NHL On Tap: Matthews, Maple Leafs visit Canucks seeking 4th straight win
Hughes out for Vancouver; Bruins host Eichel, Golden Knights
© Claus Andersen/Getty Images
Games of the day
Toronto Maple Leafs at Vancouver Canucks (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SN)
The Maple Leafs (33-19-2), who have won three in a row, will finish a four-game road trip against the Canucks. Toronto captain Auston Matthews, also captain for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off, won't be going against Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes, his teammate in the tournament; the defenseman will miss his fourth straight game with an undisclosed injury. He had a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win at Toronto on Jan. 11, the only previous game between the teams this season. The Canucks (25-18-11) have won two straight and are 5-1-1 in their past seven.
Vegas Golden Knights at Boston Bruins (3:30 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS)
These teams have a combined nine players who are scheduled to compete in the 4 Nations Face-Off. In addition to defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goaltender Jeremy Swayman (United States), Boston has forwards Brad Marchand (Canada) and Elias Lindholm (Sweden). Vegas has forwards Jack Eichel (United States) and Mark Stone (Canada), defensemen Shea Theodore (Canada) and Noah Hanifin (United States), and goalie Adin Hill (Canada). This is the end of a four-game road trip for the Golden Knights (32-17-6), who stopped a four-game skid (0-2-2) with a 3-1 win against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. The Bruins (27-23-6) are 5-4-1 in their past 10 games.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings (1 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN)
Lightning captain Victor Hedman, who will also serve in that role for Sweden in the 4 Nations Face-Off from Feb. 12-20, will compete against one of his teammates at the tournament, Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond. Hedman has 42 points (seven goals, 35 assists) in 51 games this season, and Raymond leads the Red Wings with 58 points (21 goals, 37 assists) in 54 games. Detroit (28-21-5) has a seven-game winning streak for the second time this season; it also won seven straight from Dec. 29-Jan. 12. Tampa Bay (29-20-4) has won two in a row and has a four-game point streak (3-0-1).
Other Saturday games
New Jersey Devils at Montreal Canadiens (1 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, MSGSN)
The Devils (30-20-6) are 2-3-0 in their past five games. Forward Jesper Bratt is on a seven-game point streak (one goal, nine assists), but center Jack Hughes’ six-game point streak ended Thursday. The Canadiens (25-24-5) have lost six of their past seven (1-5-1). Lane Hutson has 40 assists in 56 career games (including two last season), joining Nicklas Lidstrom as the fifth-fastest defensemen in NHL history to reach the mark. He leads NHL rookies with 41 points (three goals, 38 assists) in 54 games this season.
Utah Hockey Club at Carolina Hurricanes (1 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, Utah16)
Utah (23-22-9) has won two in a row, both on overtime goals by forward Dylan Guenther. Forward Clayton Keller leads the team with 57 points (18 goals, 39 assists) in 53 games. The Hurricanes (32-19-4) have lost three in a row. They’re 0-for-11 on the power play in their past five games and 1-for-27 in their past 11.
Ottawa Senators at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, CITY, SN1, TVAS)
The Senators (29-22-4), who will play the finale of a four-game road trip, have lost two in a row after winning five straight. Center Tim Stutzle is on a seven-game point streak (two goals, eight assists). The Panthers (33-20-3) have won four of five. Forward Matthew Tkachuk, who will play for the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off, has a five-game goal/point streak (six goals, four assists).
Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, NBCSP)
The Penguins (23-24-9) had lost four of six (2-3-1) prior to their 3-2 win at the New York Rangers on Friday. Sidney Crosby, captain for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, missed that win with an upper-body injury, the first regular-season game the Penguins captain missed since April 7, 2022 (illness). He had played 229 regular-season games in a row. The Flyers (23-26-7) have lost seven of eight (1-6-1). Forward Matvei Michkov has 36 points (16 goals, 20 assists) in 54 games, third among rookies behind Hutson and center Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks, who has 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists) in 44 games.
New York Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, MSG)
It’s the second half of a back-to-back for the Rangers (26-24-4), who lost 3-2 to the Penguins at home on Friday. The Blue Jackets (26-21-8) have lost three in a row (0-2-1). Zach Werenski, who will represent the U.S. at the 4 Nations Face-Off, has a 20-game home point streak (13 goals, 24 assists). He is the fourth defenseman in NHL history with such a streak of at least 20 games.
Chicago Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues (7 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, CHSN)
It’s also the second half of a back-to-back for the Blackhawks (17-31-6), who had lost six of seven (1-3-3) prior to a 6-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Friday. Center Connor Bedard leads the Blackhawks with 48 points (16 goals, 32 assists) in 54 games. The Blues (24-26-5) are 1-5-1 in their past seven. Defenseman Ryan Suter is expected to play his 1,500th NHL game, becoming the 22nd player to reach the milestone.
Buffalo Sabres at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MSG-B)
The Sabres (22-26-5) have won four in a row. Rasmus Dahlin, who will represent Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off, has 40 points (six goals, 34 assists) for the sixth time in his career, the second-most by a defenseman in Buffalo history after Phil Housley, who did it eight times. The Predators (18-28-7) have lost six in a row, including 6-2 to the Blackhawks on Friday.
New York Islanders at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNOX, MSGSN)
The Islanders (25-22-7) have won eight of their past 10 games, though they are coming off a 4-3 loss at the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. Goalie Ilya Sorokin had won seven straight games (six starts) prior to the loss to the Jets. The Wild (32-19-4) are 5-7-0 in their past 12 games. Filip Gustavsson, who will represent Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off, made 37 saves in a 2-1 win against the Hurricanes on Thursday.
Seattle Kraken at Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, CITY, KONG, KING 5, KHN)
The Kraken (23-29-4) have lost three in a row (0-2-1) and five of their past six (1-4-1). Forward Jared McCann leads them with 42 points (14 goals, 28 assists) in 56 games. The Flames (26-21-7) have lost three of four and five of seven. Defenseman MacKenzie Weegar has five assists in a four-game assist/point streak.
Dallas Stars at San Jose Sharks (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, NBCSCA)
The Stars (34-18-2) have lost two in a row, including 5-4 in a shootout at the Los Angeles Kings on Friday. Matt Duchene scored twice in the loss to the Kings, ending an eight-game drought. The Sharks (15-34-7) have lost three in a row (0-2-1) and are 1-8-1 in their past 10 games. Celebrini’s three-game point streak ended in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Canucks on Thursday.
Anaheim Ducks at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; FDSNW, Victory+, KCOP-13)
The Ducks (23-24-6) have won two in a row and five of six. John Gibson made 26 saves on Tuesday in his 500th NHL game, a 2-1 win against the Stars. He’s the first goalie in Anaheim history to reach the milestone. Los Angeles (29-17-6) has won three in a row, including 5-4 in a shootout against the Dallas Stars on Friday.
