NHL On Tap: Hurricanes eye 6th straight home win, host Blackhawks

There are eight games on the NHL schedule for Thursday, with two nationally televised in the United States and one in Canada. Thursday also marks the 14th week of "NHL Coast to Coast," a weekly whip-around studio show on Prime Video in Canada that provides live look-ins, highlights and analysis of all the games.

Hurricanes surging

Andrei Svechnikov and the Carolina Hurricanes (31-15-4) can extend multiple streaks when they host Connor Bedard and Chicago Blackhawks (20-22-7) at Lenovo Center (7 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SN1). The Hurricanes, who lead the Metropolitan Division, are going for their fourth straight win and sixth in a row at home following a 2-1 victory against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. Svechnikov had a goal and an assist Monday, part of the forward's three-game goal and multipoint streak (seven points; five goals, two assists). Forward Sebastian Aho also has a three-game multipoint streak (seven assists) for Carolina, 7-1-1 in its past nine games. The Blackhawks will try to build off a 2-0 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday that ended a three-game losing streak. Bedard scored, and the 20-year-old center became the fifth player in Chicago history to NHL career with the team with three consecutive 20-goal seasons, joining Patrick Kane (13 seasons), Jonathan Toews (12), Denis Savard (10) and Darcy Rota (four).

Modano's eyes on Kane, too

The stage couldn’t be set any better. Kane will try to pass Mike Modano for most points among United States-born NHL players before a national viewing audience and Modano in the house when the Detroit Red Wings (31-16-4) visit the Minnesota Wild (28-14-9) at Grand Casino Arena (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SNE, SN1). Kane needs three points to pass Modano, who is a Wild hockey operations advisor. The 37-year-old forward, who was scoreless in a 2-1 overtime win at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, has 1,372 points (500 goals, 872 assists) in 1,338 games. Modano retired in 2011 with 1,374 points (561 goals, 813 assists) in 1,499 games. The Red Wings, tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Atlantic Division lead, have won three in a row and are 7-1-0 in their past eight. Vladimir Tarasenko has goals in three straight games, including two in each of his past two games, part of a four-game point streak (eight points; five goals, three assists) for the Wild.

Grand night for Josi

Roman Josi will play in his 1,000th NHL game when the Nashville Predators (23-22-4) host Brady Tkachuk and the Ottawa Senators (23-19-7) at Bridgestone Arena (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, TSN5, RDS2). Josi, who will play for Switzerland at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, leads Swiss-born players with 752 points (198 goals, 554 assists) in 999 NHL games. The 35-year-old defenseman, who has played his entire 15-year League career with the Predators, has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in his past five games. Nashville has lost two straight following a three-game winning streak. The Senators will try to stretch a five-game point streak (3-0-2) following a 4-1 win at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Tkachuk, who will play for the United States in Milano Cortina, scored; the forward has seven points (three goals, four assists) in a four-game point streak.

From foes to teammates

Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid go head-to-head for the final time before they become teammates for Canada in Milano Cortina when the Pittsburgh Penguins (24-14-11) play at the Edmonton Oilers (25-18-8) at Rogers Place (9 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNW, SN-PIT). The Penguins are riding a five-game point streak (3-0-2) fueled by Crosby, who has seven points (two goals, five assists) in a four-game point streak. The 38-year-old captain had an assist in a 4-1 win at the Calgary Flames on Wednesday for his 785th career road point (301 goals, 484 assists), passing Mario Lemieux (784) for the eighth-most road points in NHL history. The Oilers look to regroup following a 2-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. McDavid was scoreless, but the Oilers captain still shares the NHL scoring lead (85 points; 38 goals, 47 assists in 48 games) with Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon. This also will be Stuart Skinner's return to Edmonton after the goalie was traded to Pittsburgh on Dec. 12.

Stone, Eichel running hot

Mark Stone can pass Jack Eichel for the longest point streak in Vegas Golden Knights history when they visit the Boston Bruins at TD Garden (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NESN, SNP, SNO, SNE). Stone, who will play for Team Canada at the Olympics, has 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) during a 12-game streak for the Golden Knights (24-12-12). The forward tied Eichel for the Vegas mark he set in 2023-24 with an assist in a 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday. Eichel, who was selected to Team USA for Milano Cortina, is on a heater of his own; the center has 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in a nine-game point streak for Vegas, 7-1-1 in those past nine games. The Bruins (28-20-2) are coming off a 6-2 loss at the Dallas Stars on Tuesday that ended a six-game winning streak.

The schedule

Vegas Golden Knights at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NESN,
SNP, SNO, SNE)

Buffalo Sabres at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, MSG-B)

Chicago Blackhawks at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SN1)

Dallas Stars at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, Victory+)

Ottawa Senators at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, TSN5, RDS2)

Florida Panthers at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, SCRIPPS)

Pittsburgh Penguins at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNW, SN-PIT)

Detroit Red Wings at Minnesota Wild (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SNE, SN1)