NHL On Tap: Panthers host Sabres with eyes on 1st in division, NHL
Central-leading Stars visit Avalanche; Hagel, Kucherov lead Lightning into Philadelphia
© Joel Auerbach/Getty Images
Panthers aiming for first in division, NHL
The Florida Panthers will try for their 12th win in 14 games and continue their push for first in the Atlantic Division and the NHL when they host the Buffalo Sabres at Amerant Bank Arena (7 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SNP, SNO, SNE). Florida (38-16-4) is two points behind the Boston Bruins for the division lead and though they trail the Vancouver Canucks by two, it leads the League with a .690 points percentage. Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is 7-1-0 with a 1.61 goals-against average, .947 save percentage and one shutout since Jan. 24 while not allowing more than two goals in any of the eight games. A ninth straight game of allowing two or less would break the Panthers record he shares with Tomas Vokoun (twice in 2007-08), Mark Fitzpatrick (1996-97) and John Vanbiesbrouck (1994-95, 1995-96). The Sabres (27-27-4) have won three in a row for the first time this season and seek their first four-game winning streak since a five-game run from Jan. 19-26 of last season. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
WSH@FLA: Forsling whips in one-timer on the rush to win it in OT
Avalanche host Stars in big division game
Oh, the points are big this time of year, aren't they? Actually, they're big all year but they loom larger the closer we get to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It's been a tight race in the Central Division between the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche, who are first, second and third respectively. Colorado is four points behind Dallas, its opponent at Ball Arena (9:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+). The Stars (35-16-9) are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Monday and are 1-2-3 in their past six games but have balanced scoring with seven players having at least 40 points led by Jason Robertson's 57 points (19 goals, 38 assists) in 60 games. For the Avalanche (35-19-5), Nathan MacKinnon is having a monster season with 96 points (34 goals, 62 assists), second in the NHL behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (102; 38 goals, 64 assists). MacKinnon is also on a 28-game, season-opening home point streak, tied for sixth-longest at any point in NHL history (Wayne Gretzky had a point in 40 straight home games in 1988-89). Big performers having big seasons heading into a big game. This is my kind of contest. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
COL@DET: MacKinnon puts a shot in on the short side to score first
Hagel, Kucherov earning high praise from Lightning
Brandon Hagel will try to extend his point streak to 14 games when the Lightning (32-23-5) visit the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, NBCSP). Hagel had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 win at the New Jersey Devils on Sunday and has 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) during his 13-game run. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper reiterated Sunday just how valuable Hagel has been the past month. "If you had to pick an MVP on our team, [Kucherov] would be leading the way," he said, "but I would be hard-pressed to say, especially after coming back from the All-Star break, that [Hagel] isn't right there with him." Kucherov became the first in the NHL to reach 100 points this season when he had four (one goal, three assists) Sunday and is 40 points ahead of Tampa Bay's second-leading scorer, Brayden Point. The Flyers (30-22-7) have lost two straight and are third in the Metropolitan Division, five points ahead of the Devils. Forward Scott Laughton has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in a seven-game point streak. -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer
WSH@TBL: Hagel gets a drop pass and wires it in
Tuesday games
Washington Capitals at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; MNMT2, BSDET)
Fourth-place Washington (27-21-9) trails Philadelphia by four points with two games in hand. Captain Alex Ovechkin has 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in his past 12 games. The Red Wings (32-20-6) have won five in a row and forward Alex DeBrincat has nine points (four goals, five assists) in his past seven games.
Buffalo Sabres at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SNP, SNO, SNE)
Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is 10-6-0 and leads the NHL among goalies to play at least five games with a 1.76 GAA, .936 save percentage and three shutouts dating to Jan. 1. Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk will return from an upper-body injury that kept him out of a 3-2 overtime win against the Capitals on Saturday. Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (43) and Kucherov (41 points) are the only players who have more than Tkachuk's 38 (15 goals, 23 assists) in 21 games since New Year's Day.
