NHL On Tap: Kraken host Lightning seeking 9th straight win

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 11 games on Monday.

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Kraken take aim at first place

In an NHL season full of surprises, the Seattle Kraken may be the biggest of them all. The Kraken return home to face the Tampa Bay Lightning (4 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, BSSUN, ESPN+, SN NOW) after becoming the first team in NHL history to sweep a road trip of at least seven games. The completed the 7-0-0 trip with an 8-5 win at the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Seattle (26-12-4) has won eight straight and can move into a first-place tie with the Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division with a win and a regulation loss by Vegas on Monday. Pretty incredible for a team that finished 30th out of 32 teams last season, it's first in the NHL. The Lightning (27-13-1), playing the second game of a five-game road trip, come into this game on a modest three-game winning streak after a 4-2 win at the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. The three-time defending Eastern Conference champs are third in the Atlantic Division and looking to get on a big roll of their own. This will be a great test for each team -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

Western Conference titans clash in Las Vegas

There's a good one to keep your eyes focused on Monday at T-Mobile Arena, where the Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights will host the Dallas Stars (6 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, BSSW, ESPN+, SN NOW). Dallas (25-12-7) is not currently in first place in the Central Division, but it is neck and neck with the Winnipeg Jets. It would not be shocking if this game between the Stars and Golden Knights, the first of three in the regular season, becomes a preview of the Western Conference Final. But we're a long way from that, so the here and now matters. The Golden Knights (28-14-2) look to bounce back after losing 4-3 to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, when forwards Jack Eichel and Chandler Stephenson were both held without a shot on goal. It was Vegas' sixth straight loss to a Pacific Division opponent. The Stars, though, are not a Pacific Division opponent and the Golden Knights have won seven straight games against teams from the Central Division since Nov. 17. Dallas has lost two games in a row and neither were easy to deal with. They lost 2-1 in overtime to the New York Rangers on Thursday, when they allowed a game-tying goal in the last second of regulation. They fell behind 6-1 against the Calgary Flames on Saturday before rallying and ultimately losing 6-5. Stars forward Joe Pavelski talked about a lack of effort and compete against the Flames after the game and said they pride themselves on both of those intangibles. All that does is make this game even more interesting to watch. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Islanders face rough stretch to stay in contention

It's time for the New York Islanders to intensify their push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it begins against the Washington Capitals at UBS Arena (7:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, MSGSN, NBCSWA, ESPN+), the first game between the Metropolitan Division rivals this season. The Islanders (23-18-3) defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-1 on Saturday to end a 0-3-1 slide and are back in the second wild-card spot from the Eastern Conference. Now they must navigate a challenging two-week stretch that includes games against the Capitals, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs and Golden Knights. The best way to do it is ride goalie Ilya Sorokin and give him more support offensively. Sorokin has started 11 of the past 12 games and is 5-4-2 despite a 1.81 goals-against average and .939 save percentage because the Islanders have scored 25 goals in that span. The Capitals (23-16-6) have lost three of four (1-3-0) with two straight losses in regulation for the first time since Nov. 13-15, but hold the first wild card and a three-point lead over the Islanders. Captain Alex Ovechkin has scored 30 goals this season and 810 in the NHL, second all-time to Wayne Gretzky (894). -- Jon Lane, staff writer

