NHL On Tap: Bruins host Sharks seeking to continue historic pace

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 five games on Sunday.

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Must-watch Bruins welcome Sharks into bear trap

The Boston Bruins are an exquisite team to watch. That's why I chose to highlight the game between them and San Jose Sharks at TD Garden on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, NBCSCA, NESN, ESPN+). I tried to put some perspective into what the Bruins (36-5-4) are doing this season when talking to some colleagues at Madison Square Garden on Thursday by simply saying no matter what happens, all their success, their amazing play, all it does is get them into the dance in the spring. I think back to the Tampa Bay Lightning and their 62-win season of 2018-19. It was magical, and then it wasn't, because they were swept in the Eastern Conference First Round by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Then I snapped out of it and stopped being a hockey grinch. You have to enjoy the ride as it is happening and worry about the Stanley Cup Playoffs later. The Bruins are giving hockey fans everywhere, me included, a reason to watch and enjoy the game they're playing. They're on a 65-win, 138-point pace. Both would be NHL records. But they aren't blinded by their success. They play hard everywhere. They roll four lines and three defense pairs that play the same way and have the same mentality. They roll two goalies in Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, who seem to enjoy each other's success more than his own. The Sharks (14-24-9) obviously know what they're walking into. The Bruins are 8-1-0 in January and 15-1-3 since Dec. 11. They're 21-1-3 at home. When I turn on this game tonight, I'll be fully invested in seeing how the Sharks handle the situation while understanding that, yes, every time I watch the Bruins I could be watching history in the making. --Dan Rosen, senior writer

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Fly Flyers fly

The Philadelphia Flyers have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL, 7-3-0 since Jan. 1. Their 14 standings points in that stretch are tied for fifth-most and have helped the Flyers (20-20-7) claw back into the fringes of the race for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, six points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild card from the Eastern Conference. Coming off a 2-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, the Flyers host the equally hot Winnipeg Jets (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, TSN3, ESPN+, SN NOW). The Jets (30-16-1) are also 7-3-0 in their past 10 games after defeating the Ottawa Senators 5-1 on Saturday. For the Flyers, it has been Travis Konecny leading the charge with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in the past 10 game and Kevin Hayes, the Flyers 2023 NHL All-Star Game representative, who has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in that same stretch. For the Jets, it's special teams leading the way. They've scored nine power-play goals in the past nine games and are 28-for-30 on the penalty kill in the New Year. -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial

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Kings need to regroup

The Los Angeles Kings were on a good roll for about a month, 10-2-1 from Dec. 15-Jan 11. But the roll has gone in the other direction, and the Kings (25-17-6) are on a three-game losing streak entering their road game at the Chicago Blackhawks (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, NBCSCH, BSW, SN NOW). The Kings have scored five goals in those three straight losses, but it's been more about what they've given up: 14 goals allowed. Goalie Pheonix Copley, who had been part of the Kings' surge, has been pulled in his past two starts, including Los Angeles' 5-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday, when he allowed two goals on three shots in the first 39 seconds of the game. The Pacific Division race is heating up, and the Kings have fallen behind the Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken and Edmonton Oilers, and need to get back on track if they want to stay in it. The Blackhawks (14-26-4) have reveresed their fortunes, winning three straight and six of seven. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

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Sunday Games

Pittsburgh Penguins at New Jersey Devils (2 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, MSGSN, ATTSN-PT)
This is the second of four meetings this season between the Metropolitan Division rivals. The Devils won 4-2 on the road Dec. 30, when center Jack Hughes scored two goals. The Penguins (23-15-7) have won two of their past three (2-0-1) after a 4-1 win against the Ottawa Senators on Friday. They've scored four goals in each of their past three games. The Devils (29-12-4) are back home after a five-game road trip (4-0-1). Hughes has a four-game point streak (three goals, four assists).
Los Angeles Kings at Chicago Blackhawks (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, NBCSCH, BSW, SN NOW)
The Blackhawks defeated the St. Louis Blues 5-3 on Saturday and Jaxson Stauber made 29 saves to win his NHL debut, the first Chicago goalie to do so since Collin Delia on March 29, 2018 against the Winnipeg Jets (6-2). This is the second of a six-game road trip for the Kings, who are 11-8-4 on the road this season.
San Jose Sharks at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, NESN, NBCSCA, ESPN+)
The Sharks are coming off a 5-3 loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. This is their second in a season-long eight-game road trip. Sharks forward Timo Meier has goals in three straight games and in four of five. The Bruins are 34-for-35 on the penalty kill (97.1 percent) in 11 games since Dec. 28.
Winnipeg Jets at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, TSN3, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Forward Nikolaj Ehlers has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in nine games for the Jets since returning from injury Jan. 6, including one goal and two assists against the Senators on Saturday. Defenseman Josh Morrissey has 43 assists this season and needs one more to tie Tobias Enstrom for most by a defenseman in a single season in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers history. The Flyers are 9-5-2 in games against Western Conference opponents this season.
Vegas Golden Knights at Arizona Coyotes (8 p.m. ET; BSAZX, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, SN NOW)
It's the second half of a back to back for each team. The Golden Knights (29-16-2) defeated the Washington Capitals 6-2 on Saturday to end a three-game losing streak. Defenseman Alec Martinez scored his first goal of the season for Vegas in the win. The Coyotes (14-27-5), who lost to the Dallas Stars 4-0 on Saturday, have been shut out in each of their past two games. They have lost 11 of their past 12 since Dec. 31.