On Tap: Kaprizov seeks to continue goal outburst for Wild

There are three games on the NHL schedule for Friday, including one televised nationally in the United States and one in Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

Kirill can't stop

Fifteen goals might make a respectable season for some players. For Kirill Kaprizov, it's a respectable first month. The forward is looking to add to his NHL-leading total of 15 goals in 17 games when the Minnesota Wild host the San Jose Sharks at Grand Casino Arena on Friday (8 p.m. ET; Wild+, MINNHL, NHLN, NBCSCA, KSTP). Kaprizov also has nine assists, and his 26 points are tied for fifth in the NHL with Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews. Tune in and it's likelier than not that you'll see him add to a total that has him on pace for 74 goals in an 84-game season, which would be the most in the NHL since Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny each had 76 in 1992-93.

Plucky Ducks

Can the Anaheim Ducks keep it going? They have scored at least five goals in each of their past six games, including five in a 5-4 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. Next up for them is the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome (8 p.m. ET; SN, Prime Video). Over their run, the Ducks have scored 27 goals in five games, going 3-1-1, and are the ninth team in the past 40 years to accomplish the feat. They're being led by Beckett Sennecke, who has two straight three-point games, and 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in 16 games this season.

Flames on fire

The Flames -- who will wear their Hometown Remix jerseys on Friday -- are among the hottest teams in the NHL right now, coming into their game against the Ducks with a 7-3-1 record in their past 11 games. Calgary is led on offense by Joel Farabee and his 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 16 games. But their real strength of late has been defensively and in net, where they've allowed two goals or fewer in seven of their past nine games. Dustin Wolf allowed five goals on 78 shots in his past three games, and the Flames also got good news when they activated goalie Devin Cooley off injured reserve on Thursday.

Finding their footing

The Buffalo Sabres are hoping to continue the momentum they got with three wins on the road in California on their recent four game road trip, though they dropped their first game back at home to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. They welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets to KeyBank Arena (7 p.m. ET; CBJHN, CBJNHL, MSG-B, SN+, TVAS) in the second of a four-game homestand. Forward Zach Benson has a five-game point streak, with eight points (two goals, six assists) during that run. He's tied for second on the team in points (14; two goals, 12 assists) with Jack Quinn behind only Tage Thompson (18).

Sharks vow to improve

The Sharks have struggled to start the season, but they're hoping to turn things around against the Wild. San Jose held a players-only meeting after their 7-2 loss the Los Angeles Kings Wednesday, their third straight loss and fifth in six games with forward Kiefer Sherwood saying, "It's unacceptable. It's not good enough. To a man, to a team. It's not on the coaches right now." The Sharks are 7-9-1 and have a minus-17 goal differential. "We're going to move forward here, and this one obviously (stinks), but no one's feeling sorry for ourselves," Sherwood continued. "Until we do something about it, stuff's not going to change. So, we need to do something about it moving forward."

Sharks hold players-only meeting after Kings loss

The schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. ET; CBJHN, CBJNHL, MSG-B, SN+, TVAS

San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m. ET; Wild+, MINNHL, NHLN, NBCSCA, KSTP

Anaheim Ducks at Calgary Flames, 8 p.m. ET; SN, Prime Video