NHL On Tap: Oilers host Flames trying to end seven-game skid

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 Saturday.

Battle of Alberta renewed

The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers will meet for the first time since Oct. 16 when they play at Rogers Place on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Each team is desperate for a victory. The Flames (18-11-6) ended a four-game losing streak with a 5-1 win against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday and are fifth in the Pacific Division. Calgary is 3-7-1 in its past 11 games. The Oilers (18-16-2) have lost seven in a row (0-5-2) and are 2-11-2 since going 16-5-0 in their first 21 games. Edmonton is seventh in the eight-team Pacific. Calgary forward Johnny Gaudreau matched his NHL career-high with four assists Tuesday and has a three-game point streak (one goal, five assists). Edmonton center Connor McDavid is fourth in the NHL with 53 points (19 goals, 34 assists) but has been held without a point for three straight games for the first time since Feb. 27-March 3 of last season. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Islanders go for fourth straight win

The New York Islanders are beginning to show signs of looking like the team that has reached the third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and they'll try for their fourth consecutive win when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, MSG+ 2, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). New York (14-13-6), which is 7-1-1 in its past nine games, will play the second of a back-to-back set following a 4-0 victory against the Arizona Coyotes on Friday. It's the finale of a six-game road trip for the Maple Leafs (24-10-3); they are 2-2-1 thus far and have blown a multigoal lead in four of the five games during this stretch. -- Brian Compton, deputy managing editor

Bruins seek to continue roll

The Boston Bruins will try to remain hot when they host the Winnipeg Jets at TD Garden (3 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, NESN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Boston (23-12-2) has won nine of its past 11 games, the latest a 4-3 win against the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Forward Brad Marchand will play after the forward was injured in that game and was not expected to play Saturday. Marchand is the Bruins' leading scorer (20 goals, 43 points). Winnipeg (17-13-6) will receive a boost as captain Blake Wheeler returns after the forward was out since Dec. 10 with a knee injury. However, the Jets did receive some bad news Friday when forward Nikolaj Ehlers was downgraded to week to week with a knee injury. He previously was expected to be sidelined at least through the weekend. -- David Satriano, staff writer

Saturday schedule

Philadelphia Flyers at Buffalo Sabres (1 p.m. ET: NHLN, MSG-B, NBCSP, NHL LIVE)
The Flyers (13-19-8) try to end a 10-game losing skid (0-7-3) in which they've been outscored 37-19. The Sabres (12-21-7) have lost nine straight home games (0-7-2) since a 4-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 26.
Winnipeg Jets at Boston Bruins (3 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, NESN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Mark Scheifele has scored nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past seven games for Winnipeg, which has lost the first two games of a four-game road trip. Boston forward David Pastrnak has scored 12 points (nine goals, three assists) in his past seven games.
Montreal Canadiens at Colorado Avalanche (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, CITY, SNE, TVAS, ALT, NHL LIVE)
Montreal (8-25-6) will try for points in three straight games for the first time since Nov. 9-13. Colorado (27-8-3) has points in 11 straight games (10-0-1) and seeks its 15th straight home win.
Carolina Hurricanes at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Hurricanes (27-8-2) are 12-2-1 in their past 15 games following a 6-3 win against the New York Rangers on Friday. Sebastian Aho and Tony DeAngelo each had a goal and two assists in the win. The Devils (14-19-5) have lost three straight games and play the Hurricanes for the first time since Feb. 14, 2020.
Arizona Coyotes at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, BSAZ+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Coyotes (10-25-4) were defeated by the New York Islanders 4-0 on Friday, the second time in four games they've been shut out. They continue a four-game road trip at the Rangers (26-11-4). New York forward Chris Kreider has scored five goals during a four-game goal streak and his 26 this season are tied with Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl for second in the NHL, behind Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (27).
Ottawa Senators at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET: SN1, NBCSWA, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Drake Batherson has scored five points (three goals, two assists) in a four-game point streak for Ottawa (11-20-2). Washington (22-10-9) seeks to bounce back after a 4-3 loss at the Boston Bruins on Thursday. Ovechkin needs three goals to score 30 in a season for the 16th time in his NHL career. Only Mike Gartner (17) has done it more.
Toronto Maple Leafs at New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, MSG+2, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner has had a goal and an assist in each of the past two games, and center Auston Matthews has five goals and three assists during a six-game point streak. Islanders forward Josh Bailey has scored eight points (two goals, six assists) in his past seven games.
Detroit Red Wings at Nashville Predators (8:30 p.m. ET: BSSO, BSDET, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Red Wings (18-17-6) play the second of a back-to-back set after a 5-4 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars on Friday. Detroit forward Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and two assists and has scored 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in his past six games. The Predators (25-14-3) ended a four-game skid with a 5-2 win against the Jets on Thursday.
Chicago Blackhawks at Minnesota Wild (9 p.m. ET: BSN, BSWI+, NBCSCH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Blackhawks and Wild complete a home-and-home set after Minnesota defeated Chicago 5-1 on Friday. Ryan Hartman scored twice for Minnesota (23-10-3) and has four multi-point games in his past seven games. Chicago (15-19-6) has lost two straight since a four-game winning streak.
Calgary Flames at Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Calgary was outscored 20-7 during its four-game losing streak and has allowed at least four goals in six of its past 10 games. Edmonton center Connor McDavid has scored 26 goals and 43 points in 31 games against the Flames, including a hat trick in a 5-2 win Oct. 16.
Tampa Bay Lightning at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, BSSUN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Lightning (27-10-5) look to bounce back after a 5-1 loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Tampa Bay is 6-2-0 in its past eight games. The Sharks (21-18-2) are 1-2-1 since a three-game winning streak. Sharks forwards Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl each scored his 21st goal in a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.