NHL On Tap: Golden Knights host Lightning, go for 5th straight win

Welcome to the NHL On Tap. Three NHL.com writers will share what they are most looking forward to on the schedule each day. Today, their choices from the 13 games on Saturday.

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Golden Knights seek to extend run against Lightning

Since losing seven of eight games (1-5-2), the Golden Knights have turned it around with four straight wins, outscoring opponents 19-5. They look to make it five straight when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday (10:30 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, BSSUN, ESPN+, SN NOW). It's their longest winning streak since winning nine in a row earlier this season from Oct. 24- Nov. 10. Vegas (33-18-4) is first in the Pacific Division, but only a handful of points separate the top four teams -- including the Los Angeles Kings, Seattle Kraken and Edmonton Oilers. The Lightning (35-16-3) conclude a four-game road trip (2-0-1) and have points in five straight (3-0-2). They are in a seesaw battle with the Toronto Maple Leafs for second place (and home ice advanatge in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs) in the Atlantic Division. -- David Satriano, staff writer

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Rangers go for 8th straight win

Seven consecutive wins and the New York Rangers (33-14-8) are starting to look like a force. And that starts with forward Artemi Panarin, who has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in the past three games and now has 64 points (18 goals, 46 assists) in 55 games this season. But he's not alone. Center Mika Zibanejad is also streaking, with eight goals in a six-game goal streak and 11 points in that span. Add in the newly-arrived forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who was traded to the Rangers by the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 9, and there's a lot to like in New York. After rallying twice from three goals down in a 5-4 shootout win against the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, the Rangers visit the Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; CITY, SNE, SNO, SNW, MSG, ESPN+, SN NOW). The Flames (25-19-11) are hungry, two points behind the Minnesota Wild for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. Should be a good one. --Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

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How Swede it is for Karlsson, Dahlin

Two of the best defensemen in the NHL go head-to-head when Erik Karlsson leads the San Jose Sharks against Rasmus Dahlin and the Buffalo Sabres (27-22-4) at SAP Center (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, MSG-B, ESPN+, SN NOW). Karlsson, the odds-on favorite to win the Norris Trophy as the top defensemen in the NHL this season, leads all players at the position with 73 points in 56 games. He is first in goals (18) and first in assists (55) among defensemen and is averaging 25:26 in ice time per game for the Sharks (17-28-11). Dahlin is second in defensemen scoring with 58 points (14 goals, 44 assists) in 52 games and is averaging 26:00 in ice time per game for the Sabres (27-22-4). Each defenseman is from Sweden and Dahlin idolized Karlsson when he was growing up. Each will want to put on a show against the other, giving this game some extra juice. -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

