NHL On Tap: Ovechkin tries again to score 30th goal for 16th season

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.

Ovechkin tries for No. 30 again

After being held off the scoresheet in a 1-0 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday, Alex Ovechkin will try again to score his 30th goal of the season when the Washington Capitals (23-11-9) host the San Jose Sharks (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, NBCSCA, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Ovechkin is one goal from his 16th 30-goal season in his 17 NHL seasons which would put him one behind Hall of Famer Mike Gartner (17) for most in NHL history. He has scored 14 goals in 23 games against San Jose. The Sharks (21-19-2) look to get back on track after losing two straight and four of their past five (1-3-1). -- David Satriano, staff writer

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Avalanche try to add to record books

The Colorado Avalanche (29-8-3) just cannot stop winning. They have won their past 16 games at home to establish a franchise record, their past seven games overall, and now have the top points percentage in the NHL (.762) -- exactly where a lot of us expected them to be. They've won 12 games in January, matching the most wins in a month in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques history, set March 2021. Colorado has a chance to best that record when it hosts the Boston Bruins on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, TVAS, NHL LIVE). Standing in the way of the Avalanche are the Bruins, who are 10-3-0 in their past 13 games. Goalie Linus Ullmark starts for the Bruins (24-13-2) with Tuukka Rask struggling to find his game after rejoining Boston Jan. 13 following offseason hip surgery. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Matthews leads Maple Leafs against Terry, Ducks

The game between the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET; SN360, SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS, BSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE) will feature two of the top goal-scorers in the NHL. Toronto (25-10-3) has Auston Matthews, fourth in the League with 25 goals. Anaheim (21-16-7) has Troy Terry, tied for sixth with 23. Matthews is no surprise. He was the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft, has scored between 34 and 41 goals each season since 2016-17, and led the NHL with 41 last season. Terry is a great story. A fifth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, he scored between four and seven goals the past three seasons, and now has broken out big time. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Wednesday schedule

Anaheim Ducks at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; SN360, SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS, BSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Ducks seek their first three-game winning streak since winning eight straight from Oct. 31-Nov. 16. Defenseman Morgan Rielly has scored 15 points (two goals, 13 assists) in his past 12 games for Toronto, which has alternated wins and losses in its past six games.
San Jose Sharks at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, NBCSCA, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Sharks will be without defenseman Erik Karlsson indefinitely after he had surgery on his left forearm. The Capitals defeated the Sharks 4-0 on Nov. 20 and are 6-0-1 in their past seven games against them.
Calgary Flames at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; SNW, BSOH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Matthew Tkachuk had five assists in a 7-1 win against the St. Louis Blues on Monday and has scored 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in a five-game point streak for the Flames (19-12-6). Forward Boone Jenner has scored seven points (four goals, three assists) in his past seven games for the Blue Jackets (18-20-1) who have lost two straight.
Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, NHL LIVE)
Tyler Bertuzzi has a four-game point streak (two goals, six assists) for Detroit (18-18-6), which is 5-9-3 in its past 17 games and has allowed at least four goals in nine of them. Chicago (15-20-7) has lost four straight (0-2-2) following a four-game winning streak.
Boston Bruins at Colorado Avalanche (10 p.m. ET: TNT, SN, TVAS, NHL LIVE)
Boston will be without forward Nick Foligno because of an upper-body injury. Forward Nathan MacKinnon has scored 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists) in his past 22 games for the Avalanche, who have one regulation loss in their past 21 games (18-1-2).