Welcome to 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 three games Wednesday.
Faber looks to add to Calder resume
Brock Faber can overtake Connor Bedard for the NHL rookie scoring lead when the Minnesota Wild play the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena (9:30 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSWI, BSN, TVAS). Faber has 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 52 games, including 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in his past 10. Bedard has 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 39 games. He has been out with a fractured jaw since Jan. 5 but could return next week. Voters for the Calder Trophy should look at more than points when deciding the rookie of the year. Faber is a defenseman and leads NHL rookies in average ice time (24:59) by far; Bedard is a center. Still, the more points Faber can pile up while Bedard is sidelined, the better for him in the Calder race. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist
Penguins hope to break out against Panthers
The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to end a streak they want no part of, and the Florida Panthers will try to keep a good one going when they play each other at PPG Paints Arena (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, TVAS). The Penguins (23-19-7) have gone 10 straight games without scoring more than three goals; they haven’t since a 4-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 8. They are 3-4-3 in the 10-game stretch, averaging 2.30 goals per game with a power play that is operating at 11.1 percent. The good news, and the reason they've still been able to pick up nine out of a possible 20 points in that stretch, is they're allowing 2.40 goals per game. So, they're only minus-1 in goal differential (23-24), but Pittsburgh has to pick it up offensively if it’s going to make up ground in the Metropolitan Division and the Stanley Cup Playoff race in the Eastern Conference. Breaking out against Florida will not be easy; the Panthers (33-15-4) have not allowed more than two goals in a game in seven straight. They haven’t since a 6-4 loss to the Wild on Jan. 19. Since then, Florida is 6-1-0 with 11 goals against, including a 3-2 shootout win in Pittsburgh on Jan. 26, when Sergei Bobrovsky made 35 saves. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer
Jets looking to start a run
The Winnipeg Jets hope to keep the momentum going against the San Jose Sharks (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, NBCSCA) after getting back in the win column with a 2-1 victory against the Penguins on Saturday. Prior to defeating Pittsburgh, Winnipeg had lost five straight (0-4-1) for the first time this season. The slide dropped the Jets (31-14-5) below the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division. San Jose (14-32-5) has not played since a 3-2 overtime loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 31. The Sharks had a 10-day break following 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend Feb. 1-3 in Toronto. They were 4-1-1 going into the break. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer
Wednesday games
Florida Panthers at Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, TVAS)
Evgeni Malkin has one goal in the past 10 games. The Penguins center scored it against the Panthers at 19:18 of the third period in a 3-2 shootout loss Jan. 26. Pittsburgh center Sidney Crosby had a nine-game point streak end in a 2-1 loss to Winnipeg on Saturday. Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson needs two points to reach 800 for his NHL career. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart leads the League with 22 power-play goals.
San Jose Sharks at Winnipeg Jets (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, NBCSCA)
It will be two weeks between games for the Sharks, who were gaining traction prior to All-Star Weekend. Forward Sean Monahan has yet to collect a point in three games with the Jets since he was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 2 for a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a conditional third-round selection in 2027. Monahan has 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) in 52 games this season.
Minnesota Wild at Arizona Coyotes (9:30 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSWI, BSN, TVAS)
Marco Rossi has 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 52 games for Minnesota (24-23-5), third among NHL rookies. Logan Cooley has 25 points (six goals, 19 assists) for the Coyotes (23-24-4), eighth among NHL rookies. The Wild have won three in a row and six of eight. Arizona has lost six straight (0-5-1), but won the prior game between the teams, 6-0 at Minnesota on Jan. 13.
