NHL On Tap: Ovechkin can move closer to Gretzky when Capitals visit Canucks
Allen takes over No. 1 role for Devils; Maple Leafs, Senators square off

© Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images
Games of the day
Washington Capitals at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, MNMT2)
Alex Ovechkin will continue his chase of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goal record when the streaking Capitals visit the Canucks at Rogers Arena. Ovechkin closed within 20 goals of breaking Gretzky’s record of 894 by scoring the 875th goal of his career and 22nd in 32 games this season in a 3-0 victory at the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. The 39-year-old left wing has 16 goals in 27 career games against Vancouver, including nine in 13 games on the road. Washington (33-10-5) leads the NHL with 71 points and has allowed only four goals in a six-game winning streak. The Capitals’ 12-game point streak (9-0-3) is the longest in the NHL this season. The Canucks (20-17-10) are 2-6-2 in their past 10 games and have fallen three points behind the Calgary Flames for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes has five points (three goals, two assists) in a four-game point streak and is one point behind Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche and Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the NHL lead among defensemen with 52 points (12 goals, 40 assists) in 43 games this season.

THE GR8 CHASE: Alex Ovechkin pursues Wayne Gretzky's record
Visit NHL.com/GR8Chase to watch classic milestone goals & highlights, read exclusive stories and more!
New Jersey Devils at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, CITY, SNE, NHLN, MSGSN2)
Jake Allen will temporarily take over as the Devils’ No. 1 goalie and be in familiar surroundings at Bell Centre when he faces the Canadiens for the first time since they traded him to the Devils last March 8. New Jersey will be without goalie Jacob Markstrom for 4-6 weeks after he sprained the MCL in his left knee in a 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. Fortunately, the Devils have Allen, who played for the Canadiens for four seasons and has a 2.66 goals-against average, .904 save percentage and two shutouts in 15 games (14 starts) this season. After ending a 0-2-2 slide Wednesday, New Jersey (27-17-6) will try to win consecutive games for the first time since three straight wins from Dec. 21-27. Montreal (24-20-4) is 13-4-1 in its past 18 games and is among three teams one point behind the Columbus for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Canadiens rookie goalie Jakub Dobes has yet to lose since being called up to make his NHL debut against the Florida Panthers on Dec. 28 (5-0-0, 1.55 GAA, .941 save percentage, one shutout). The Devils have won their past eight visits to Bell Centre, beginning with a 2-1 victory on April 1, 2018.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET: CBC, SN360, SNO, SNP, TVAS2)
The Maple Leafs and the Senators will renew the Battle of Ontario when they meet at Canadian Tire Centre on Hockey Night in Canada. Ottawa won 3-0 in their lone previous meeting this season at Scotiabank Arena on Nov. 12 and is 4-1-0 against their rivals the past two seasons. Senators forwards Tim Stutzle (two goals, five assists) and Claude Giroux (four goals, three assists) each had seven points in those five games. The Senators (24-20-4) have been shut out in losing their past two games following a six-game point streak (5-0-1) to fall one point out of a wild-card spot and two points behind the Bruins for third in the Atlantic Division. The Maple Leafs (30-17-2) had a three-game winning streak end with a 5-1 loss to the Blue Jackets on Wednesday. Toronto captain Auston Matthews has six goals during a five-game goal streak to reach 20 goals for the ninth straight season in his NHL career.
Other Saturday games
Colorado Avalanche at Boston Bruins (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, NESN, ALT, SN, TVAS)
The Avalanche (28-19-2) will play their first game after being part of a three-team blockbuster trade with the Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks on Friday; Colorado received forwards Jack Drury and Martin Necas and two draft picks. Forward Mikko Rantanen went to Carolina as part of the deal. Center Nathan MacKinnon has seven points (four goals, three assists) during a five-game point streak for Colorado and leads the NHL with 75 points (19 goals, 56 assists) in 49 games. The Bruins (24-20-6) are 4-1-1 in their past six games and are in fourth place in the Atlantic Division. Boston forward David Pastrnak has 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in a six-game point streak.

