NHL On Tap: Blues face Bruins, look to end six-game skid

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 three games Monday.

Blues can start reversing fortunes

It's time for the St. Louis Blues to show me and everyone around the NHL what they're really all about this season. The Blues (3-6-0) have lost six straight games, and none of them has been all that close, having been outscored 30-10 in that stretch. However, they will have another chance to right the ship if they can defeat the Boston Bruins at TD Garden (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, NESN, BSMW, SN NOW). The Bruins (10-2-0) are off to one of the best starts in their history despite a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, which ended their seven-game winning streak. Although the two teams are trending in different directions, we know this much: When the Blues are on their game -- skating, driving the play -- they can beat any team in the NHL. They're not the same team that defeated the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup in 2019, but they still have championship aspirations. They just haven't shown it yet. But if they continue to lose, the questions will persist and the doubt will seep in further. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

McDavid to play in 500th game

Connor McDavid will play his 500th NHL game when the Edmonton Oilers visit the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena (8 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, NBCSWA, ESPN+). McDavid, who leads the NHL with 12 goals and 25 points for Edmonton (7-5-0) this season, has 722 points and 471 assists in his career, the most among active players through 500 games, surpassing Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins (706 points, 453 assists). Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl is second in the NHL with 23 points and is tied for the League lead in assists (16) with Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche. Left wing Alex Ovechkin scored his 787th goal for Washington (5-6-2) in a 3-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday, passing Gordie Howe for the most with one team in NHL history. There should be plenty of offense on display in this game. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Flames look to rekindle winning ways

The Calgary Flames hope to end a four-game losing streak when they visit the New York Islanders at UBS Arena (7 p.m. ET; SN1, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW). Calgary (5-4-1), which was outscored 16-10 in the final four games (0-3-1) of a season-long eight-game homestand, is beginning a stretch that will see it play nine of its next 11 games on the road. New York (7-5-0), meanwhile, had its five-game winning streak end in a 3-0 loss at the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. Islanders center Mathew Barzal has not scored a goal in 12 games this season after scoring once in his final 15 games in 2021-22. -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

Monday games

St. Louis Blues at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, NESN, BSMW, SN NOW)
The Bruins are 6-0-0 at home, tying the second-longest streak (1976-77, 1985-86) to begin a season in their history. They won their first eight home games in 1983-84. The Blues have scored the first goal in six of their nine games, but they have had the lead going into the third period just once so far. St. Louis forward Brandon Saad could return after missing six games with an upper-body injury.
Calgary Flames at New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; SN1, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Forward Nazem Kadri leads Calgary with 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 10 games, including scoring four goals in his past five games. The Flames placed defenseman Michael Stone (lower body) on injured reserve on Sunday and recalled defensemen Nick DeSimone and Dennis Gilbert from Calgary of the American Hockey League. Islanders center Brock Nelson has five goals and seven points in his past five games after not scoring a goal in his first seven games this season.
Edmonton Oilers at Washington Capitals (8 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, NBCSWA, ESPN+)
The Oilers, who are beginning a four-game road trip, will look to rebound from a 6-2 loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday. The Capitals, who have lost four in a row (0-2-2), could enter this game down another key player after defenseman Dmitry Orlov left their 3-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday because of a lower-body injury. Washington is already without defenseman John Carlson (lower body), and forwards Tom Wilson (torn ACL), Nicklas Backstrom (hip surgery), T.J. Oshie (lower body), Carl Hagelin (hip surgery), Connor Brown (torn ACL) and Beck Malenstyn (broken finger).