NHL On Tap: Golden Knights visit Islanders looking for 5th straight win

There are 10 games on the NHL schedule Tuesday, including three nationally televised in the United States. Here are five things to watch, along with the complete game schedule.

Golden Knights-Islanders part of doubleheader

Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights will try for their fifth straight win when they visit Matthew Schaefer and the streak-breaking New York Islanders for the opening game of an "NHL on TNT" doubleheader (7 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, SCRIPPS, TNT, SNP). Eichel leads the Golden Knights (14-6-8) with 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists) in 28 games this season. He assisted on Tomas Hertl's tying goal with 52 seconds remaining in the third period and scored with eight seconds left in overtime for a 3-2 victory at the New York Rangers on Sunday. Vegas captain Mark Stone has at least one point (four goals, 16 assists) in each of the 12 games he's played this season. Schaefer is third among rookies with 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 30 games. The defenseman already is second in Islanders history in points in a season by an 18-year-old behind forward Tim Connolly, who had 34 in 81 games in 1999-00. New York (16-11-3) ended the Tampa Bay Lightning's seven-game winning streak with a 2-1 win Dec. 2 and the Colorado Avalanche's 17-game point streak with a 6-3 victory Thursday.

Crosby closing in on Lemieux

Sidney Crosby can move closer to Mario Lemieux's team points record when the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Anaheim Ducks (7 p.m. ET; Victory+, SN-PIT, KCOP-13). Crosby leads Pittsburgh (14-7-6) with 30 points (18 goals, 12 assists) in 27 games to increase his career total to 1,717 (643 goals, 1,074 assists) in 1,379 games. That's six behind Lemieux, who had 1,723 points (690 goals, 1,033 assists) in 915 games, for most in Penguins history and eighth in NHL history. Anaheim (18-10-1) will look for its third straight win when it opens a five-game road trip. Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke leads rookies in goals (nine) and points (24) in 29 games at age 19.

Metro showdown in Carolina

The Carolina Hurricanes wrap up a seven-game homestand against the Columbus Blue Jackets (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+) for the first of four meetings between the Metropolitan Division rivals this season. Carolina (17-9-2) is 3-3-0 through the first six games of its homestand and can climb within one point of the idle Washington Capitals for first in the division and Eastern Conference with a win. Columbus (13-10-6) is eighth in the Metropolitan, but just four points behind Carolina. despite going 0-1-1 in the first two games of its three-game road trip. Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski needs one goal for his eighth season with at least 10.

Will Stars point streak go to 11?

The Dallas Stars will try to push their point streak (8-0-2) to 11 games when they visit the Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, Victory+). Jason Robertson (seven goals, six assists) and Wyatt Johnson (five goals, eight assists) each have 13 points to lead Dallas (20-5-5) during its streak. Stars goalie Jake Oettinger took over League lead in wins (14-4-2) and was named the NHL Second Star of the Week after going 3-0-0 with 0.98 goals-against average, .961 save percentage and one shutout during the period ending Dec. 7. Gabriel Vilardi has seven goals in his past nine games for the Jets (14-13-1), who open a four-game homestand. Eric Comrie has started nine of Winnipeg's 10 games (3-5-1, 3.25 GAA, .893 save percentage) without goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who is sidelined following arthroscopic knee surgery.

MacKinnon on verge of hitting 50

Nathan MacKinnon can become the first player to reach 50 points this season when the Avalanche visit the Nashville Predators (9:30 p.m. ET: HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, ALT, SNP). MacKinnon will play his 900th NHL game and leads the League with 24 goals and 49 points in 29 games, including seven goals and 12 points in his past seven. He needs one goal to pass Joe Sakic (391) for most goals in Avalanche history (since 1995-96). Colorado (21-2-6) is 2-1-0 through the first three games of its four-game road trip and can set a team record for most wins through 30 games (21 in 2013-14, 2000-01 and 1994-95). Nashville (10-14-4) returns home after splitting a two-game trip with the Florida Panthers (2-1 overtime win) and Hurricanes (6-3 loss).

The schedule

Tampa Bay Lightning at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, The Spot)

New Jersey Devils at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, MSGSN)

Vegas Golden Knights at New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, SCRIPPS, TNT, SNP)

San Jose Sharks at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, NBCSCA)

Anaheim Ducks at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; Victory+, SN-PIT, KCOP-13)

Columbus Blue Jackets at Carolina Hurricanes (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

Boston Bruins at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, NESN)

Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, Victory+)

Buffalo Sabres at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; SNW, MSG-B)

Colorado Avalanche at Nashville Predators (9:30 p.m. ET: HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, ALT, SNP)