NHL On Tap: Canucks host Penguins, look to build on first win of season

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 on Friday.

Canucks go for two in a row

The Vancouver Canucks (1-5-2) will attempt to build on their first victory of the season when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Rogers Arena on Friday (10 p.m ET: SN360, SN1, ATTSN-PT, ESPN+, SN NOW).The Canucks lost their first seven games (0-5-2), including blown two-goal leads in each of their first four games. But the skid finally came to an end in a 5-4 win against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Thursday. It was the 600th win for coach Bruce Boudreau; he's the second-fastest coach in NHL history to reach the mark (1,049 games), behind Scotty Bowman (1,002). The Penguins (4-2-1) are coming off back-to-back losses in Alberta, during which they were outscored 10-4 by the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. Forward Sidney Crosby had one point, a goal, in those two games, after starting the season with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in five games. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Coyotes debut new home

The Arizona Coyotes will show off their new digs to a national audience when they host the Winnipeg Jets (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, TVAS, TSN3). The Coyotes (2-4-0) make their home debut at Mullett Arena, a new 5,000-seat facility on the campus of Arizona State University. It's the first of a four-game homestand for the Coyotes, who played their first six games on the road, part of a season-opening run in which Arizona will play 20 of its first 24 on the road. Coyotes forward Clayton Keller looks to extend his five-game point streak (two goals, five assists). He had three assists in a 6-3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Winnipeg (4-3-0) defenseman Neal Pionk has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past five games. The Jets come in on a two-game winning streak and are 2-2-0 on the road thus far. -- William Douglas, staff writer

Islanders get tested

The New York Islanders (3-4-0) got through one test this week when they shut out the New York Rangers 3-0 on Wednesday, backed by 41 saves from goalie Ilya Sorokin. They'll get another Friday when they head to PNC Arena to play the Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, MSGSN2, ESPN+, SN NOW), who are 4-1-1 to start the season. The Hurricanes have succeeded on 22.7 percent of their power-play chances, but that will be challenged against the Islanders, who have started the season without allowing a power-play goal in any of their seven games to start the season. That's tied for the longest run from the start of a season by a team since 1977-78, when special teams statistics started to be tracked, matching the Minnesota Wild in 2008-09 and the Detroit Red Wings in 2014-15. The Islanders also will see forward Josh Bailey play his 1,000th career game. He has played his entire 15-season NHL career with the Islanders after being selected by them with the No. 9 pick of the 2008 NHL Draft. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Friday games

Anaheim Ducks at Vegas Golden Knights (6 p.m. ET: ATTSN-RN, BSSC, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Ducks (1-5-1) are winless on the road (0-4-1) this season and have scored 16 goals in their first seven games; only the St. Louis Blues (14 in six games) have scored fewer. The Golden Knights (6-2-0), who have won two in a row, are 3-1 at home.
Boston Bruins at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET: NHLN, BSOH, NESN, SN NOW)
Bruins (7-1-0) forward Brad Marchand will sit this one out after he had two goals an assist in his season debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Management is going to be cautious with Marchand, who had surgery on both hips May 27. The Blue Jackets (3-5-0) have yet to score a power-play goal in eight games this season.
Colorado Avalanche at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET: MSGSN, ALT2, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Avalanche (4-2-1) will be without forward Valeri Nichushkin, who is day to day because of a lower-body injury. Nichushkin had started the season on a seven-game point streak (seven goals, five assists) and scored a goal in all but one of Colorado's seven games. The Devils (4-3-0) have been led by forward Jesper Brett who has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in seven games.
New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, MSGSN2, ESPN+, SN NOW)
With a power-play goal against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov tied Geoff Sanderson (1993-94) for the most goals through the first six games of a season for the Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers, with seven. Svechnikov is tied for second in the NHL in goals after he scored an NHL career-best 30 in 78 game last season. The Islanders are winless (0-2-0) on the road this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m ET: SN360, SN1, ATTSN-PT, ESPN+, SN NOW)
The Penguins are 3-0-0 at home but 1-2-1 on the road following back-to-back losses at the Oilers and Flames on Monday and Tuesday. Canucks forward J.T. Miller (left ankle) is questionable after blocking a shot at the end of the game against the Kraken on Thursday. He needed to be helped off the ice by two teammates.
Winnipeg Jets at Arizona Coyotes (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, TVAS, TSN3)
The Jets play the second of back-to-back road games following their 6-4 win at the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. The Coyotes' Shayne Gostisbehere is third among NHL defensemen with eight points (four goals, four assists) in six games, including two goals and an assist in Arizona's 6-3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.