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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Avalanche, Kraken clash for first time since playoffs
The Seattle Kraken face the Colorado Avalanche in their home opener at Climate Pledge Arena (10 p.m. ET; ESPN, SNP), a rematch of the 2023 Western Conference First Round. The Kraken made history when they improved by 19 wins and 40 points in their second NHL season and became the first expansion team to win its inaugural Stanley Cup Playoff series by eliminating the Avalanche, the 2022 Stanley Cup champions, in seven games. This season, Seattle is 0-2-1 and has struggled to find offense. Jared McCann, who led the Kraken with 40 goals last season, has scored one of their two goals. Matty Beniers is without a point and minus-3 after winning the 2023 Calder Memorial Trophy, voted as the top rookie in the NHL, with 57 points (24 goals, 33 assists) in 80 games. The retooled Avalanche are 2-0-0 after adding Ryan Johansen, Jonathan Drouin, Tomas Tatar and Miles Wood. Of course, the core remains Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. Rantanen leads Colorado with four points (two goals, two assists). MacKinnon (one goal, two assists) and Makar (two goals, one assist) each have three. -- William Douglas, staff writer
Stars, Golden Knights lock up in conference final rematch
Truth be told, the fact that the Vegas Golden Knights needed six games to eliminate the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final last spring probably flatters the team from Texas. The Golden Knights were the better team for good chunks of play and finished off the Stars with a signature 6-0 victory in Game 6 on Dallas ice. Now the two teams play for the first time since when the Golden Knights host the Stars at T-Mobile Arena (10:30 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSSW). Vegas has been dominant out of the gates en route to an 3-0-0 start, outscoring the opposition 12-3 and playing the type of suffocating defensive hockey that led it to the Stanley Cup. Dallas, meanwhile, has played just once, defeating the St. Louis Blues 2-1 in a shootout last Thursday. The Stars strengthened themselves up the middle with the free agent signing of center Matt Duchene. They'll need all the depth they can get against a team that plays a heavy game and uses four lines liberally. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer
Lightning, Sabres in need of a win
Without goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is out until at least December because of back surgery, the Tampa Bay Lightning know a key to success will be protecting the front of their net to help goalies Jonas Johansson and Matt Tomkins. They have to be better at it starting against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN) because the Lightning have not been good enough in front of their goalies the past two games and the results speak for themselves. First there was the 6-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, when the Lightning were outshot 42-25 with Johansson in net, including 21-7 in the second period. Then there was the 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, when they were outshot 38-24 with Tomkins in net, including 17-3 in the first. The Sabres need better starts than they've been getting. They lost their first two games of the season, 5-1 to the New York Rangers on Thursday and 3-2 to the New York Islanders on Saturday, in part because they've been outscored a combined 4-0 in the first period with seven shots on goal in each game. If the Sabres consider themselves a legitimate playoff contender, and they should, then they have to stop the early season slide before it gets out of control. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer
Tuesday games
Vancouver Canucks at Philadelphia Flyers (6 p.m. ET; NBCSP, SNP)
The Flyers will play their home opener at Wells Fargo Center after splitting their first two games on the road. Center Sean Couturier didn't practice Monday and no update on his condition or status for the game was provided by coach John Tortorella. The Canucks play their first opponent not named the Edmonton Oilers. They won their first two games of the season against the Oilers, 8-1 at home Wednesday and 4-3 in Edmonton on Saturday. Canucks center Elias Pettersson had six points (one goal, five assists) and was named NHL Second Star of the Week on Monday.
Minnesota Wild at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, BSN, BSWIX)
The Canadiens earned three out of four points in their first two games, including a 3-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Cole Caufield scored in each game. Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson allowed seven goals on 33 shots in a 7-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday after stopping all 41 shots he faced in a 2-0 win against the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Buffalo Sabres (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN)
Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman has five points (one goal, four assists) in his first three games. The Sabres have three goals in their first two. Forward Tage Thompson is without a point and minus-3 after scoring 47 goals last season, the highest single-season point total by a Sabres player since Thomas Vanek had 40 in 2008-09.
Arizona Coyotes at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MSGSN)
The Coyotes play the second of a back to back after losing 2-1 to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Rookie forward Logan Cooley had an assist, giving him three in two games. Matt Martin will play his 900th NHL game. He's in his 15th NHL season, 13th with the Islanders.
Edmonton Oilers at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; BSSO, SNW)
Mattias Ekholm returns to Nashville with the Oilers for the first time since he was acquired in a trade for Tyson Barrie on Feb. 28. The defenseman played 719 games over 12 seasons for the Predators and had 268 points (62 goals, 206 assists) and a plus-104 rating. Forward Colton Sissons has three goals in Nashville's first three games, including both goals in a 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday, but the Predators have scored only five goals in three games.
Los Angeles Kings at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN3, BSW)
Kings center Pierre-Luc Dubois returns to Winnipeg for the first time since the Jets traded him to Los Angeles on June 27. Dubois had 143 points (63 goals, 80 assists) in 195 games for the Jets. He has no points in two games and is minus-2 for the Kings, who are looking for their first win. Jets forward Kyle Connor has scored three goals in two games.
Colorado Avalanche at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; ESPN, SNP)
The Avalanche have won 13 straight regular-season road games since March 13 and can tie the NHL record for the most consecutive away from home (Sabres, 14, April 3 to Nov. 13, 2006). The Kraken (11-for-11) and Avalanche (9-for-9) are tied for first on the penalty kill.
Carolina Hurricanes at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; BSSO, NBCSCA)
The Hurricanes play the third of a six-game road trip. They lost the first two, 6-5 in a shootout at the Kings on Saturday and 6-3 at the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. Teuvo Teravainen has scored four goals in three games. The Sharks have scored two goals in two games.
Dallas Stars at Vegas Golden Knights (10:30 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSSW)
The Golden Knights are 3-0-0, winning each game 4-1 with 10 different goal scorers. The Stars should have forward Roope Hintz in the lineup after he missed the season opener against St. Louis with an upper-body injury.