Monday games

Florida Panthers at Buffalo Sabres (1 p.m. ET; MSG-B, BSFL, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Rasmus Dahlin has 48 points (13 goals, 35 assists) for the Sabres (21-18-2) this season. He is the seventh defenseman in the past 30 years to have at least 48 points through 40 games, joining Erik Karlsson (54 points in 2022-23), John Carlson (50 in 2019-20), Paul Coffey (50 in 1994-95), Ray Bourque (49 in 1993-94), Steve Duchesne (49 in 1992-93) and Brian Leetch (48 in 2000-01). The Panthers (20-20-4) are coming off a 4-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. They have won consecutive games once (Jan. 3-6) since Dec. 3.
Philadelphia Flyers at Boston Bruins (1 p.m. ET; SN, NESN, NBCSP, ESPN+, SN NOW)
With a win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, the Bruins (33-5-4) became the first team this season to reach 70 points and tied for the second-fastest to 70 points in NHL history, doing it in 42 games, behind only the 1929-30 Bruins (40 games). Bruins forward David Pastrnak has eight goals in his past five games ansd is second in the NHL with 33 goals, behind Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (37). The Flyers (18-18-7) have won three in a row, outscoring their opponents 12-4, and are 7-1-0 in their past eight games.
Detroit Red Wings at Colorado Avalanche (3 p.m. ET; SN, SN360, ALT, BSDET, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Avalanche (21-17-3) are coming off a 7-0 win against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and 2-6-1 in their past eight games. Colorado forward Valeri Nichushkin, who's been out with a foot issue since Dec. 23, could return. Forward Lucas Raymond has seven points (three goals, four assists) in a three-game point streak for the Red Wings (18-16-7).
New Jersey Devils at San Jose Sharks (4 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Devils forward Jack Hughes has 13 points (eight goals, five assists) since Jan. 1, most in the NHL in that span. New Jersey (28-12-3) has won four in a row, including the first three of a five-game road trip, and is a League-best 17-2-1 on the road this season. Forward Timo Meier has six points (four goals, two assists) in six games since Jan. 1 for the Sharks (13-23-8), who are coming off a 7-1 loss to the Oilers on Friday.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Seattle Kraken (4 p.m. ET, ROOT-NW, BSSUN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Kraken outscored their opponents 37-15 and scored eight goals on two occasions during their just-completed 7-0-0 road trip. Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov has nine points (five goals, four assists) in six games since Jan. 1.
Dallas Stars at Vegas Golden Knights (6 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, BSSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Stars forward Jason Robertson has 29 goals in 45 games. He can become the fastest Stars player to score 30 goals in a season since the team relocated to Dallas in 1993-94. Mike Modano holds the record, scoring 30 in 48 games in 1993-94. Forward William Karlsson has goals in conssecutive games for the Golden Knights, who are 2-2-0 in the first four games of a season-long seven-game homestand.
Anaheim Ducks at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, BSSC, ESPN+, SN NOW)
With his next point for the Penguins (21-15-6), Sidney Crosby will pass Teemu Selanne for sole possession of 17th place on the NHL all-time scoring list. Crosby has 1,457 points (538 goals, 919 assists) in 1,150 games. Selanne, who played for four teams including the Ducks, had 684 goals and 773 assists in 1,451 NHL games. The Ducks (12-27-4) have lost three in a row and are 3-7-1 in their past 11 games.
New York Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, MSG, ESPN+, SN NOW)
K'Andre Miller, 22, has points in an NHL career-best six consecutive games (three goals, five assists) for the Rangers (24-13-7), who lost 2-1 to the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday. In the past 25 seasons, two Rangers defensemen under the age of 23 have longer streaks: Neil Pionk had points in seven straight games in 2017-18 and Brian Leetch had three point streaks of seven games before turning 23. The Blue Jackets (13-27-2) have 23 goals from the 11 rookies they have dressed this season, the most in the League. The Kraken are second with 18 rookie goals.
Washington Capitals at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, MSGSN, NBCSWA, ESPN+)
Alex Ovechkin's 17 seasons with at least 30 goals are tied with Mike Gartner for most in NHL history. The only time the Capitals forward was below 30 was when he scored 24 in 45 games during the 56-game 2020-21 season. The Islanders have killed 19 consecutive penalties in their past nine home games.
Calgary Flames at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; SN1, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Dan Vlader has earned at least a point in 10 consecutive games (7-0-3) he's played for the Flames (21-14-9). He's the first Flames goalie to record a streak of 10 decisions without a regulation loss since David Rittich had a 9-0-3 stretch in 2018-19. Rookie forward Juuso Parssinen has a six-game point streak (one goal, seven assists) for the Predators (19-17-6), who have lost three in a row. Parssinen's streak is tied for second-longest by a Nashville rookie with Eeli Tolvanen (2020-21) and Alex Radulov (2006-07). The record is seven, set by Filip Forsberg in 2014-15.
Ottawa Senators at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; SN, BSMW, RDS2, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Forward Tim Stutzle has six goals and a team-best eight points in six games since Jan. 1 for the Senators (19-20-3). The Blues (21-20-3) are 1-2-0 on a seven-game homestand. St. Louis forward Pavel Buchnevich has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his past eight games.