On Tap: MacKinnon, Avalanche attempt to continue streaks during 10-game schedule

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 10 games Monday.

MacKinnon is going streaking again

Nathan MacKinnon is putting together another impressive point streak on the back of a 19-game streak Nov. 20 to Dec. 27 where he had 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists). MacKinnon’s current streak is at seven games (four goals, nine assists), and he will have an opportunity to extend it when the Colorado Avalanche travel to Bell Centre to face the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, SN, ALT). The Colorado forward has points in 26 of his past 27 games dating back to the beginning of his first streak, when he had two assists in a 4-3 loss at the Nashville Predators. As MacKinnon goes, so do the Avalanche (28-12-3), who battled back from a 3-0 first-period deficit to win 5-3 at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. MacKinnon had a goal and assist in the victory, which included the game-winning goal at 16:35 of the third period to break a 3-3 tie. Colorado is on a three-game winning streak and is 7-1-0 in its past eight games. Montreal (17-18-7) has lost three straight (0-1-2), including a 2-1 overtime loss against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. Nick Suzuki leads Montreal in scoring with 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in 42 games. Suzuki ended a streak of four games without a point with an assist against Edmonton. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

Perplexing Islanders visit Wild in first of back-to-back

At the halfway point of 2023-24, the New York Islanders hold the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference, barely. The Islanders (19-13-10) are a hard team to figure out, and one that should be better. They've lost 23 of 42 games, and their 10 overtime or shootout losses are the most since the 1998-99 season. New York lost 3-1 at the Nashville Predators Saturday after giving up the go-ahead goal with 7.9 seconds remaining in the third period, and are 2-4-1 in their past seven entering their game against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center (6 p.m. ET; MSGSN, BSWI, BSN), the first of a back-to-back for New York. The Wild (17-20-5) have lost four in a row (0-3-1) and eight of nine (1-7-1), and are 12-10-1 since coach John Hynes replaced Dean Evason on Nov. 27. Minnesota might be catching New York at the right time. The Islanders are 0-4-1 in their past five games against the Wild and head to Minnesota during a stretch of eight of 10 on the road, with the Winnipeg Jets (28-10-4), who won eight straight games before a 2-0 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, waiting for them the next night. -- Jon Lane, staff writer

Hurricanes creeping up the standings

At the start of the season, the Carolina Hurricanes (24-13-5) were a hot pick to make the Stanley Cup Final. They didn’t start the season that way, though. But the Hurricanes are picking up steam of late, with points in their past eight games (7-0-1) to pull themselves within three points of the New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division. It’s not just that the Hurricanes are hot, or that they’re hosting the slumping Los Angeles Kings (0-4-4 in their past eight) at PNC Arena on Monday (3 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSW, SN1), it’s also that it’s the team’s Hall of Fame Game, where Justin Williams will become the fifth player after Rod Brind’Amour, Ron Francis, Cam Ward and Glen Wesley to be inducted into the Hurricanes Hall of Fame. Williams, of course, won the Stanley Cup twice with the Kings (20-11-8), so it should be a fun afternoon all around. – Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Monday games

San Jose Sharks at Buffalo Sabres (12 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, MSG-B)

The Sharks (10-30-3) have one win in their past 14 games, in which they are 1-13-0. Tomas Hertl had an assist Saturday against the Ottawa Senators, giving him his ninth 30-point season with the Sharks, tying Brent Burns for the fifth-most, behind Patrick Marleau (19 times), Joe Thornton (15), Logan Couture (13) and Joe Pavelski (12). The Sabres (18-21-4) had won three of four before losing 1-0 Saturday to the Vancouver Canucks. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson left the game Saturday 13 seconds into the second period with an upper-body injury. It’s unknown if he will be available Monday.

New Jersey Devils at Boston Bruins (1 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NESN, SNW, SNO, SNE)

The Devils (22-15-3) had lost two straight before ending the Florida Panthers’ nine-game winning streak on Saturday. The Devils are 9-2-2 when scoring first this season and 14-2-1 when leading after the first two periods. The Bruins (25-8-9) are 2-0-3 in their past five games and have gone to overtime in their past four. The Bruins won Saturday when Charlie McAvoy scored his sixth career overtime goal, passing Ray Bourque (five) for most by a Boston defenseman.

