NHL On Tap: Penguins look to continue climb up Metropolitan Division

There are 14 games on the NHL schedule for Saturday, including three nationally televised in the United States and four in Canada. Here are the five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

March of the Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins (27-14-11) can extend their winning streak to six games when they host the New York Rangers (22-27-6) at PPG Paints Arena (3:30 p.m. ET; ABC, SNO, SNE, SN1, TVAS). Pittsburgh, which has outscored its opponents 25-10 during its winning streak, is also 12-2-2 in its past 16 games. Stuart Skinner has been a big reason why the Penguins have been on this run, having gone 7-1-0 with a 1.63 goals-against average and .934 save percentage in eight starts since Dec. 28. Sidney Crosby has gone two straight games without a point, but the captain still leads the Penguins with 57 (27 goals, 30 assists) in 52 games. The Rangers are coming off back-to-back losses to the New York Islanders, losing 5-2 on Wednesday and 2-1 on Thursday.

Hard-charging Buffalo

The Buffalo Sabres (31-17-5) will try to continue their ascent in the Atlantic Division when they host the Montreal Canadiens (30-17-7) at KeyBank Center (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, MSG-B, SNE, CITY, TVAS). Buffalo, which hasn't qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs since the 2010-11 season, has won five in a row and is a League-best 20-3-1 since Dec. 9. That stretch has moved the Sabres into third place in the Atlantic, three points behind the Detroit Red Wings, who have played two more games, and five back of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have a game in hand. Montreal, meanwhile, is coming a 7-3 win on Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche, handing the NHL's best team just its eighth regulation loss of the season.

German gathering

Three players who will compete for Team Germany at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will take the ice when the Edmonton Oilers (28-19-8) host the Minnesota Wild (31-14-10) at Rogers Place (10 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, CITY, FDSNNOX, FDSNWI). Oilers forwards Leon Draisaitl and Josh Samanski will head to Italy next month, as will Wild forward Nico Sturm. Draisaitl has 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in his past three games, and Oilers captain Connor McDavid has nine points (four goals, five assists) in his past three games. Edmonton is tied with the Vegas Golden Knights, who have played two fewer games, for first place in the Pacific Division. Minnesota is one point ahead of the Dallas Stars, who have one game in hand, for second in the Central Division.

This is 40

Nathan MacKinnon can become the first player to reach 40 goals this season when the Colorado Avalanche (35-8-9) travel to face the Detroit Red Wings (32-17-6) at Little Caesars Arena (1 p.m. ET; ABC, SNP, SNO, SNE). MacKinnon has 88 points (38 goals, 50 assists) in 52 games this season, which is second in the NHL, behind only McDavid (94 points in 55 games). Although MacKinnon has been held off the score sheet in each of his past two games, he has yet to go three games without a point this season. The Avalanche will look to get back on track as a team as well, having gone 2-4-2 in their past eight games. Red Wings forward Patrick Kane became the NHL's all-time leading scorer among United States-born players by getting an assist in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Kane has 1,375 points (500 goals, 875 assists) in 1,342 games, surpassing Mike Modano, who had 1,374 points (561 goals, 813 assists) in 1,499 games.

Storm surge

The Carolina Hurricanes (33-15-5) will face off against a Metropolitan Division rival when they visit the Washington Capitals (26-22-7) at Capital One Arena (5 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MNMT). The Hurricanes, who are in first in the Metropolitan, have won two straight and are 5-0-1 in their past six games. They are coming off a dramatic win on Thursday, when they scored three goals in the final 1:59 of regulation to defeat the Utah Mammoth 5-4. The Capitals are returning home from a six-game road trip, during which they went 2-3-1.

The schedule

Los Angeles Kings at Philadelphia Flyers (12:30 p.m. ET; FDSNW, NBCSP, SN1)

Colorado Avalanche at Detroit Red Wings (1 p.m. ET; ABC, SNP, SNO, SNE)

New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins (3:30 p.m. ET; ABC, SNO, SNE, SN1, TVAS)

Winnipeg Jets at Florida Panthers (4 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN3)

San Jose Sharks at Calgary Flames (4 p.m. ET; SN, NBCSCA)

Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals (5 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MNMT)

Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, MSG-B, SNE, CITY, TVAS)

New Jersey Devils at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; SN1, TVAS2, MSG)

Nashville Predators at New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MSGSN)

Columbus Blue Jackets at St. Louis Blues (7 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, FDSNOH)

Toronto Maple Leafs at Vancouver Canucks (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP)

Dallas Stars at Utah Mammoth (9 p.m. ET; Utah16, Victory+)

Minnesota Wild at Edmonton Oilers (10 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, CITY, FDSNNOX, FDSNWI)

Seattle Kraken at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, KING 5, SCRIPPS, KONG)