Welcome to the NHL On Tap, a daily look at the games on the NHL schedule. There is one game on the schedule for Friday and it will be nationally televised in the United States and in Canada:
Game of the day
Ottawa Senators at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NHLN, TSN5, RDS)
Two of the hottest scorers in the NHL will go head-to-head when Martin Necas and the Hurricanes take on Tim Stutzle and the Senators at Lenovo Center. Necas has 43 points (14 goals, 29 assists) in 28 games, tied for third in the NHL, four points behind League leader Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. Necas also is within 10 points of his 2023-24 total of 53 points (24 goal, 29 assists) in 77 games. The 25-year-old forward has six points (two goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak. Stützle leads the Senators with 36 points (10 goals, 26 assists) in 28 games and the 22-year-old forward has three straight two-assist games. Ottawa (13-13-2) has won three of its past four (3-1-0) and is 5-2-1 in its past eight games. The Hurricanes (18-9-1) defeated the Senators 4-0 in their previous meeting this season, Nov. 16 at Lenovo Center, and are 11-3-0 at home this season. Shayne Gostisbehere can tie Dougie Hamilton's Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers record for defensemen by extending his home point streak to nine games (two goals, nine assists). Senators forward Drake Batherson is coming off a four-point game (three goals, one assist), including a natural hat trick, in a 5-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.
