Welcome to the NHL On Tap, a daily look at the games on the NHL schedule. There are three games on the schedule for Friday, including one nationally televised in the United States.
Games of the day
Toronto Maple Leafs at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NHLN, SNO, TVAS)
The Maple Leafs (36-20-2) have won three straight, are 6-1-0 in their past seven and with a victory can move one point past the Florida Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division. Defenseman Chris Tanev, who will not play against the Rangers, is day to day with an upper body injury sustained in a 5-4 overtime win at the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. Morgan Rielly has 502 points in his NHL career, the third defenseman in Toronto history to pass the 500-point mark behind Borje Salming (768 points) and Tomas Kaberle (520). The Rangers (29-25-4) have won two in a row and are 5-2-0 in their past seven as they try to get back into the Stanley Cup Playoff picture. They’re four points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Center Mika Zibanejad has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in his past eight games.
Los Angeles Kings at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; FDSNW, Victory+)
The Kings (31-17-8) have gotten at least one point in seven straight games (5-0-2). Center Quinton Byfield has five assists in his past two games, including four in a 5-2 win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday. Goalie Darcy Kuemper is 18-6-6 with a 2.21 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and two shutouts in 31 starts this season. The Stars (37-19-2) are 8-2-1 in their past 11 games. Forward Jason Robertson has 33 points (17 goals, 16 assists) in his past 24 games and forward Mavrik Bourque enters this one on a six-game point streak (three goals, three assists).
