NHL On Tap: Stars host Hurricanes trying for fifth straight win

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 eight games Tuesday.

Stars go for fifth straight win

The Dallas Stars (10-7-2) have found some success of late thanks in large part to their goaltending. They'll go for their fifth consecutive victory when they host the Carolina Hurricanes (15-4-1) at American Airlines Center (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, BSSO, NHL LIVE). Three of the Stars' wins have come against top Western Conference opponents: the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche. Goalie Jake Oettinger started all three games, allowing one goal in each. The 22-year-old was recalled from Texas of the American Hockey League on Nov. 13 and is 4-0-0 with a 1.26 goals-against average and .959 save percentage in five games (four starts) for the Stars. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Ovechkin, Thornton seek milestones

Alex Ovechkin will try to become the seventh player in NHL history to score 20 goals in 17 straight seasons and Joe Thornton seeks to move up the NHL points list when the Washington Capitals visit the Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, BSFL, NBCSWA, NHL LIVE). Ovechkin, named the NHL First Star for the week ending Nov. 28, is one goal from joining Marcel Dionne, Brett Hull, Jaromir Jagr and Mats Sundin as NHL players who reached the milestone; only Gordie Howe (22) and Brendan Shanahan (19) have done it in more seasons. Thornton, playing the first of his 24 NHL seasons with the Panthers, has scored 1,532 points (426 goals, 1,106 assists) and is one away from tying Mark Recchi for 12th place all-time. -- William Douglas, staff writer

Don't sleep on the Devils

Although it's premature to link the New Jersey Devils with the Stanley Cup Playoffs, one cannot ignore what they accomplished in the first quarter of the season. The Devils (9-6-4) host the San Jose Sharks (7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, NHL LIVE) and they're among the early contenders for a wild card in the Eastern Conference because forwards Andreas Johnsson, Jesper Bratt and rookie Dawson Mercer have scored a combined 48 points (20 goals, 28 assists), including eight points (three goals, five assists) in a 5-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday. Jack Hughes is back in the lineup for New Jersey after the center missed 18 games with a dislocated left shoulder. He should provide a boost and help set the Devils up to be a tough team down the stretch, one not to be overlooked. -- Jon Lane, staff writer

Tuesday schedule

Detroit Red Wings at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; SNW, SNP, NESN, BSDET, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Dylan Larkin has a five-game point streak (three goals, three assists) for the Red Wings (10-9-3), who seek their third consecutive win. Boston (11-7-0) finishes a three-game homestand and will be without forward Brad Marchand, who begins a three-game suspension for a slew-foot against Vancouver Canucks defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Washington Capitals at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, BSFL, NBCSWA, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Alex Ovechkin has scored seven goals in his past five games, including a hat trick for the Capitals (14-3-5) in a 4-3 win against the Panthers on Friday. Florida (14-4-3) looks to rebound after seeing its record-tying 11-game home winning streak end with a 4-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.
San Jose Sharks at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, NHL LIVE)
Devils left wing Jesper Bratt has scored six points (one goal, five assists) during a four-game point streak. Timo Meier scored two goals for the Sharks (11-9-1) in 2-0 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday that gave the forward 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 16 games this season.
Tampa Bay Lighting at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, NHL LIVE)
Andre Vasilevskiy is coming off consecutive shutouts last week against the Philadelphia Flyers and Kraken for Tampa Bay (12-5-3). Forward Pavel Buchnevich has scored four goals in his past five games for St. Louis (11-7-3), two in a 6-3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSOH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Blue Jackets (12-7-0) are 5-2-0 in their past seven games. Forward Ryan Johansen has scored eight points (one goal, seven assists) in a five-game point streak for the Predators (11-9-1)
Arizona Coyotes at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWI, BSAZ, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
This is the second of a back-to-back set for the Coyotes (5-15-2), who shut out the Winnipeg Jets 1-0 on Monday. Forward Ryan Hartman has scored a goal in three straight games for the Wild (14-6-1), who have won three in a row and are first in the Central Division, four points ahead of the second-place Blues.
Carolina Hurricanes at Dallas Stars (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Teuvo Teravainen is one goal shy of 100 in the NHL for the Hurricanes, who are 9-2-1 on the road this season. Stars forward Roope Hintz has scored six points (four goals, two assists) in a four-game point streak.
Anaheim Ducks at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; BSW, BSSC, BSSD, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Ducks (11-8-3) have lost four of their past five and are 3-4-2 on the road this season. The Kings (9-8-3) are led by forward Anze Kopitar, who has scored 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 20 games.
New York Islanders at Philadelphia Flyers, postponed