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 three games Wednesday
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Excitement in Detroit
It's still early in the season, but it's shaping up as a good one for the Detroit Red Wings, with the team's results and its announcement of a Patrick Kane deal on Tuesday, when he signed a one-year contract. More pressing, though, is the Red Wings' game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT), a true test for a team that's hoping to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a seven-year absence. It's been a good week for the Red Wings (11-6-3), with three straight wins since the team returned from the 2023 NHL Global Series Sweden in Stockholm, including against the Boston Bruins on Friday (5-2), putting them into third place in the Atlantic Division. They'll hope that run of good play continues against the Rangers (15-4-1), the top team in the NHL by points percentage, who likely will get defenseman Adam Fox back after missing the past 10 games with an injury. Before a 5-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, the Rangers had been 13-1-1 in their past 15 games, including a five-game home winning streak. – Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
Kings look to extend winning streak
The Los Angeles Kings are hoping for a sixth straight win when they host to the Washington Capitals at Crypto.com Arena (10:30 p.m. ET; MNMT, MNMT2, BSW, SN, TVAS). Los Angeles (13-3-3) has been connecting on all cylinders of late; they have the top penalty-killing unit in the League (89.4 percent), have scored the most goals per game (4.00) and allowed the fewest (2.37). Forward Adrian Kempe has 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in his past 14 games and goalie Cam Talbot is 7-1-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and .949 save percentage in his past eight starts. The Capitals (10-6-2), who are playing the second of a five-game road trip, have lost two straight after winning five in a row. Washington is 1-6-1 when scoring two or fewer goals this season, including a 2-1 loss at the San Jose Sharks on Monday. -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer
Blue Jackets on a roll
The Columbus Blue Jackets have been riding high lately. They have won three of their past four games following a nine-game skid (0-7-2) and look to keep things rolling when they host the Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET: BSOH, SN, RDS). The Blue Jackets (7-12-4) defeated the Boston Bruins 5-2 on Monday and made NHL history when four Russian players on the same team -- Yegor Chinakhov, Dmitri Voronkov, Ivan Provorov and Kirill Marchenko -- all scored in the same game. The Canadiens (9-10-2) are 2-5-0 in their past seven games following a 4-0 loss at the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Captain Nick Suzuki and forward Cole Caufield lead Montreal with 17 points each, with each having six goals and 11 assists in 21 games. -- William Douglas, staff writer
Wednesday games
Montreal Canadiens at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET: BSOH, SN, RDS)
Columbus has the second-best penalty-killing percentage in the NHL (89.2) behind Los Angeles. Forward Alex Newhook has no points in his past two games after having five points (three goals, two assists) in his previous two games for the Canadiens, who conclude a five-game road trip.
Detroit Red Wings at New York Rangers (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT)
The Rangers will be without forward Kaapo Kakko, who was injured in a 5-1 loss against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday and was placed on long-term injured reserve on Tuesday. The Red Wings will be without forward Dylan Larkin, who is day to day with an undisclosed injury.
Washington Capitals at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; MNMT, MNMT2, BSW, SN, TVAS)
Washington forward Alex Ovechkin, who has been held without a point in three straight games, remains three points shy of 1,500 in his NHL career. The Capitals captain has 1,497 points (827 goals, 670 assists) in 1,365 games. Los Angeles is 11-0-1 when scoring first this season. The Kings have outscored the opposition 26-14 in the first period.
