NHL On Tap: Sabres begin critical 3-game Western swing at Kings

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 five games Monday.

Sabres head West, may face point of no return

One could argue the three-game, California road trip for the Buffalo Sabres beginning at the Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, SNW, TVAS, BSW, MSG-B, ESPN+) will ultimately determine whether they advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011. The Sabres (26-21-4) have lost three in a row (0-2-1) following a five-game winning streak, the latest a 7-2 loss to the Calgary Flames in Buffalo on Saturday, when they allowed seven straight goals after leading 2-0 after the first period. The Flames "came out and just punched us in the face," said Sabres captain Kyle Okposo, a defeat that will sting if the longest postseason drought in NHL history is extended to 12 seasons. Buffalo is five points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild card from the Eastern Conference. The Kings (29-18-7) are 6-2-0 in their past eight games against the Sabres in Los Angeles. The Pacific Division contenders were sparked by Adrian Kempe's four consecutive goals in a 6-0 home win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. -- Jon Lane, staff writer

Wild seek home cooking against Panthers

The Minnesota Wild play the third of a season-long seven-game homestand when they host the Florida Panthers (8 p.m. ET; TVAS, BSN, BSWI, BSFLX, ESPN+) looking to regain their footing in the Western Conference playoff race. The Wild (28-20-4) are 3-6-0 in their past nine games after a 3-2 shootout win against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. They hold the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the West, percentage points ahead of the Calgary Flames, but are 16-9-1 at Xcel Energy Center this season. So this homestand is an opportunity to generate positive momentum, especially with Minnesota 14-4-0 at home since Nov. 19. The Panthers (26-23-6) are three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild card from the East after a 5-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday that ended their season-long three-game winning streak. Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk will be a handful for the Wild. Tkachuk had two assists and seven shots on goal in 23:53 of ice time against the Avalanche and leads the NHL with 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 17 games since Jan. 3. -- Jim Cerny, managing editor

Flames looking for steady spark

The Flames (25-18-10) are coming off one of their most impressive wins of the season, scoring seven straight goals in a 7-2 victory against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. They're 1-1-1 in their past three games and play the finale of a four-game road trip out of the NHL Al-Star break against the Ottawa Senators (24-24-3) at Canadian Tire Centre (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW). The Flames have 60 points with a .566 points percentage that trails the Wild for the second wild card from the West. They don't need a lot of lopsided wins like they got Saturday but do need more consistency. Ottawa goalie Anton Forsberg is out indefinitely after he was taken off the ice on a stretcher at 14:37 of the third period Saturday. Goalie Cam Talbot hasn't played since Jan. 25 because of a lower-body injury, but Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said Sunday he should be back in two weeks. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Monday games

Calgary Flames at Ottawa Senators (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau had two assists Saturday after going without a point in his previous three games. The Senators won four in a row prior to a 6-3 loss to the Oilers on Saturday. Goalie Kevin Mandolese was recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League on Sunday.
Arizona Coyotes at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Speculation continues to grow regarding Jakob Chychrun's future with the Coyotes (17-28-8), who scratched the defenseman before a 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday for what they said was trade-related reasons. The 2023 NHL Trade Deadline is 3 p.m. ET on March 3. The Predators (25-19-6) have won six of eight (6-2-0). Forward Filip Foprsberg is day to day wit han upper-body injury. Forward Matt Duchene has seven points (five goals, two assists) in his past five games and scored 34 seconds into overtime for a 2-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
Florida Panthers at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; TVAS, BSN, BSWI, BSFLX, ESPN+)
It's the second and final game between Florida and Minnesota this season; the Panthers won 5-3 at home Jan. 21. Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov had three assists in the loss; he had an eight-game point streak (four goals, six assists) end Saturday. The Panthers have allowed one power-play goal in their past five games (14 opportunities).
Detroit Red Wings at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SNP, BSDET, TVAS, BSN, BSWI, BSFLX, ESPN+)
The Red Wings (23-20-8) begin a season-long, five-game road trip. Anthony Beauvillier has scored a power-play goal in consecutive games. The forward was acquired by the Canucks (21-28-4) in the trade that sent Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders on Jan. 30.
Buffalo Sabres at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, SNW, TVAS, BSW, MSG-B, ESPN+)
Sabres forward Tage Thompson's 69 points (35 goals, 34 assists) is an NHL career high, breaking the 68 he had in 78 games last season. He has 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in his past 16 games. Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has eight points (one goal, seven assists) in his past eight and 12 of his 42 assists this season have been on a goal scored by Thompson. Kempe is the first Kings player to score four goals in a game since Dustin Brown against the Wild on April 5, 2018, and the first with three in a period since Brown against the Wild on March 7, 2020.