NHL On Tap: Red Wings host Lightning, look to continue playoff push
Stars try to get back on track against Golden Knights; Devils to honor 2003 Stanley Cup team
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NHL.com @NHLdotcom
Red Wings look to continue playoff push
Don't look now, but the Detroit Red Wings (28-21-8) have played themselves back into the thick of the Eastern Conference wild card race. OK, do look now, because what a treat it is to see the Red Wings battling for a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after having been on the outside looking in the previous six seasons. Detroit, which is 7-2-0 this month, is home to the Tampa Bay Lightning (36-17-4), the 2020 and 2021 Stanley Cup champion, at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; BSDET, BSSUNX, ESPN+, SN NOW). Red Wings goalie Ville Husso is 8-2-0 in his past 10 starts, and captain Dylan Larkin leads them with 22 goals, 10 shy of his career best (32 in 2018-19) with 25 games left. Tampa Bay forward Brayden Point is coming off a four-point performance (one goal, three assists) in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. The Red Wings were victorious in their first two games against the Lightning this season, Husso winning both with a .929 save percentage. -- Dave Stubbs, columnist
Stars try to realign
The Dallas Stars were 2-0-3 in five games entering the All-Star break and won their first two games afterwards. Since then, however, Dallas (30-16-12) has sputtered. The Stars are 0-3-2 in their past five games, their latest coming when they blew a 3-0 lead in a 4-3 loss against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. On Saturday, they'll visit the Vegas Golden Knights (35-18-5) at T-Mobile Arena (10 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, BSSW, ESPN+, SN NOW). Forward Joe Pavelski, who led the Stars with 81 points last season, hasn't scored since Jan. 14 (14 games), when he had two goals against the Calgary Flames. Tyler Seguin's goal against Chicago was his first since he scored twice against the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 19, and Jason Robertson's power-play goal Wednesday was Dallas' first since Jan. 27. The Stars' mettle is being tested. We'll see how they respond. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
Devils to honor 2003 Stanley Cup team
The New Jersey Devils will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2003 Stanley Cup championship team prior to puck drop against the Philadelphia Flyers at Prudential Center (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NBCSP, ESPN+, SN NOW). Players, coaches, and management from the team will be honored in a special on-ice ceremony. "It's going to be great," said Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Martin Brodeur, who won three championships (1995, 2000, 2003) with the Devils. "Every time we get together, it brings back some great memories. I'm definitely looking forward to this one because it was a great run in 2003 and it'll be fun to spend time together again." New Jersey (38-15-5) is 7-2-1 in its past 10 games and is second in the Metropolitan Division, three points behind the Carolina Hurricanes. Forward Travis Konecny is doubtful after missing the past two games with an upper-body injury for the Flyers (23-27-10), who are 1-5-1 in their past seven. -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer
Saturday games
Edmonton Oilers at Columbus Blue Jackets (12:30 p.m. ET; SN360, SNW, BSOH, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Oilers (32-19-8) have won their past two games. Connor McDavid set an NHL career high when he scored his 46th goal in his 59th game in Edmonton's 7-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. McDavid had 44 goals in 80 games last season. The Blue Jackets (18-35-5) are 3-5-2 in their past 10. Forward Johnny Gaudreau had three shots on goal in 20:51 in a 2-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, his first game back after missing the previous two with a lower-body injury.
New York Rangers at Washington Capitals (1 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+)
The Capitals, (28-26-6) who have lost six in a row, traded defenseman
Dmitry Orlov
and forward Garnet Hathaway to the Boston Bruins in a three-team trade that included the Minnesota Wild. Alex Ovechkin had five shots in 21:36 of ice time in a 4-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday; he missed the previous four games following the death of his father on Feb. 15. The Rangers (33-16-9) have lost three in a row (0-2-1).
Pittsburgh Penguins at St. Louis Blues (3:30 p.m. ET; ABC, SN360, SNW, ESPN+)
This is the first half of a back to back for the Penguins, (27-21-9) who have lost four in a row. They've been outscored 21-10 during their skid. The Blues (26-28-4) have lost four straight (0-3-1) since trading forward Ryan O'Reilly to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 17. Forward Brandon Saad returned in St. Louis' 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks after missing the previous four games with an upper-body injury.
Boston Bruins at Vancouver Canucks (7 p.m. ET; CITY, SNW, SNP, NESN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Orlov and Hathaway each could debut for the Bruins (44-8-5), who have won five straight and play the second of a four-game road trip. Forward Elias Pettersson has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) during a four-game point streak, forward J.T. Miller has six points (two goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak and forward Anthony Beauvillier has five points (two goals, three assists) during a four-game point streak for the Canucks (23-30-5), who are 2-0-1 in their past three games.
Anaheim Ducks at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSSC, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Defenseman Cam Fowler has seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past five games for Anaheim (18-34-7), which ended a six-game losing streak with a 4-2 win at Washington on Thursday. Andrei Svechnikov has eight points (two goals, six assists) in his past four games for Carolina (39-10-8), which has won five in a row and is 14-1-1 in its past 16 games.
Ottawa Senators at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, CBC, SNE, SNO, TVAS, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Claude Giroux has four points (two goals, two assists) in his past four games for the Senators (27-26-4), who have won four straight against the Canadiens. Montreal (25-29-4) won 5-2 at the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday and closed out a four-game road trip with two straight wins.
Philadelphia Flyers at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NBCSP, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Forward Dawson Mercer has seven goals during an NHL-career high five-game goal streak for New Jersey. Rookie forward Noah Cates has four points (three assists) in his past five games for Philadelphia.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings (8 p.m. ET; BSDET, BSSUNX, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Lightning have points in eight of their past 10 games (5-2-3); the Red Wings are 7-3-0 over the same stretch. Detroit, with three straight wins at home, will need to keep an eye on Point, who has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in his past 11 games.
Dallas Stars at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, BSSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Golden Knights have an eight-game point streak (6-0-2). Defenseman Shea Theodore has two goals and six assists during a five-game point streak. Stars forward Jamie Benn has four goals in his past six games. Benn's 23 goals in 58 games are the most he's had since 2018-19 (27 in 78 games).
Chicago Blackhawks at San Jose Sharks (10 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, NBCSCH, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Patrick Kane, who has been the subject of trade rumors of late, returned to Chicago and will be scratched for "roster management" for the Blackhawks (20-32-5), who have won four straight. Erik Karlsson has 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in his past 11 games for the Sharks (18-30-11), who have lost four of five.
Calgary Flames at Colorado Avalanche (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, ALT, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Nathan MacKinnon has 14 points (six goals, eight assists) during a six-game multipoint streak for the Avalanche (32-19-5), who have won four in a row and are 5-0-1 in their past six games. Mikael Backlund has eight points (four goals, four assists) during a five-game point streak, and four goals during a four-game goal streak for Calgary (27-20-12), which is three points behind Colorado for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.
