NHL Live with Bill Pidto and E.J. Hradek, on NHL Network, will talk to the surging Gustav Nyquist at 5:30 p.m. ET, as the Detroit Red Wings forward discusses his team's efforts to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a 23rd consecutive season.

There are six games on the Monday schedule, including the New York Rangers hosting the Phoenix Coyotes. Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who in recent days has set franchise records with 301 career wins and 50 shutouts, joins Kenny Albert at Madison Square Garden to talk about the milestones and the race to the playoffs. Mike Richter, whose wins record Lundqvist surpassed, will also join us via the MSG Arena Cam at 5:35 p.m.

At TD Garden, the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens will renew their historic rivalry. We'll go out on Arena Cam to talk to Boston Globe beat writer Amalie Benjamin about the Bruins' 12-game winning streak, the longest in the League this season, and whether they can continue it against their Original Six opponent.

In addition, Barry Melrose will join us for his weekly coaches chat.

The Anaheim Ducks have recalled defenseman Sami Vatanen from the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League.

Vatanen has 14 points and a plus-2 rating in 41 games with the Ducks this season. Despite spending time in the AHL and being a healthy scratch for a number of games, Vatanen is tied with Cam Fowler for the Anaheim lead in goals among defensemen with six.

Columbus Blue Jackets right wing R.J. Umberger is back in the lineup against the New York Islanders after he was a healthy scratch the past two games.

Umberger will skate with Nick Foligno and Artem Anisimov in place of right wing Corey Tropp. He leads Columbus with eight power-play goals and is tied for third on the Blue Jackets with 18 goals.

"The way this team's been battling all year, and the last couple of games, it’s hard to watch," Umberger told the Columbus Dispatch on being a healthy scratch for the first time in his career. "I want to be a part of it."

The Blue Jackets are hoping Umberger can help put life into a power play that's 0-for-30 since March 4.

Dallas Stars forward Erik Cole is out with an upper-body injury and will not play against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday afternoon at American Airlines Center. He is considered day-to-day.

Cole missed practice Friday with what was described by Dallas coach Lindy Ruff as a maintenance day. Ruff explained early Saturday that Cole would be a game-time decision against Ottawa. Cole's absence was tempered by the return of Shawn Horcoff, who had missed four games with a broken finger.

Saturday will mark the first time Cole has missed a game since March 10, 2010, when he played with the Carolina Hurricanes. The injury ends his streak of 296 consecutive games played.

In 69 games this season, Cole has 16 goals and 29 points.

The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled forward Teuvo Teravainen from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.

High hopes surround the 19-year-old prospect, but the Blackhawks announced he won't make his NHL debut Friday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

"There are so many good players on this team," Teravainen said. "I don't need to be Superman, just do my thing and help the team."

Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown, who has missed the past two games with an illness, is a game-time decision Thursday against the Washington Capitals at Staples Center. Brown practiced Wednesday, but the Kings did not participate in line rushes Thursday morning.

The Kings enter the game on a three-game losing streak after winning eight straight. They will look to contain a Capitals team on a three-game winning streak that has them tied in points with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 12 games left on their schedule. The Blue Jackets own the tiebreaker with two games in hand.

Washington's potent offense has scored 11 goals during its winning streak, during which it has never trailed. Forward Alex Ovechkin, the NHL's leading goal scorer with 46, has two goals in his past three games, but hasn't scored in four career games against the Kings and is without a point in the past two.

"I mean, he's a shooter," Kings center Mike Richards told LAKingsInsider.com. "That's evident. He gets a lot of his opportunities on the power play, so we have to take that away. But he's a threat every time he's on the ice, and we have to know where he is and just have to understand that he's a shooter and [Capitals center Nicklas] Backstrom's the passer. So it's just a matter of trying to get the puck out of Backstrom's hands and not allow Ovechkin to get into scoring areas to shoot."

The road toward what they hope is a 23rd consecutive berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs doesn't get any easier for the Detroit Red Wings.

Two nights after pulling out a key 3-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Red Wings return to action Thursday against the Metropolitan Division-leading Pittsburgh Penguins at Joe Louis Arena (7:30 p.m. ET, NHLN-US).

"They're very similar to Chicago with the skill they have and the success they have on the power play," Red Wings forward Drew Miller told MLive.com. "We just got to stay true to our system and play strong and count on [goalie Jimmy Howard] to make saves and block shots around him too."

NHL Live with Steve Mears and E.J. Hradek, at 5 p.m. ET on NHL Network, will not only preview the nine-game schedule Thursday but also look to the future as Connor McDavid, a top prospect for the 2015 NHL Draft, joins us on the phone to talk about his Ontario Hockey League season with the Erie Otters, participating in the World Junior Championship and his hopes for the future.

The Columbus Blue Jackets continue their push for the franchise's second berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as they face the Montreal Canadiens, and Blue Jackets analyst Jody Shelley will join us from the Arena Cam at Bell Centre to talk about their postseason push.

It's also the first day of spring and E.J. will look at what NHL hopefuls need to "spring ahead" into the playoffs.

NHL Live with Steve Mears and E.J. Hradek, at 5 p.m. ET on NHL Network, will preview the Wednesday Night Rivalry game between the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks by heading out to the United Center to welcome in NBCSN analyst Pierre McGuire via the Arena Cam.

Among the other games on the schedule Wednesday, the Winnipeg Jets host the Colorado Avalanche and we'll go out on Arena Cam to MTS Centre where Jets radio voice Brian Munz will join us.

The Philadelphia Flyers are suddenly surging, and forward Brayden Schenn will be on the program to discuss their run at a Stanley Cup Playoffs spot.

NHL Network insider Bob McKenzie will also be on the show with the latest news from around the League.

Since being traded from the New York Islanders to the Buffalo Sabres along with two draft picks in exchange for forward Thomas Vanek more than four months ago, plenty has happened to Minnesota Wild forward Matt Moulson.

But one thing Moulson hasn't done is play against the team with whom he spent four successful seasons. That changes Tuesday when Moulson returns to Nassau Coliseum to take on the Islanders with the Wild, who acquired him from Buffalo at the NHL Trade Deadline along with forward Cody McCormick for draft picks and forward Torrey Mitchell.

"A little weird. I've never been in the visiting room here. It's exciting but an important game for us. We need two points on this trip and to get some wins here," Moulson said after practice Tuesday.