NHL On Tap: McDavid can match record with Oilers against Jets

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 five games Friday.

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McDavid seeks sixth straight multigoal game

Connor McDavid will seek to continue his surge when the Edmonton Oilers host the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Place on Friday (9 p.m. ET; SNW, TSN3, ESPN+, SN NOW) in the first of a back-to-back home-and-home between the teams. McDavid, who leads the NHL with 52 goals and 118 points, has scored two goals in five straight games and can equal the NHL record of six straight multigoal games, held by Joe Malone (Feb. 12-18, 1921) and Punch Broadbent (Juan 14-Feb. 1, 1922). McDavid has 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) during an eight-game point streak, but Edmonton (33-21-8) has just three wins in its past nine games (3-3-3) and is tied with the Seattle Kraken for third in the Pacific Division. Meanwhile the Jets (35-24-2) have lost four straight (0-3-1) and six of seven (1-5-1) to drop from first in the Central Division to fourth, and into the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. Winnipeg scored two goals in three games prior to a 6-5 shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. -- David Satriano, staff writer

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Eichel hitting his groove with Vegas

Jack Eichel is healthy, happy (we assume) and being the productive forward the Vegas Golden Knights (36-19-6) hoped he would be when they acquired him in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 4, 2021. Eichel has five goals in as many games including two in a 3-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. He has 45 points (22 goals, 23 assists), second on the Golden Knights behind Chandler Stephenson with 50 points (12 goals, 38 assists) entering their game against the New Jersey Devils (40-15-5) at T-Mobile Arena on Friday (10 p.m. ET: SNE, SNO, SNP, ATTSN-RM, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW). Eichel's health, including a neck injury and ensuing artificial disk replacement surgery, cost him most of the past two seasons. Now all that's behind him and he's helped the Golden Knights go 7-1-2 in their past 10 games. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

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Hurricanes try to maintain hold on first

The Carolina Hurricanes have seen their lead in the Metropolitan Division shrink to one point ahead of the New Jersey Devils, so they'll need a win when they play the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena (9:30 p.m. ET; BSAZX, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW) to stay in first. Before 3-2 losses to the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 25 and the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, Carolina (39-12-8) had won five in a row and was 14-1-1 in 16 games. But the Devils have won three in a row and are 16-3-2 in their past 21 games, leaving the Hurricanes a slim margin for error. Winning in Arizona (21-31-9) won't be easy. The Coyotes are 14-10-2 at home and defeated the Hurricanes 4-0 at Carolina on Nov. 23. Goalie Antti Raanta, who played four seasons with the Coyotes before signing with the Hurricanes in 2021, hasn't lost in regulation since Nov. 12, going 12-0-2, 2.26 goals-against average, .907 save percentage, three shutouts in his past 15 games. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Friday games

Seattle Kraken at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS, BSOH, ROOT-NW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Kraken (34-21-6) are 2-0-0 so far on a four-game road trip, including a 5-4 overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, to pull into a tie with the Edmonton Oilers for third in the Pacific Division. Jared McCann scored two goals to reach an NHL career-high 29 for the season. The Blue Jackets (20-35-6) are 4-1-2 in their past seven games. Forward Eric Robinson scored his first NHL hat trick in Columbus' previous game, a 5-3 win at the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his past nine games.
Winnipeg Jets at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; SNW, TSN3, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Jets won the teams' only previous meeting this season, 2-1 in Edmonton on Dec. 31. Winnipeg defenseman Josh Morrissey has seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past five games. Forward Mark Scheifele leads the Jets with 34 goals but has scored two in his past eight games. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl has 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) during a 10-game point streak.
Carolina Hurricanes at Arizona Coyotes (9:30 p.m. ET; BSAZX, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns has 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in his past 15 games. Coyotes forward Nick Schmaltz has seven points (four goals, three assists) during a five-game point streak but left a 4-2 loss at the Dallas Stars on Wednesday after being hit in the jaw with the puck.
Montreal Canadiens at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; BSW, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Canadiens (26-31-4) are 1-1-0 so far on a four-game road trip, including a 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. Denis Gurianov scored his first goal in his second game being traded to Montreal by the Dallas Stars on Sunday. The Ducks are (20-34-8) are 3-0-1 in their past four games. Anaheim forward Troy Terry has scored a goal in four straight games since returning to the lineup from an upper-body injury that sidelined him for seven games. Trevor Zegras scored a goal in Anaheim's 3-2 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals to reach 20 goals for the second time in as many seasons.
New Jersey Devils at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET: SNE, SNO, SNP, ATTSN-RM, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Devils have won three in a row and five of their past six games (5-1-0). They got their 40th win (7-5 at the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday) in their 60th game, the fewest they've needed to reach that in their history (40 in 62 games in 2008-09). Forward Teddy Blueger, acquired by the Golden Knights in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday, could make his Vegas debut. Goalie Jonathan Quick is expected to join the Golden Knights after being acquired in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. Quick had been traded to Columbus on Wednesday after 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings.