NHL On Tap: McDavid leads Oilers against Crosby, Penguins

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 six games Monday.

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Penguins, feeling hot

The Pittsburgh Penguins are hoping to maintain their hot start when they visit the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN1, TVAS, ATTSN-PT). The Penguins have yet to lose in regulation, rushing out to a 4-0-1 record in their first five games. But now the Penguins and Sidney Crosby get a date with Connor McDavid and the Oilers. It is the 10th meeting between Crosby and McDavid; the Penguins are 6-2-1 in those games. McDavid has scored 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in nine games against Crosby and the Penguins. "Absolutely, it's always exciting for me to play against a guy like Sid," McDavid said Monday morning. "It's something I get up for and get excited for, and I look forward to play against him tonight." Both forwards have 10 points this season; Crosby has three goals and seven assists in five games and McDavid has five goals and five assists in five games. Pittsburgh leads the NHL with 5.20 goals per game and has scored six goals in each of its four wins. They will be without forward Jake Guentzel (upper body) for the second straight game, however. The Oilers (2-3-0) are tied for 23rd in the League allowing 3.40 goals per game. Could be a good recipe for the visitors Monday. We'll have to watch and find out. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

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Blues look to stay perfect

The St. Louis Blues look to remain the only undefeated team in the NHL when they visit the Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSMW, ESPN+, SN NOW) The Blues (3-0-0) have not trailed in their first three games for the second time in franchise history, following a four-game streak to open 2013-14. The longest such streak by an NHL team is seven games by the 1969-70 Boston Bruins, who defeated the Blues in the Stanley Cup Final that season. Goalie Jordan Binnington has helped fuel the run with a 3-0-0 record and 1.65 goals-against average, .940 save percentage and one shutout, a 2-0 win against the Oilers on Saturday. Winnipeg (2-3-0) will try to avoid a three-game losing streak and get their first win for coach Rick Bowness, who missed the Jets' first four games after testing positive for COVID-19. -- William Douglas, staff writer

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Why Pinto? Why not?

Raise your hand if you considered Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto for the Calder Trophy given to the NHL rookie of the year. Yeah, the Senators play their sixth game of the season, when they host the Dallas Stars (7 p.m. ET; TSN5, RDS, BSSW, ESPN+, SN NOW), but it's not hard to already take notice of what the 21-year-old forward is doing. Pinto, the No. 32 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, is the third Senators player 21 or younger to score in four straight games, joining Alexei Yashin (1993-94) and Mike Fisher (2001-02). His four goals lead NHL rookies and he's second with five points, one behind Minnesota Wild defenseman Calen Addison (six assists). Ottawa (3-2-0) has won three in a row after an 0-2-0 start, scoring seven first-period goals and at least five in each of the three wins, two behind the longest stretch in their history set from Jan. 7-16, 2007. The Stars take a season-opening five-game point streak (4-0-1) into Ottawa with six power-play goals. Peter DeBoer is the second Dallas/Minnesota North Stars coach with such a run beginning his tenure with the team (Marc Crawford, 2-0-3 in 2009-10). -- Jon Lane, staff writer

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Monday games

Dallas Stars at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; TSN5, RDS, BSSW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Joe Pavelski on Saturday became the oldest player in Stars/North Stars history (38 years, 103 days) with a hat trick. He's the oldest on any team with a three-goal game since former San Jose Sharks teammate Joe Thornton (39 years, 231 days) on Feb. 18, 2019, when Pavelski assisted on two of Thornton's goals. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk has combined with forward Drake Batherson for 14 points (six goals, eight assists) during the three-game winning streak. Ottawa will be without Josh Norris. The forward is out at least two weeks with an undisclosed injury after leaving in the third period of a 6-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday..
Washington Capitals at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGN, NBCSWA, ESPN+, SN NOW)
New Jersey (3-2-0) seeks its fourth straight win after defeating the San Jose Sharks 2-1 on Saturday. Washington (3-3-0) tries to build on a four-goal third period in its 4-3 comeback win against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. It was the second time in three games the Capitals rallied after trailing by two goals entering the third period. Washington defenseman John Carlson is two points shy of 600 for his career.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Edmonton Oilers (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN1, TVAS, ATTSN-PT)
The Oilers are finishing up a six-game homestand, coming off a 2-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Edmonton is third in the League on the power play (35.3 percent) and Pittsburgh is 10th (26.3 percent).
St. Louis Blues at Winnipeg Jets (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSMW, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Blues have been shorthanded four times in three games and killed off each penalty. St. Louis forward Vladimir Tarasenko has six points (two goals, four assists) in three games. The Jets have been outscored 9-3 in consecutive losses to the Vegas Golden Knights (5-2) and Toronto Maple Leafs (4-1).
Toronto Maple Leafs at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; ATTSN-RM, TSN4, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Forward Phil Kessel of the Golden Knights (4-2-0) is poised to play in his 989th consecutive game, tying retired defenseman Keith Yandle for the longest streak in NHL history. Kessel also needs one goal for 400 in the NHL. The Maple Leafs (4-2-0) go for their third straight win and forward William Nylander looks to extend a four-game point streak (two goals, two assists).
Carolina Hurricanes at Vancouver Canucks (10:30 p.m. SN360, SN1, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Vancouver (0-4-2) tries again for its first win of the season and the 600th victory of Bruce Boudreau's NHL coaching career. Carolina (3-1-1) has lost two straight after winning its first three games. Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho looks to extend a four-game point streak (three goals, five assists).