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Saturday games

Colorado Avalanche at St. Louis Blues (2 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, BSMW, ALT, SN NOW)
Nathan MacKinnon has three straight multi-point games (four goals, three assists) for the Avalanche (29-19-5), who could get Cale Makar back against the Blues. The defenseman has missed four games with a head injury. The Blues (26-25-3) have won three straight games, but traded forwards Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday in a three-team deal that included the Minnesota Wild. St. Louis defenseman Torey Krug may not play because of an unspecified injury.
Florida Panthers at Nashville Predators (2 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSFL, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Panthers (28-24-6) have won five of their past seven games (5-2-0). Florida forward Aleksander Barkov has 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in his past 16 games. The Predators have been outscored 15-5, including a 5-0 shutout loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday, and have lost three of four (1-3-0) since the All-Star break.
New York Islanders at Boston Bruins (5 p.m. ET; NESN, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Islanders (28-23-7) are coming off a 5-4 win at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. Islanders center Brock Nelson has five goals in his past four games and 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in a 12-game point streak. The Bruins (41-8-5) have won two straight after going 1-3-1, their most difficult stretch of the season. Forward Jake DeBrusk, who has missed 17 games since he sustained hand and lower-body injuries in the 2023 Discover NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 2, is expected to return for the Bruins.
New Jersey Devils at Pittsburgh Penguins (5:30 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, MSG, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Jack Hughes could return from an upper-body injury for the Devils (35-14-5), who have won the first two games of this four-game season series, including 4-2 in Pittsbugh on Dec. 30. The Devils had a five-game point streak (4-0-1) end in a 4-2 loss to the Blues on Thursday. It was only their fourth regulation road loss of the season. Sidney Crosby has five points in his past two games for the Penguins (27-18-9), including a goal and an assist Friday against the Islanders.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Dallas Stars (6 p.m. ET; BSSW, BSOH, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Johnny Gaudreau is out with a lower-body injury for the Blue Jackets (17-34-4), who had lost five of six (1-4-1) before a 3-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. Gaudreau had played 349 consecutive games, the third longest active streak in the NHL. The Stars (30-14-12) have lost three in a row (0-1-2). Six of their past eight games have gone past regulation. They are 1-0-5 in those games.
Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, TVAS, ESPN+)
The Canadiens (23-28-4) had won three straight before a 6-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. Forward Kirby Dach missed that game with an illness but could return against the Maple Leafs. (33-14-8). Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari will make their Toronto debuts after the forwards were acquired from St. Louis in a three-team trade Friday. It's unclear if goalie Ilya Samsonov will be available for the Maple Leafs because of an illness. If hecan't play, goalie Joseph Woll will start.
Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ABC, SN360, TVAS2)
The Capitals (28-23-6) and Hurricanes (36-10-8) will play in the 2023 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes are streaking, 11-1-1 in their past 13 games. The Capitals have lost three straight games in regulation, the first time that's happened this season. Washington will be without Alex Ovechkin for the third straight game; the forward is on indefinite leave after the death of his father on Wednesday.
Philadelphia Flyers at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SNP, NBCSP, ESPN+)
Flyers forward Travis Konecny already has an NHL career-high 26 goals this season, after scoring 24 goals three times (2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20). He scored twice Thursday against the Seattle Kraken for the Flyers (22-24-10), who've lost three straight (0-2-1). The Canucks (21-30-4) are 1-4-1 in their past six games and have allowed at least five goals in four straight games. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who left a 6-4 loss to the Rangers in the first period with an injury Wednesday, is doubtful for the Canucks.
New York Rangers at Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; CITY, SNE, SNO, SNW, MSG, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Rangers are 8-0-1 in their past nine games. Forward Chris Kreider has nine points (five goals, four assists) during a seven-game point streak for New York. The Flames have lost four of five (1-2-2). Forward Dillon Dube has scored in three straight for the Flames, with four goals and three assists in that span.
Arizona Coyotes at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; BSW, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Coyotes (19-28-8) are on a season-long seven-game point streak (4-0-3). Their last seven-game point streak was Dec. 31, 2015-Jan. 14, 2016 (5-0-2). The Kings (31-18-7) are coming off a 6-3 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Los Angeles is 6-1-1 in its past eight games, including three straight wins. Kings forward Adrian Kempe has scored in four straight and has nine points (eight goals, one assist) in that span.
Buffalo Sabres at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, MSG-B, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Sabres ended a four-game skid (0-3-1) with a 7-3 win against the Ducks on Wednesday. The Sharks begin a seven-game homestand. They are 5-13-7 on home ice this season. Erik Karlsson of the Sharks is on pace for 109 points. The most recent NHL defenseman to recthat many in a single season was Paul Coffey in 1988-89 (113 points in 75 games).
Detroit Red Wings at Seattle Kraken (10:30 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, BSDET, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Detroit (26-20-8) has won five straight and seven of nine. Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri has scored in three straight games; each has been a multi-point game (three goals, four assists). Seattle (31-18-6) was 1-3-1 on a five-game road trip but returned home and defeated the Flyers 6-2 on Thursday. Kraken forward Yanni Gourde scored twice Thursday after 15 games without a goal.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Vegas Golden Knights (10:30 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, BSSUN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov had his 11-game point streak end (16 points; four goals, 12 assists) in a 1-0 shootout loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday. Tampa Bay forward Steven Stamkos doesn't have a goal in eight games after scoring six in four games. Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past three games after having one assist in his previous nine. Rookie forward Paul Cotter has a three-game goal streak for Vegas.