Welcome to NHL On Tap, a daily look at the games on the NHL schedule. There are five games on the schedule Wednesday, three of which will be nationally televised in the United States and Canada.
Games of the day
Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MAX, TNT)
All eyes will be on Sidney Crosby, who looks to become the 21st player in NHL history to score 600 goals when the Penguins (6-9-2) host the Red Wings (6-7-1) at PPG Paints Arena in the first game of an NHL on TNT doubleheader on Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Veterans Appreciation Night. Crosby (598 goals in 1,289 NHL games) needs two goals to reach 600 and three to tie Jari Kurri (601 goals in 1,251 games) for 20th on the all-time list. Pittsburgh lost 7-1 to the Dallas Stars on Monday and is 1-2-1 in its past four games. Detroit goalie Cam Talbot is one win from 250 in his NHL career. The 37-year-old goalie is 4-2-1 this season with a 2.40 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in eight games (seven starts). He is 249-178-43 in 494 games (472 starts) over 12 seasons.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals (7:30 p.m. ET; MNMT, SN, TVAS)
Alex Ovechkin, who has scored eight goals in his past seven games and 10 this season, looks to move closer to Wayne Gretzky's NHL record when the Capitals (10-4-0) host the Maple Leafs at Capital One Arena. Ovechkin has 863 career goals, leaving him 31 shy of Gretzky’s record (894). Dylan Strome has 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in the past seven games and has an assist on all 10 of Ovechkin's goals this season. Mitch Marner has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in his past 10 games for the Maple Leafs (9-6-2), who were without Auston Matthews (upper body) for a fourth straight game in a 3-0 home loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.
Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche (10 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN360, TVAS)
Nathan MacKinnon will look to extend his season-opening home point streak to 11 games when the Avalanche host the Kings at Ball Arena. MacKinnon, who leads the NHL with 30 points (seven goals, 23 assists) in 16 games, has five goals and 17 assists in 10 home games for Colorado (8-8-0), which has won two straight and three of four. Trevor Moore looks to extend his point streak to seven games (seven points; two goals, five assists) for the Kings (9-5-3), who have lost two of three. Forward Phillip Danault has six points (one goal, five assists) in his past six games.
Other Tuesday games
Carolina Hurricanes at Utah Hockey Club (9 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, Utah16)
Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov (8-1-0) has won seven straight games for the Hurricanes (11-3-0), who have won nine of their past 10. Utah (6-6-3), which begins a three-game homestand, has lost three of four (1-2-1).
Vegas Golden Knights at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, SCRIPPS, KCOP-13)
Jack Eichel heads to Honda Center with a three-game point streak (eight points; two goals, six assists) for the Golden Knights (9-4-2), who play seven of their next eight on the road. Anaheim (5-7-2) ended a four-game skid (0-3-1) Sunday with a 4-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Goalie John Gibson made 38 saves in his season debut after undergoing an emergency appendectomy Sept. 25.
