NHL On Tap: Wild try to find game in playoff rematch against Stars

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 five games Sunday.

Wild host Stars in playoff rematch

The Minnesota Wild host the Dallas Stars at Xcel Energy Center (6 p.m. ET; BSSWX, BSWI, BSN, NHLN, SNW, SNO, SNE) for the first time since the fourth-best season in their 23-year history (103 points) was short-circuited on home ice with a 4-1 loss to the Stars in Game 6 of the 2023 Western Conference First Round. It was a familiar refrain for the Wild, without an appearance past the first round since 2014-15 and four consecutive first-round exits including the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers (best-of-5) and a six-game loss to the St. Louis Blues in 2022 coming off their best season (113 points) since joining the NHL in 2000-01. Minnesota (5-7-2) is on a 2-5-1 slide and its 3.93 goals-against average is better than only the San Jose Sharks (4.43). The Stars are 9-3-1 despite a power play (10.8 percent, 4-for-37) down from 25.0 percent last season and being outscored 13-6 in the first period after holding an 86-59 advantage in 2022-23. They play the second of four consecutive games against Central Division opponents after defeating the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 at Canada Life Centre on Saturday, ending the Jets' three-game winning streak when they scored at least five goals per game. Key stat: the Stars (38-0-2) and Wild (33-0-3) are two of four teams (Buffalo Sabres, 33-0-4; Columbus Blue Jackets, 13-0-3) since the beginning of last season without a regulation loss when leading after two periods. -- Jon Lane, staff writer

Bedard looks to stay hot against the Panthers

Connor Bedard is coming off the best game of his young NHL career when the Chicago Blackhawks visit the Florida Panthers (1 p.m. ET; BSFL, NHLN, NBCSCH, SN360, TVAS). The No. 1 pick of the 2023 NHL Draft had four points (two goals, two assists) in a 5-3 win at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. At 18 years, 115 days, the center became the youngest player in Blackhawks history with a multi-goal and four-point game. Bedard has seven points (five goals, two assists) in his past five games, including a goal in a 5-2 win against the Panthers in Chicago on Nov. 4. He leads NHL rookies in goals (seven) and is tied with Logan Cooley of the Arizona Coyotes for the rookie lead in points (11). -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Panarin eyes Gilbert’s record with Rangers

Artemi Panarin can match the New York Rangers’ record for the longest season-opening point streak when the Columbus Blue Jackets visit Madison Square Garden (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, MSG). Panarin has 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) with at least one point in each of the Rangers’ first 13 games, moving him within one game of Rod Gilbert’s record of beginning the 1972-73 season with points in 14 straight games (11 goals, 12 assists). The 32-year-old forward, who played two seasons for Columbus (2017-19) before signing with New York in 2019, can also establish his NHL career-high for a point streak at any point in a season, surpassing his 13-game streak from Feb. 7-March 1, 2020. With 172 career assists, Zach Werenski is one away from Seth Jones’ Blue Jackets record for most assists by a defenseman.  -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Sunday games

Chicago Blackhawks at Florida Panthers (1 p.m. ET; BSFL, NHLN, NBCSCH, SN360, TVAS)

Florida (8-4-1) has won three in a row overall and will try for its fifth straight win at Amerant Bank Arena, which would be the longest home win streak in the NHL this season. The Panthers will have Sam Bennett back in the lineup. Forward Sam Reinhart has three consecutive two-point games and leads the Panthers with 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 13 games. Chicago (5-7-0) is 4-4-0 on the road. Forwards Taylor Hall (lower body) and Andreas Athanasiou (undisclosed) won’t play for the Blackhawks after being injured against the Lightning on Thursday.

Dallas Stars at Minnesota Wild (6 p.m. ET; BSSWX, BSWI, BSN, NHLN, SNW, SNO, SNE)

The Wild play their final game before joining the Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators in Stockholm for the 2023 NHL Global Series – Sweden presented by Fastenal. Dallas is 6-1-1 on the road this season, including wins in the first two games of this three-game trip. Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, who is expected to start after Scott Wedgewood played Saturday, is 4-0-1 with a 2.40 GAA and .917 save percentage in seven career games (six starts) against the Wild.

Vancouver Canucks at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, SNP)

Vancouver (10-3-1) had a five-game winning streak and nine-game point streak (8-0-1) end with a 5-2 loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday. Forward Elias Pettersson leads the NHL with 25 points (seven goals, 18 assist) in 14 games after getting an assist against the Maple Leafs and is the second player in Canucks’ history to reach 25 points in 14 games or fewer, joining Tony Tanti (1983-84). Montreal (7-5-2) has won an NHL-high four games in overtime this season, including 3-2 against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

Columbus Blue Jackets at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, MSG)

The Rangers (10-2-1) are 8-0-1 in their past nine games, including 2-0-1 without defenseman Adam Fox (lower body), forward Filip Chytil (upper body) and goalie Igor Shesterkin (lower body), who are expected to remain out Sunday. The Blue Jackets (4-7-3) have lost four in a row (0-3-1) and have one win in their past nine games (1-5-3). Forward Patrik Laine returned after missing nine games with an upper-body injury to score his 200th NHL goal in Columbus’ 5-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

San Jose Sharks at Anaheim Ducks (8 p.m. ET; BSSD, BSSC, NBCSCA, SN360)

What will Leo Carlsson do for an encore after becoming the youngest Ducks player to score a hat trick (18 years, 319 days) in a 6-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday? Carlsson, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, has seven points (six goals, one assist) in nine games this season. Anaheim (7-6-0) has lost its past two games following a six-game winning streak. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 77 of 80 shots for a 1.50 GAA and .963 save percentage in winning his past two starts for San Jose (2-11-1).