Welcome to 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 10 games Tuesday.
Oilers look to continue roll
The Edmonton Oilers can extend their winning streak and match their season high with an eighth straight victory when they face the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center (8:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, TVAS-D, SNP, SNO, SNE, SN1). Edmonton (20-15-1) won eight in a row from Nov. 24 to Dec. 12 before losing three straight and has responded with seven consecutive victories. Oilers captain Connor McDavid has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) on the current winning streak but will not face Connor Bedard for a second time because the Blackhawks rookie sustained a fractured jaw in a 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 5, when hit by defenseman Brendan Smith in the first period. Bedard leads rookies with 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 39 games. The Blackhawks (12-26-2) will also be without forward Nick Foligno, who fractured his finger against the Devils. Chicago had lost five straight (0-4-1) before defeating the Calgary Flames 4-3 on Sunday. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer
Keep an eye on Kucherov
For all the talk about the seasons of players like McDavid, Bedard and Nathan MacKinnon, there's one player who seemingly is flying under the radar in 2023-24: Nikita Kucherov. I had the pleasure of watching him play the Boston Bruins in Boston on Saturday in a 7-3 loss, but he was everywhere on the ice. He finished with a goal and two assists, adding to his NHL-leading totals of 67 points (28 goals, 39 assists) in a season that might even be better than when he won the Hart Trophy as the League's MVP in 2018-19. I'd advise anyone looking for a game to watch Tuesday to check out the Tampa Bay Lightning (19-17-5) against the Los Angeles Kings (20-10-6) at Amalie Arena (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, BSW, NHLN, TVAS) to get a look at Kucherov and Co. As a bonus, you'll get a look at Kings rookie Brandt Clarke, who made his season debut against the Washington Capitals on Sunday. The defenseman had 32 points (seven goals, 25 assists) in 30 games for Ontario of the American Hockey League this season and was the No. 8 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
Kraken try to stay hot, begin six-game trip
The Seattle Kraken are on an incredible run entering their game against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center (7 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, MSG-B). This team was 8-14-7 after a 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 10. Since then? Seattle hasn't lost in regulation and has gotten back into the race for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Kraken (16-14-9) have won six in a row -- including 3-0 against the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on New Year's Day -- and are on a 10-game point streak (8-0-2), their longest since entering the NHL as an expansion team in 2021-22. But now they embark on a six-game road trip that will take them from the East Coast to Alberta. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist
Tuesday games
Seattle Kraken at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, MSG-B)
Joey Daccord is 7-0-2 with a 1.31 goals-against average and .958 save percentage in his past nine games for the Kraken (16-14-9). The Sabres (17-19-4) are coming off a 3-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday and have won consecutive games for the first time since Oct. 29-Nov. 1.
Los Angeles Kings at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, BSW, NHLN, TVAS)
The Kings have lost a season-high five straight games (0-3-2). Adrian Kempe has three goals in his past two games and nine points (six goals, three assists) in his past seven. The Lightning have lost four of six. Tanner Jeannot left the game against the Bruins on Saturday; the forward was not on the ice for practice Monday and is out indefinitely. Erik Cernak (upper body) is expected to return for Tampa Bay after missing the past three games.
San Jose Sharks at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, NBCSCA)
The Maple Leafs defeated the Sharks 4-1 at SAP Center in San Jose on Saturday. William Nylander had three points (two goals, one assist), giving him six points (four goals, two assists) in three games for Toronto (20-10-7), which swept a California trip. San Jose (9-28-3) has lost 11 straight in regulation.
Vancouver Canucks at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, SNP)
Elias Pettersson had four points (two goals, two assists) for the Canucks (26-11-3) in a 6-3 win at the New York Rangers on Monday. He has scored twice in two straight games and three of four. Defenseman Quinn Hughes had an assist and was plus-4; he leads the NHL at plus-30. The Islanders (18-11-10) have lost three of four (1-2-1).
Anaheim Ducks at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSSD, BSSC)
Gustav Nyquist has 12 points (six goals, six assists) on an eight-game point streak for the Predators (22-17-1), who have won three of four. The Ducks (13-25-1) open a six-game trip after going 1-6-1 on an eight-game homestand, scoring two goals or fewer in seven of the eight games. They've lost five straight (0-4-1).
Florida Panthers at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, BSFL)
Sam Reinhart has 11 points (10 goals, one assist) during a seven-game winning streak for the Panthers (25-12-2). Carter Verhaeghe has six goals on an NHL career-high five-game goal streak. The Blues (20-17-1) have won two straight.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSOH)
The Jets (26-9-4) lead the NHL standings, have won six in a row and are on a 12-game point streak (10-0-2). They have allowed two goals or fewer in nine straight games, and they're on a 29-game streak of allowing three or fewer goals, the sixth-longest in NHL history. The Blue Jackets (13-19-9) are tied for 19th in goals per game (3.05).
Edmonton Oilers at Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, TVAS-D, SNP, SNO, SNE, SN1)
Zach Hyman has scored seven goals in his past six games and is on pace to reach 50 for the first time in his NHL career. The Oilers forward scored his third hat trick of the season in a 3-1 win against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. He has 40 points (25 goals, 15 assists) in 35 games this season. Chicago forward Jason Dickinson has six points (four goals, two assists) in his past nine games.
Boston Bruins at Arizona Coyotes (9 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NESN, TVAS)
The Bruins (24-8-7) are coming off a 4-3 shootout loss at the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. They're 7-1-1 in their past nine games. The Coyotes (19-17-2) have lost three in a row by a combined score of 15-4.
Ottawa Senators at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; RDS, SNW, TSN5)
The Senators (14-21-0) have lost three in a row in regulation and are 3-6-0 since Jacques Martin took over as coach Dec. 18. The Flames (17-18-5) have lost two straight. Nazem Kadri has four points (three goals, one assist) in his past three games and 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in his past 16 for Calgary.
