NHL On Tap: Flames try to continue hot start, host Predators

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 the nine games Tuesday.

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Flames look to keep up torrid pace

The Calgary Flames are off to a 6-1-1 start and will attempt to keep it going against the Nashville Predators (4-4-0) at Scotiabank Saddledome (9 p.m. ET; SN360, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Jacob Markstrom can become the first goalie in Flames history with three straight shutouts; he's 4-1-1 with a 1.33 goals-against average, .957 save percentage and three shutouts in six starts. He has allowed one goal in his past four starts and was named the NHL First Star of the Week after making 93 saves on 94 shots (.989 save percentage) with two shutouts in three victories. Forward Johnny Gaudreau leads Calgary with 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in eight games, and center Elias Lindholm and forward Andrew Mangiapane each has scored seven goals. They'll be tested by the Predators, who have won three in a row. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

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Stamina will be test for Sabres

There is a lot more to learn about the Buffalo Sabres (5-2-1) and whether they turn out to be a mirage or a fairy tale for the duration of the regular season. They're 1-1-0 on a four-game trip to the West Coast that continues at the San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, NHL LIVE). Stamina hasn't been a strength for the rebuilding Sabres the past two seasons. Buffalo started 9-2-1 in 2019-20, then went 0-4-2 in its next six and ended 1-6-0 to finish 30-31-8, a season when former captain Jack Eichel scored 78 points (36 goals, 42 assists) in 68 games. There was more hope last season when they were 4-3-2 after nine games before a 2-20-3 stretch, including 18 consecutive losses (0-15-3). For now, Sabres fans have permission to enjoy the ride, one that has been
about demanding respect
and 40-year-old goalie Craig Anderson (4-1-0 with a 1.98 GAA and .939 save percentage) showing a lot of game. -- Jon Lane, staff writer

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Coyotes seek first victory

The Arizona Coyotes are the only NHL team without a win this season, something they will try to change when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, BSAZ+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE), who return from a 2-1-0 road trip through Western Canada. The Coyotes (0-8-1) will have their work cut out for them. The Flyers are among the top scoring teams in the NHL (3.57 goals per game, sixth) and captain Claude Giroux had eight points (four goals, four assists) in a six-game point streak before a 4-0 loss at the Flames on Saturday. Arizona is last in the NHL in goals against per game (4.22). -- William Douglas, staff writer

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Tuesday's schedule

Vegas Golden Knights at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Vegas looks to extend a three-game winning streak on its first stop of a four-game trip. Golden Knights center Jonathan Marchessault is one point from 300 in the NHL. Toronto hopes to get center Auston Matthews and forward Mitchell Marner on track; each has scored one goal this season.
Arizona Coyotes at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, BASZ+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Coyotes are last in the NHL with 13 goals (1.44 per game) and 0-for-15 on the power play in their past six games, giving up one shorthanded goal in that stretch. Flyers center Sean Couturier will play his 700th NHL game.
Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET: TSN2, RDS, BSDET+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Canadiens return from a 1-3-0 West Coast trip, where they were outscored 14-9. Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond leads NHL rookies with nine points (four goals, five assists) in nine games and defenseman Moritz Seider is second among first-year players with eight points (all assists). Montreal has scored 19 goals in 10 games, an average of 1.90 per game that's 30th in the NHL.
Ottawa Senators at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWI+, TSN5, RDS2, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Senators finish a three-game road trip with the second of a back to back after a 5-1 loss at the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov has yet to score his first goal of the season. He has six assists in eight games.
Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSSW+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
It's the first of a three-game trip through Western Canada for the Stars, who are 0-2-1 in their past three. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen leads Dallas in scoring with seven points (two goals, five assists) in eight games. The Jets begin a season-long seven-game homestand. Winnipeg hasn't lost in regulation since a 4-3 defeat at the Sharks on Oct. 16.
Nashville Predators at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SN360, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Predators begin a season-long six-game trip, which includes two sets of back to backs. Defenseman Roman Josi leads Nashville with nine points (three goals, six assists) in eight games. This is the second of a five-game homestand for the Flames, whose only regulation loss came in their season opener, a 5-2 loss at the Edmonton Oilers.
New York Rangers at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SN1, MSG, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Rangers have won five straight games on the road, most in their history through the first nine games of a season and their longest streak since nine in a row from Jan. 16-Feb. 27, 2020. Forward Chris Kreider's seven goals are the most to start a season for New York since Rick Nash scored nine in the first nine games in 2014-15. The Canucks have lost the first three games of a seven-game homestand.
New Jersey Devils at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, NHL LIVE)
Devils forward Andreas Johnsson has scored four goals in seven games after he scored five in 50 games last season. Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf is 11 points from becoming the seventh active player with 1,000 in the NHL. He passed Hockey Hall of Famer Teemu Selanne for most in Ducks history (989) with an assist in a 4-2 win against the Canadiens on Sunday. Anaheim forward Troy Terry has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in an eight-game point streak; the last Ducks player with a run at least that long was Getzlaf (17 points; five goals, 12 assists in 11 games from Feb. 8-28, 2016).
Buffalo Sabres at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, NHL LIVE)
Sabres forwards Rasmus Asplund (four points; three goals, one assist) and Victor Olofsson (five points; three goals, two assists) each have points in three straight games and have combined for 15 points (nine goals, six assists) this season. Sharks forward Timo Meier was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol with forward Jonathan Dahlen coming out. Forwards Kevin Labanc and Matt Nieto, defensemen Erik Karlsson, Jake Middleton, Radim Simek and Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and coach Bob Boughner remain in protocol.