Devils on Friday and 3-1 to the Sabres on Saturday.
Seattle Kraken at Detroit Red Wings (8:15 p.m. ET: ROOT-NW, BSDET)
The Red Wings (5-1-0) remain red-hot this season thanks to an impressive start from Alex DeBrincat, who leads the NHL in goals (eight) and points (12). DeBrincat will have the chance to become the first player in NHL history to get at least three points in each of his first four home games with a franchise. The Kraken (1-4-1) will be without forward Andre Burakovsky, who is expected to be out 6-8 weeks after he had surgery for an upper-body injury Monday.
Boston Bruins at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, TVAS)
The Bruins will attempt to match the longest season-opening winning streak in their history (6-0-0 in 1937-38), and rookie Matthew Poitras will look to build off Sunday, when the 19-year-old forward scored his first two NHL goals. The Blackhawks (2-4-0), who have lost four of five, are 2-for-27 on the power play this season (two short-handed goals allowed).
Anaheim Ducks at Columbus Blue Jackets (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSD, BSOH, BSSC)
Columbus (3-2-0) has won two straight games, including a 5-4 overtime victory at the Minnesota Wild onSunday, when goalie Elvis Merzlikins made 24 saves after missing the previous two games with an illness. Anaheim (1-4-0), which will be playing the first of a four-game road trip, did not play rookie center Leo Carlsson in a 3-1 loss to the Bruins on Sunday in an effort to manage his workload in the early portion of the season. Defenseman Jamie Drysdale has also missed the past three games with a lower-body injury.
St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets (8:45 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSMW)
The Jets (2-3-0) will be without coach Rick Bowness, who took a leave of absence from the team after his wife, Judy, suffered a seizure Sunday. Associate Scott Arniel will be the interim coach while Bowness is away. The Blues finally got their first lead of the season at 9:33 of the first period in a 4-2 win against the Penguins on Saturday after going 199:33 without a lead despite starting the season 2-1-1. Doug Armstrong will work his 1,000th regular-season game since being named general manager of St. Louis on July 1, 2010.
Edmonton Oilers at Minnesota Wild (9 p.m. ET; BSWI, BSN, SNW)
The Oilers play their final road game before the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic against the Calgary Flames at Commonwealth Stadium on Sunday and look for their first victory in Minnesota since Feb. 7, 2019 (0-5-0 since). Both teams enter the game minus some key players. The Oilers (1-3-1) are expected to be without captain Connor McDavid for 1-2 weeks because of a lower-body injury. Minnesota (2-2-1) will be without forward Matt Boldy (upper body), and defensemen Jared Spurgeon (upper body) and Alex Goligoski (lower body). Mats Zuccarello (seven points; one goal, six assists) can become the fourth player in Wild history with a point streak of at least six games from the start of a season, last achieved by Chris Stewart in 2017-18 (six goals, two assists in six games).
Vancouver Canucks at Nashville Predators (9:15 p.m. ET; BSSO, SNP)
The Canucks (3-2-0), who ended a two-game skid with a 5-3 win against the Florida Panthers on Saturday, rank third on the power play (6-for-16, 37.5 percent). The Predators (3-3-0), who have won two straight (outscored opponents 9-2), will be without forward Cody Glass, who is expected to be out 7-10 days with a lower-body injury.
New York Rangers at Calgary Flames (9:45 p.m. ET; SN360, MSG)
Artemi Panarin will try to extend his season-opening point streak to six games (three goals, four assists) for the second straight season for the Rangers (3-2-0). The Flames (2-3-1) have lost four of their past five games and will be without defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who will be serving the second of a four-game suspension for charging Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine on Friday.
Arizona Coyotes at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSW)
The Coyotes (3-2-0) have won two straight but could be without forwards Michael Carcone (undisclosed) and Jason Zucker (lower body), who were each injured in a 2-1 win against the Ducks on Saturday. Carcone was on the ice in a non-contact jersey Monday; Zucker did not practice. The Kings (2-2-1) have yet to win a game at Crypto.com Arena this season (0-2-1).
Philadelphia Flyers at Vegas Golden Knights (11 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN)
Flyers defenseman Marc Staal is expected to be out "weeks" after sustaining an upper-body injury in a 4-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo practiced Monday and could return after missing the past four games with an upper-body injury.
