NHL.com
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 seven games Thursday.
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Vancouver going for lucky 13
It has been a fantastic season thus far for the Vancouver Canucks (34-11-5), who have the best record in the NHL and are on a 12-game point streak (10-0-2). They'll look to stretch it to 13 when they visit the Boston Bruins at TD Garden (7 p.m. ET; NESN, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS). Elias Lindholm, acquired by the Canucks in a trade with the Calgary Flames on Wednesday, wasted no time in contributing to the streak. He had two power-play goals in his Vancouver debut, a 3-2 win at the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. The forward can become the fourth player in Canucks history to score at least three goals in his first two games with Vancouver, joining Greg Adams (four in 1987-88), Thomas Gradin (four in 1978-79) and Elias Pettersson (three in 2018-19). Goalie Thatcher Demko has won each of his past nine starts and defenseman Quinn Hughes has 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in a seven-game point streak. We'll see if the Canucks can keep rolling against the Bruins (31-10-9), who won seven of eight before a 4-1 loss to the Flames on Tuesday. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
Islanders embracing defense-first mantra under Roy
The New York Islanders are 2-2-1 since Patrick Roy took over as coach Jan. 20. They're coming off a 3-2 win at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, the fourth time in five games they've limited the opponent to three goals or fewer and the third time they did it in regulation. The Islanders (21-17-12) are showing improvement in the defensive areas of the game, starting with their desire to push the pace. The next test will be a big one, against the Tampa Bay Lightning at UBS Arena (8 p.m. ET; ESPN). The Lightning (27-19-5) are coming off a 3-1 loss at the New York Rangers on Wednesday, when they lost defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to what appears to be a significant leg injury. The Lightning also were tired, coach Jon Cooper said, because they had been off since Jan. 27. But Tampa Bay didn't have to change hotels for the second half of a back-to-back, so you'd expect them to have their legs back Thursday. The loss to the Rangers was the Lightning's second in 10 games (8-2-0). -- Dan Rosen, senior writer
Jack coming back for Devils
Jack Hughes will return for the New Jersey Devils (25-20-3) when they host the Flames (23-22-5) at Prudential Center (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, SNW). The center, who has missed 11 games with an upper-body injury, was on the ice in a regular jersey during the Devils morning skate Tuesday. Hughes will now be available for the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series game against the Philadelphia Flyers at MetLife Stadium on Feb. 17 (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, TVAS-D, SN1). Forward Connor Zary scored his 11th goal of the season in a 4-1 win at Boston on Tuesday, making him the first Calgary rookie since Mark Jankowski (17 in 2017-18) to score more than 10 in a season. -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer
Thursday games
Vancouver Canucks at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NESN, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS)
This is the second of a five-game road trip for the Canucks, who are 16-7-3 away from home . Forward Brock Boeser has eight points (three goals, five assists) on a three-game point streak. Boston forward David Pastrnak has 73 points through 50 games, the most by a Bruins player in 50 games in 30 years (Adam Oates had 73 points in 1993-94 and Cam Neely had 74 that same season). Center Charlie Coyle is on an NHL career-high nine-game point streak (13 points; four goals, nine assists).
Washington Capitals at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, BSFL)
The Panthers (31-15-4) are 1-3-2 in their past six at home, including a 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. Florida forward Nick Cousins played 13:05 in his return to the lineup after missing 12 games with a concussion. Forward Alex Ovechkin has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in his past 12 games for the Capitals (22-19-7), who have lost five straight (0-4-1).
Calgary Flames at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, SNW)
Forward Jesper Bratt has scored a goal in three straight games and four in his past five for the Devils, tied with the Dallas Stars for most comeback wins in the NHL this season (17). Flames center Yegor Sharangovich, who has 10 points (eight goals, two assists) in his past 10 games, will return to Prudential Center for the first time since being acquired by Calgary from New Jersey in the trade for forward Tyler Toffoli on June 27.
Winnipeg Jets at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, TSN3)
Philadelphia (26-19-6) ended a five-game losing streak with a 2-1 win at Florida on Tuesday. Kyle Connor of the Jets (30-13-5) needs two goals to become the fourth player in Winnipeg/Atlanta Thrashers history with at least seven 20-goal seasons. He would join Mark Scheifele (eight), Ilya Kovalchuk (eight) and Blake Wheeler (seven).
Colorado Avalanche at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, ALT)
Nathan MacKinnon’s point streak ended at 14 games (29 points; 13 goals, 16 assists) when the Avalanche (32-15-4) lost at the Devils on Tuesday. MacKinnon has 85 points (32 goals, 53 assists) in 51 games this season, one point behind Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov for the NHL scoring lead. The Hurricanes (28-16-5) won three in a row prior to their loss to the Canucks on Tuesday. Forward Seth Jarvis has six assists in a five-game point streak and center Sebastian Aho leads Carolina in scoring with 55 points (18 goals, 37 assists) in 46 games.
Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Islanders (8 p.m. ET; ESPN)
Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy made 21 saves on 23 shots against the Rangers on Wednesday in his 20th start in 22 games. The Islanders, who have allowed at least one power play goal in four straight games, are 3-7-2 in their past 12.
Vegas Golden Knights at Arizona Coyotes (9 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SN360, TVAS)
The Golden Knights (30-15-6) ended the Edmonton Oilers' 16-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory Tuesday. Center Nicolas Roy has nine points (three goals, six assists) in a five-game point streak for Vegas, 6-1-1 in its past eight games. Forward Clayton Keller has 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in his past 11 games for the Coyotes (23-22-3), who play their first game in 12 days after losing three straight.