Arizona Coyotes at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, SCRIPPS)
The Coyotes (23-29-5) have lost 12 in a row (0-10-2) and forward Clayton Keller will not play because of an upper-body injury. The Canadiens (22-28-8) are on a five-game losing streak, allowing a power-play goal in each.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, NBCSP)
The Lightning end a three-game road trip. They've outscored opponents 8-3 in two straight wins. Flyers forward Travis Konecny will miss his third straight game and is day to day with an upper-body injury. Philadelphia defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Jamie Drysdale are week to week, each with an upper-body injury. The latter was injured on a hit from Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jansen Harkins in the second period of a 7-6 loss Sunday. Ristolainen was placed on injured reserve and the Flyers recalled forward Bobby Brink from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League.
Vegas Golden Knights at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, SCRIPPS)
Jonathan Marchessault had a goal in a 4-3 shootout loss at the Ottawa Senators on Saturday to become the first player in Vegas history to score at least 30 goals twice. The Golden Knights (32-19-7) have lost three straight and five of six (1-4-1). The Maple Leafs (33-16-8) are on a seven-game winning streak and Mitchell Marner has points in 10 straight games (three goals, 18 assists). They will be without Timothy Liljegren, a defenseman who's day to day with an undisclosed injury sustained in a 4-3 win against the Avalanche on Saturday.
Carolina Hurricanes at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; BSWIX, BSNX, BSSO)
The Hurricanes (34-18-6) have lost two in a row (0-1-1) after a four-game winning streak. Andrei Svechnikov (124 goals, 174 assists in 384 games) is two points from 300 in the NHL. The Wild (28-24-6) are 7-1-1 in their past nine games and four points behind the Nashville Predators for the second wild card in the playoffs from the Western Conference. Forward Kirill Kaprizov can equal his team record set Nov. 11-Dec. 1, 2022, by extending his assist streak to nine games. He has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in his past eight.
Ottawa Senators at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, TSN5, RDS2)
Claude Giroux has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his past nine games for the Senators (25-28-3). The Predators (32-25-2) open a five-game homestand after winning five straight on the road for the first time in their history. Their six wins since the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend are tied with the Jets, Calgary Flames and Los Angeles Kings for second-most in the West behind the Wild (seven).
St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSMW)
Robert Thomas has 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in his past eight games for St. Louis (30-25-2). Goalie Connor Hellebuyck is 5-2-0 with a 2.29 GAA, .926 save percentage and one shutout in his past seven games (all starts) for Winnipeg (36-15-5), which has won three in a row and six of seven.
Los Angeles Kings at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SNW, BSW)
Los Angeles (29-17-10) is 6-3-0 since Jim Hiller replaced Todd McLellan as coach Feb. 2, and 7-2-1 in its past 10 games. Forward Adrian Kempe left a 4-2 loss to the Oilers on Monday with 1:35 remaining after he got tripped up by defenseman Cody Ceci. He held his arm as he went down the tunnel. "For him not to finish the game means something’s not right, because it was a big moment," interim coach Jim Hiller said. Nazem Kadri has four goals during a three-game goal streak for the Flames (28-25-5).
Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche (9:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)
Logan Stankoven scored his first NHL goal playing his second game for the Stars on Monday, his 21st birthday. The forward became the 18th player to score his first goal in the League on his birthday. The Avalanche had won six in a row at home prior to a 4-3 loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday. MacKinnon will play his 60th game and can tie Peter Stastny (60) as the fastest player in Colorado/Quebec Nordiques history to reach 100 points in one season. Cale Makar's 307 points (78 goals, 229 assists) are tied with Tyson Barrie for most by a defenseman in franchise history.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNP, SN-PIT)
Forward Bryan Rust is week to week with an upper-body injury for the Penguins (26-21-8), who begin a four-game road trip after a 2-1-1 homestand. Captain Sidney Crosby had goal and three assists in a 7-6 win against the Flyers on Sunday and has eight points (four goals) in his past five games. Forward J.T. Miller has nine points (five goals, four assists) in a four-game point streak for the Canucks (38-16-6), who defeated the Bruins 3-2 in overtime Saturday to end a season-high four-game losing streak.
New Jersey Devils at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NBCSCA, SNO, SNE)
New Jersey forward Timo Meier returns to San Jose for the first time since he was acquired in a trade Feb. 26, 2023. The Devils (29-25-4) are 1-3-0 in their past four and seven points behind the Lightning for the second wild card into the playoffs from the East. The Sharks (15-36-5) have lost five of six (1-4-1) and play the fourth of a five-game homestand.