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Buffalo Sabres at Edmonton Oilers (4 p.m. ET; SN, MSG-B)
Forward Leon Draisaitl has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) during an eight-game point streak for the Oilers (30-15-3), and one point behind MacKinnon for the NHL lead with 74 points (35 goals, 39 assists) in 48 games. Edmonton captain Connor McDavid will serve the final game of his three-game suspension for crosschecking Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland during a 3-2 loss Jan. 18. Forward Jeff Skinner will face the Sabres (18-25-5) for the first time since Buffalo bought out the three remaining years on his eight-year contract on June 30, 2024.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Seattle Kraken (4 p.m. ET; KHN, SN-PIT, KONG)
The Penguins (20-22-8) have split the first four games of their season-long seven-game road trip. Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby (280 goals, 461 assists in 663 games) needs one point to pass Joe Sakic (741) for 10th in road points in NHL history. Goalie Joey Daccord is 4-2-0 with a 2.35 GAA and .922 save percentage in his past eight games (six starts) for the Kraken (21-25-3).
Calgary Flames at Minnesota Wild (7 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, SNW)
The Flames (23-16-7) hold a three-point lead on Vancouver for the second wild card in the West after going 5-2-0 in their past seven games. Calgary rookie goalie Dustin Wolf is 5-1-0 with a 1.99 GAA and .936 save percentage in his past six starts. The Wild (28-16-4) have lost their past three home games and are 11-11-1 at Xcel Energy Center this season. The good news is forward Kirill Kaprizov, who missed 12 games, and defenseman Jared Spurgeon, who missed nine, each returned from lower-body injuries for their 4-0 loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, FDSNSUN)
The Red Wings (22-21-5) will try to climb with two points of a wild card spot when they continue a three-game homestand they opened with a 4-2 win against the Canadiens on Thursday. Detroit goalie Cam Talbot has a four-game home winning streak, compiling a 2.43 GAA and .910 save percentage during that span. Red Wings forward Patrick Kane will miss his second straight game with an upper-body injury. The Lightning (26-18-3) wrap up a four-game road trip; they're 1-2-0 through the first three games following a 4-3 win at the Blackhawks on Friday.
Los Angeles Kings at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, FDSNW)
Werenski can become the fifth defenseman in NHL history with a home point streak of at least 19 games and first since Phil Housley’s 22-game home streak from Oct. 27, 1991-Feb. 4, 1992. Werenski has 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) during his streak for the Blue Jackets (23-19-7). Goalie Darcy Kuemper is 10-2-2 with a 1.64 GAA, .938 save percentage and one shutout in his past 14 starts for the Kings (26-14-5).
Dallas Stars at St. Louis Blues (7 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, Victory+)
The Blues (23-22-4) trail the Flames by three points for the second wild card in the West and will look to rebound from a 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. St. Louis forward Dylan Holloway has five assists during a four-game streak. The Stars (30-17-1) had lost of four games prior to a 4-3 win against the Golden Knights on Friday. Forward Wyatt Johnston has nine points (one goal, eight assists) in a six-game point streak.
Carolina Hurricanes at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MSGSN)
The Hurricanes (30-16-3) will try for their fifth straight win in their first game after acquiring forwards Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall in a three-team deal with the Avalanche and Blackhawks on Friday. Carolina forward Seth Jarvis has nine goals in his past 10 games to take the team lead with 18 goals in 42 games this season. The Islanders (20-20-7) play at home for the second consecutive night following a 3-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. New York forward Mathew Barzal has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 16 games since returning from an upper-body injury that sidelined him for 21 games.
Nashville Predators at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, KTTV, Victory)
The Predators (18-22-7) will try to extend their season-high winning streak to six games. Forward Filip Forsberg has nine goals during a seven-game goal streak and can break the Nashville record he set last season by scoring in his eighth straight game. The Ducks (19-23-6) ended a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) with a 5-1 win against the Penguins on Thursday. Forward Mason McTavish, with 47 goals in his NHL career, is one from tying Trevor Zegras (48) for the second most by an Anaheim player 21 years old or younger, behind only Paul Kariya (68).
Florida Panthers at San Jose Sharks (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NBCSCA)
The Panthers (28-18-3) continue a four-game trip in which they split the first two games. Center Aleksander Barkov (277 goals, 473 assists in 776 games) needs one point to pass Olli Jokinen (750) for fourth in NHL history among players born in Finland. The Sharks (14-31-6) will try to end a five-game losing streak. San Jose center Macklin Celebrini leads NHL rookies with 15 goals and is second among first-year players in points behind Montreal’s Lane Hutson (39) with 35 in 39 games.