Coyotes' winning streak, Crosby vs. Ovechkin highlight week ahead

The surprising Arizona Coyotes and Sidney Crosby continuing his rivalry with Alex Ovechkin, are among the highlights of the week ahead in the NHL.
Here's a look at 5 things to watch:

1. Wolf Pack

The Arizona Coyotes can win six consecutive games for the first time since Feb. 16-28, 2012, when they play the Philadelphia Flyers at Gila River Arena on Monday (9 p.m. ET; FS-A, NBCSP, NHL.TV).
The Coyotes advanced to the Western Conference Final in 2012, when they lost to the Los Angeles Kings in five games. It was the last time they were in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Arizona, which started 1-10-1 last season, is 7-5-0 while outscoring opponents 24-7 during its longest winning streak since a five-game run from Oct. 26-Nov. 5, 2013. The Coyotes are also the first team to score a shorthanded goal in four straight games since the New Jersey Devils from Jan. 6-11, 2012.

2. Crosby vs. Ovechkin

Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin resume their longstanding rivalry when the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Washington Capitals for the first game of a Wednesday Night Hockey doubleheader (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS).
Crosby and Ovechkin meet for the second time this season. The Penguins center and captain had two assists in a 7-6 overtime victory at PPG Paints Arena on Oct. 4. The Capitals forward and captain scored his 609th NHL goal, passing Dino Ciccarelli for 18th place on the all-time list.
Crosby has 65 points (20 goals, 45 assists) in 46 regular-season games against Ovechkin and the Capitals since 2005-06. Ovechkin has faced Crosby and the Penguins 53 times with 57 points (34 goals, 23 assists).

3. Hoffman faces Senators for first time

Florida Panthers forward Mike Hoffman will face his former Ottawa Senators teammates for the first time at BB&T Center on Sunday (5 p.m. ET; TVAS, FS-F, TSN5, NHL.TV). Hoffman was traded by the Senators to the San Jose Sharks, and then from the Sharks to the Panthers on June 19.
Hoffman is on a nine-game point scoring streak (nine points; six goals, three assists), including goals in four straight games from Oct. 20-27. He had 230 points (107 points, 123 assists) in his first 342 NHL games with Ottawa, including four straight 20-goal seasons from 2014-15 to 2017-18.
Hoffman returns to Canadian Tire Centre to play the Senators on Nov. 19.

4. Hockey Hall of Fame Game

The celebration of the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2018 begins when the Devils play the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Friday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN4, MSG+, NHL.TV).
The Devils are 1-5-1 after a 4-0-0 start. The Maple Leafs are 3-4-0 since starting 6-1-0, including 1-2-0 without injured center Auston Matthews, who is sidelined with a left shoulder injury.
Martin Brodeur, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Willie O'Ree, Alexander Yakushev, Martin St. Louis and Jayna Hefford will enter the Hockey Hall of Fame on Nov. 12.

5. Milestone watch

Sharks forward Joe Thornton, who returned Oct. 30 after missing nine games with an infection in his surgically repaired right knee, is two goals from 400 in the NHL and three assists from passing Mario Lemieux (1,033) for 11th place on the all-time list. The Sharks play the Minnesota Wild at SAP Center on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, FS-N, NHL.TV), are on the road at the Dallas Stars on Thursday and St. Louis Blues on Friday, and back home against the Calgary Flames on Sunday.
In addition, two players can reach 300 NHL goals.
* Forward Patrice Bergeron needs four goals with the Boston Bruins, who are on a four-game homestand that begins against the Stars on Monday (7 p.m. ET; FS-TN, NESN, NHL.TV) and continues against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, the Maple Leafs on Saturday and the Golden Knights on Sunday.
* Forward Anze Kopitar is six goals from the milestone with the Los Angeles Kings, who are home for games against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, PRIME, NHL.TV), the Wild on Thursday and the Flames on Saturday.
Goalie Henrik Lundqvist is two wins from tying Jacques Plante (437) for seventh place on the NHL all-time list. The New York Rangers are home against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MSG, TSN2, RDS, NHL.TV) and play at the Detroit Red Wings on Friday and Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.