NHL On Tap: Flames need win at Coyotes to boost playoff hopes

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 three games Wednesday.

Calgary desperate for a win at Arizona

The Calgary Flames begin a three-game road trip at the Arizona Coyotes (9:30 p.m. ET; SN1, SNW, TVAS, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW) needing a win to boost their hopes to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Coming off a 4-3 home loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, the Flames (26-20-11) are 2-3-2 in their past seven games to fall four points behind the Minnesota Wild for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. Winning at Mullett Arena has not been easy for visitors. The Coyotes (20-28-9) are 13-8-2 at home this season and riding a nine-game point streak (5-0-4), their longest since going 11-0-1 from Feb. 4-28, 2012. Arizona goalie Connor Ingram has stopped 104 of 106 shots to go 2-0-1 with 0.68 goals-against average, .981 save percentage and one shutout in his past three games (two starts). -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Nelson looks to extend offensive dominance for Islanders

Brock Nelson will attempt to keep his torrid pace going when the New York Islanders (29-24-7) host the Winnipeg Jets at UBS Arena (7 p.m. ET; SN, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW). With forward Mathew Barzal week to week with a lower-body injury, the Islanders need others to create offense. And no one on the roster has been producing more than Nelson, a 31-year-old center with at least one point in 13 of his past 14 games (11 goals, seven assists) since Jan. 19. Nelson scored twice in a 4-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday, two days after the Boston Bruins ended his 12-game point streak. Bo Horvat is also being counted on to pick up the scoring slack and comes off a two-point game (one goal, one assist) against the Penguins. This much is certain: The Islanders will get scoring chances aplenty if the defense of the Jets (35-21-1) struggles the way it did in a 4-1 victory against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Monday, when goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 50 saves to steal the game. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Stars looking to turn around fortunes

The Dallas Stars have been one of the best teams in the Western Conference all season, but things haven't gone quite as well lately. They've lost four in a row (0-2-2) and seven of their past nine (2-2-5). It makes it a perfect time for the Stars to turn things around starting against the Chicago Blackhawks at American Airlines Center (9:30 p.m. ET; TNT, NBCSCH, SN NOW). That effort should start with a few of their underperforming (of late) forwards; Joe Pavelski is without a goal in 13 consecutive games and Tyler Seguin has one point, an assist, in his past 10. The good news for the Stars (30-15-12) is they lead the Central Division by a point over the Jets. Though the Blackhawks (18-32-5) are 30th in the NHL, they defeated the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in a shootout at home Tuesday. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Wednesdays games

Calgary Flames at Arizona Coyotes (9:30 p.m. ET; SN1, SNW, TVAS, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Coyotes forward Clayton Keller has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in seven games since the All-Star break. Tyler Toffoli and Elias Lindholm are tied for the Flames lead with 49 points. Forward Mikael Backlund has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in his past eight games.
Winnipeg Jets at New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; SN, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Jets forward Kyle Connor has eight points (two goals, six assists) in his past six games, including a three-point performance against the Rangers. This will be the finale of a four-game road trip through the Eastern Conference for Winnipeg. Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson had his five-game point streak (one goal, six assists) end Monday.
Chicago Blackhawks at Dallas Stars (9:30 p.m. ET; TNT, NBCSCH, SN NOW)
Two of the best United States-born players in the NHL face off in Dallas: Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks and Jason Robertson of the Stars. Kane has points in eight of his past 10 games at American Airlines Center (two goals, 10 assists). His 30 goals, 43 assists and 73 points each lead active NHL players against the Stars. Robertson's 22 multipoint games are third among skaters born in the United States this season behind Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk (26) and New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (25). He scored twice in a 6-4 win against the Blackhawks on Nov. 23.