NHL On Tap: Jankowski, Hurricanes visit Flames on respective streaks

There are two games on the NHL schedule Sunday. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

On the 'Mark'

Mark Jankowski looks to extend his goal streak to seven games when the Carolina Hurricanes (7-1-1) visit the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome (8 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNW, CARNHL, HHN). Jankowski scored in a 3-2 win at the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, his sixth goal in as many games, to tie the third-longest run in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history behind Pierre Larouche (nine games in 1981-82) and Ray Ferraro (seven games in 1988-89). The defending Stanley Cup champions have won seven straight, have a plus-13 goal differential and are 5-0-0 on the road this season. Only two teams have won at least five road games to start a season in the past five years: the Jets (seven in 2024-25) and the Los Angeles Kings (11 in 2023-24).

Captivating Kaprizov

Kirill Kaprizov continues to be a driver for the Minnesota Wild, who host the Columbus Blue Jackets at Grand Casino Arena (6 p.m. ET; Wild+, CBJHN, MINNHL, CBJNHL, SN+, TVAS). The 29-year-old forward can become the first Wild player to be the first skater in the NHL to hit the 10-goal mark in a season (tied or outright). He has nine goals, one ahead of Jets forward Kyle Connor. Kaprizov had three points (one goal, two assists) in a 5-4 win against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday to extend his point streak to five games (six goals, five assists) for the Wild (5-2-1), who have won three of four games. The presence of Kaprizov, forward Matt Boldy (five goals, two assists) and defenseman Quinn Hughes (12 points; two goals, 10 assists) gives Minnesota three elite offensive catalysts with the ability to change a game on any shift.

Zach attack

Defenseman Zach Werenski remains the player to keep an eye on for the Blue Jackets (3-3-0), who hope for another stellar defensive effort when they visit the Wild. Columbus defeated the New York Rangers 1-0 on Saturday. Werenski, the reigning Norris Trophy winner, has five assists and 13 shots on goal in six games. He's averaging 29:29 of ice time per game, including 3:15 on the power play and 2:48 on the penalty kill, and has a team-leading 19 blocked shots. Werenski's ability to influence the game in every situation and drive play from the back end will be essential against Minnesota's potent offensive attack.

Seeking a spark

The Flames (1-6-0) are trying to build momentum after a difficult start. Matt Coronato (two goals, two assists), who led Calgary with 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists) in 80 games last season, is skating on a formidable line with Morgan Frost (two goals, one assist) and rookie Aydar Suniev (two goals, one assist). Coronato and 20-year-old defenseman Zayne Parekh are also being used on the first power-play unit, giving each an opportunity to help improve an offense averaging 2.00 goals per game. Defenseman Simon Nemec, acquired in a trade with the New Jersey Devils on June 23, has three assists and 13 shots on goal while averaging 21:01 of ice time in seven games.

Deciding factors

Special teams could play a huge role when the Blue Jackets visit the Wild. Minnesota is 8-for-24 on the power play (33.3 percent) and 23-for-26 on the penalty kill (88.5 percent). Kaprizov, Boldy and Hughes are dangerous on the man-advantage. Jonas Brodin, Blake Coleman and Michael McCarron have handled key penalty-killing minutes for the Wild, supported by goalie Jesper Wallstedt. Columbus is 2-for-15 on the power play (13.3 percent) and 14-for-21 on the penalty kill (66.7 percent), making discipline especially important against Minnesota's skilled power-play personnel.

The schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets at Minnesota Wild, 6 p.m. ET; Wild+, CBJHN, MINNHL, CBJNHL, SN+, TVAS

Carolina Hurricanes at Calgary Flames, 8 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNW, CARNHL, HHN