NHL On Tap: Senators visit Capitals looking to close in on wild card

There are six games on the NHL schedule Wednesday, including two televised nationally in the United States and one in Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

Heat from Canada's capital

The Ottawa Senators are 6-1-2 since returning from the break for the 2026 Winter Olympics, a run that has them five points back for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference entering their visit to the Washington Capitals (7:30 p.m. ET; MNMT, SN, TVAS). The Senators (34-23-9) are led by forward Tim Stutzle (70 points; 30 goals, 40 assists in 66 games). They've also received a boost from Linus Ullmark; the goalie is 2-1-0 while allowing seven goals on 70 shots (2.36 goals-against average, .900 save percentage, one shutout) in three consecutive starts.

Heavyweights face off in Central

For a long time, it looked like the Colorado Avalanche were going to run away with Central Division and win the Presidents' Trophy given to the team with the best record during the regular season. The Dallas Stars have made it a race and trail the Avalanche by three points heading into Ball Arena in Denver (9:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT, TVAS2). The game will have massive implications in terms of who potentially wins the division and faces the second wild card from the Western Conference. Colorado (44-13-9) has lost three of four (1-3-0) after winning five in a row. Dallas (42-15-10) had a 15-game point streak (14-0-1) end with a 6-3 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Monday.

Pittsburgh keeps on plugging

For a team projected to be far down in the standings, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been on an impressive run even when missing Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. They're second in the Metropolitan Division and seven points back of the Carolina Hurricanes, their opponent at Lenovo Center (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SN-PIT, TVAS2) to end a five-game road trip. The Penguins (34-18-15) made a statement with a 7-2 win against the Avalanche on Monday, when Malkin had three points (two goals, one assist) in his return from a five-game suspension for slashing Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Brandon Bussi is 25-6-1 in his first season for the Hurricanes (42-19-6). He is the fastest goalie in NHL history (29 games) to reach 25 wins, breaking the record held by Ross Brooks for the Boston Bruins (32 games from 1972-74).

Ducks push toward playoffs

The Anaheim Ducks (37-27-3) are one of eight teams that could reach the playoffs after missing last season. They host the Philadelphia Flyers (31-23-12) at Honda Center (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, NBCSP, KCOP-13) tied in points with the Edmonton Oilers for first in the Pacific Division. Anaheim forward Troy Terry had three points (one goal, two assists) in a 4-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens on March 15 after missing nine games with an upper-body injury.

Devils coming in hot

The New Jersey Devils are 6-2-0 since Feb. 28 and visit the New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT). They're being led by Jack Hughes, the Olympic golden-goal scorer for Team USA who's coming off a three-assist game in a 4-3 overtime victory against the Bruins on Monday to become the fastest player in Devils/Colorado Rockies/Kansas City Scouts history to reach 400 points (414 games), passing Kirk Muller (429 games). New Jersey (34-31-2) trails Boston by 12 points in the East. New York (28-31-8) won four in a row before a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.

The schedule

New Jersey Devils at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT)

Pittsburgh Penguins at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SN-PIT, TVAS2)

Ottawa Senators at Washington Capitals (7:30 p.m. ET; MNMT, SN, TVAS)

Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche (9:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT, TVAS2)

St. Louis Blues at Calgary Flames (9:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN1, FDSNMW)

Philadelphia Flyers at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, NBCSP, KCOP-13)