NHL On Tap: Hurricanes visit Stars in clash of division leaders

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 five games Wednesday.

Division leaders, Cup contenders, star power face off in Dallas

The Carolina Hurricanes, who lead the Metropolitan Division, visit American Airlines Center to play the Dallas Stars, who sit atop the Central Division (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW). Carolina (29-9-8) can extend its point streak to six games (4-0-1 in past five). Dallas (28-13-8) has three shutouts in five games but is coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. The game doesn't lack star power, with Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski and Tyler Seguin for Dallas facing Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, Brent Burns of Carolina. The Stars are seventh in goals per game (3.43) and the Hurricanes (3.22) rank 13th. It should be exciting, but perhaps not as fun for the goalies. -- David Satriano, staff writer

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Red-hot Nylander and Maple Leafs meet red-hot Rangers

Coming off William Nylander's four points (two goals, two assists) in the second period of a 5-2 win against the New York Islanders on Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs welcome the New York Rangers to Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET; TNT, SN). Nylander has nine points (four goals, five assists) in a four-game point streak and is one point shy of 400 in the NHL (163 goals, 236 assists in 487 games). The Rangers are 7-2-1 in their past 10 games and defeated the Florida Panthers 6-2 on Monday, when Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin each had three points. Both teams are working hard to maintain their positioning for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Maple Leafs (29-11-8) are second in the Atlantic Division and the Rangers (26-14-7) are third in the Metropolitan. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

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Oilers seek seventh straight win

The Edmonton Oilers will try for their seventh consecutive win and Connor McDavid will look to stretch the longest active point streak in the NHL when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets at Rogers Place (9:30 p.m. ET; TNT, SN360, SNW, TVAS). McDavid is on a 10-game run with 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) and leads the NHL with 88 (40 goals, 48 assists). Behind the Oilers captain is teammate Leon Draisaitl with 73 points (28 goals, 45 assists) and six goals and five assists (four multipoint games) in a six-game point streak. The Blue Jackets (14-30-3) have lost four of five (1-3-1) and seven of 10 (3-6-1). Patrik Laine has six points (two goals, four assists) during a three-game point streak and 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in his past eight, including a goal and two assists in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on Monday. -- William Douglas, staff writer

Wednesday games

New York Islanders at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; SN1, TVAS, MSGSN; ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Islanders (23-21-5) have lost five straight (0-3-2) and nine of their past 10 (1-6-3). New York is 3-for-56 on the power play with three short-handed goals allowed in their past 21 games. Ottawa (20-23-3) is 4-6-0 in its past 10 games. Captain Brady Tkachuk has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past five games.
New York Rangers at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TNT, SN)
Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews has a 10-game point streak (eight goals, five assists). Goalie Ilya Samsonov has yet to lose a game in regulation at Scotiabank Arena (13-0-1) and is the fifth Maple Leafs goalie to have a 14-game home point streak at any time during a season. The record of 18 games is shared by Harry Lumley (1953-54) and George Hainsworth (1933-34). Rangers forward Chris Kreider needs one goal for his eighth 20-goal season in the NHL. Five players in Rangers history have at least eight 20-goal seasons: Rod Gilbert (12), Jean Ratelle (nine), Adam Graves (eight), Andy Bathgate (eight) and Camille Henry (eight).
Carolina Hurricanes at Dallas Stars (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Robertson has five points (three goals, two assists) in a four-game point streak and 20 multipoint games this season. Aho has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his past seven games. Carolina defeated Dallas 5-4 in overtime Dec. 17.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Edmonton Oilers (9:30 p.m. ET; TNT, SN360, SNW, TVAS)
Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past five games, including two assists in his return to Calgary since signing with Columbus as a free agent. McDavid is two assists from becoming the eighth different player in NHL history with 40 goals and 50 assists prior to his 50th game. Mario Lemieux (117 points; 48 goals, 69 assists in 49 games) and Jaromir Jagr (97 points; 41 goals, 56 assists in 49 games) were the last ones to do so with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1995-96.
Vancouver Canucks at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, SNP, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Canucks (19-25-3) try to build on new coach Rick Tocchet's first win, 5-2 against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, in the second of a back-to-back set. They lost three in a row and seven of eight before Bruce Boudreau was fired Sunday. Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko has seven points (four goals, three assists) during a five-game point streak. The Kraken (27-14-5) have lost three of their past four games (1-2-1). Forward Ryan Donato has six points (three goals, three assists) in his past five games.