NHL On Tap: Bruins visit Maple Leafs looking to end skid

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 two games Wednesday.

Bruins in Toronto attempting to halt skid

When a team's worst skid of the season is 0-2-1 more than three months into its schedule, it's hardly reason to panic. Such is the case with the Boston Bruins (38-7-5), who remain first in the NHL standings with 81 points heading into their game at the Toronto Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, NESN, ESPN+). How good has Boston been? When the Bruins lost 3-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Jan. 26 and 4-3 in overtime to the Florida Panthers on Jan. 28, it was the first time all season they'd lost consecutive games (it took 49 games). Admittedly, Boston did look sluggish in its third consecutive defeat, 4-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. If the Bruins want to turn their fortunes around with a win against the Maple Leafs (31-12-8), they'll need to be much better on the power play. Boston was 0-for-12 with the man-advantage in those three losses, including 0-for-6 against Carolina. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Maple Leafs can close gap in Atlantic

The Bruins appeared to have locked up the Atlantic Division a month into the season, but with a regulation win Wednesday the Maple Leafs can close that gap to nine points. The Maple Leafs and Bruins are going in opposite directions; Toronto is 5-1-1 in its past seven and Boston has lost three straight (0-2-1). Toronto has four players with at least 50 points, tied with the Edmonton Oilers for the most in the NHL, and isn't short on offense,despite center Auston Matthews sidelined three weeks with a knee sprain. This will be the final game for each team before the All-Star break, so expect fireworks. The teams have split two previous games; the Maple Leafs won 2-1 on Nov. 5 and the Bruins won 4-3 on Jan. 14. -- David Satriano, staff writer

Will Thompson lead the Sabres' charge?

Tage Thompson has been a force for the Buffalo Sabres this season, leading them with 68 points (34 goals, 34 assists) in 49 games and earning an invitation to the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Game. And against the Hurricanes (33-9-8), one of the best teams in the NHL, it would certainly help to have the forward in the lineup. Thompson, who sustained an upper-body injury in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 28, missed practice Monday but was back on the ice the next day. Coach Don Granato said the hope is that Thompson will play, which would be a big boost against the Hurricanes (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, SN NOW). The Sabres (26-19-4) are 5-0-2 in their past seven games and, with a win, could move past the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Wednesday games

Carolina Hurricanes at Buffalo Sabres (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, SN NOW)
The Hurricanes are coming off a multigoal third period comeback against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, erasing a 4-1 deficit before winning 5-4 in overtime. The Hurricanes have matched their best 50-game start to a season with 74 points, which they also did in 2021-22 and 2005-06. They have a nine-game point streak (8-0-1) and a six-game winning streak. In addition to Thompson, the Sabres hope they will get forward Dylan Cozens (undisclosed) and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson (lower body) back. Buffalo forward Jeff Skinner will play his 900th NHL game.
Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, NESN, ESPN+)
Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk practiced Tuesday for the first time since he sustained hand and lower-body injuries in the 2023 Discover NHL Winter Classic, but will not play against the Maple Leafs. He is hoping to return Feb. 11, Boston's first game after the All-Star break. Toronto forward William Nylander has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in a seven-game point streak.