Vancouver Canucks at Columbus Blue Jackets (1 p.m. ET; BSOH, SNP)

The Canucks (29-11-3) moved back into first place in the NHL standings with a 1-0 win at the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday and will look to stay there as they conclude a seven-game road trip at the Blue Jackets (13-21-9). Vancouver is on a five-game winning streak, also defeating the Devils 6-4, New York Rangers 6-3, Islanders 5-2 and Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in overtime on the trip. Vancouver is sending a League-high five players, forwards Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, defenseman Quinn Hughes and goalie Thatcher Demko, to the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend, Feb. 1-3 in Toronto.

Anaheim Ducks at Florida Panthers (1 p.m. ET; BSSD, BSFL, BSSC)

The Ducks (14-27-1) are 1-6-1 in their past eight games and 1-2-0 midway through their six-game road trip. Sam Reinhart is on a six-game goal streak (eight goals, two assists) for the Panthers (27-13-2), tied with Matthew Tkachuk for the second-longest point streak in team history behind Pavel Bure (seven games, 2000-01).

Seattle Kraken at Pittsburgh Penguins (1 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, ROOT-NW)

The Kraken (19-14-9) set a team record with their ninth consecutive win after defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-4 on Saturday, which also extended their point streak to a team-record 13 (11-0-2). Goalie Joey Daccord's eight-game winning streak passed Martin Jones (7-0-0 from Jan. 1-14, 2023) for the longest since Seattle joined the NHL for the 2021-22 season. Jake Guentzel is one goal away from his seventh straight 20-goal season for the Penguins (20-15-6), which would tie Evgeni Malkin (2013-14 to 2019-20) for the fourth-longest run in team history.

Los Angeles Kings at Carolina Hurricanes (3 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSW, SN1)

Quinton Byfield had his fifth multigoal game for the Kings on Saturday, tying him with Alex Frolov, Doug Smith and Larry Murphy for the seventh most by a Los Angeles forward before age 22. Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook has two goals and an assist in the past two games. Defenseman Brett Pesce had one goal in his first 33 games this season, then scored twice against the Penguins on Saturday. The Hurricanes have 30 goals by defensemen, which is third in the NHL this season behind the Montreal Canadiens, who have 31, and the Avalanche, who have 33.

New York Islanders at Minnesota Wild (6 p.m. ET; MSGCN, BSWI, BSN)

The Islanders allowed their latest losing goal Saturday since Brayden Schenn scored at 19:57 to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 5-4 win at Wells Fargo Center on April 7, 2015. Forward Brock Nelson played his 800th NHL game and is three points from 500. The Wild are seventh in the Western Conference wild card race and could miss the playoffs for only the second time since 2012-13.

Nashville Predators at Vegas Golden Knights (6 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSSO)

Filip Forsberg has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in his past eight games for the Predators (24-18-1), who have won two straight and are 5-2-0 in their past seven games. The Golden Knights (24-14-5) are sliding. They lost 3-1 against the Calgary Flames on Saturday and are 3-7-0 in their past 10 games. Golden Knights captain Mark Stone has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in his past 12 games.

Colorado Avalanche at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, SN, ALT)

If it wasn’t for the exploits of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen would be getting more attention for the season he is putting together with the Avalanche (28-12-3). MacKinnon’s linemate has 55 points (22 goals, 33 assists) in 43 games this season. Rantanen has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) on a seven-game point streak. Montreal (17-18-7) will be looking for its first win in four games. The Canadiens are 0-1-2 in its past three games and 2-5-2 in their last nine.

Philadelphia Flyers at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, NBCSP)

Robert Thomas has three assists in his past two games and 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in his past 13 games. The Blues (21-18-2) lost 4-3 in overtime against the Boston Bruins on Saturday and are 3-1-1 in their past five games. Travis Konecny has 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in his past 11 games for the Flyers. Philadelphia (23-14-6) extended its winning streak to three games with a 2-0 win at the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.