NHL On Tap: Canadiens look to resume winning ways against Canucks

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 five games Monday.

Canadiens look to resume winning ways

I know the Montreal Canadiens had their first regulation loss of the season Saturday, 2-0 to the Calgary Flames, but they have had an excellent start (5-1-2) and I'm looking forward to see if they bounce back when they play the Vancouver Canucks at Bell Centre (7 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, SNP, NHL.TV). Montreal is getting balanced offense with 10 players scoring at least five points each. Forward Tyler Toffoli leads the Canadiens with nine points (six goals, three assists) in eight games and the goalies have been solid. Jake Allen is 2-1-0 with a 1.68 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in three games, and Carey Price is 3-0-2 with a 2.92 GAA and .898 save percentage in five games. The Canucks have won four in a row, so this should be a fun one to watch. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Bruins-Capitals rematch

If the second game of this two-game set between the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals is anything like the first one played Saturday, we're all in for a treat. The Capitals led 3-0 midway through the second period, the Bruins tied it 3-3 with 58 seconds left in the third, then Alex Ovechkin -- who else? -- scored for Washington 28 seconds into overtime. It's probably too much to ask for a repeat Monday when the Capitals play the Bruins at Capital One Arena (7 p.m. ET, SN1, SNE, SNO, TVAS, NBCSWA, NESN, NHL.TV), but I've got my fingers crossed. Washington defenseman Zdeno Chara, seven weeks shy of his 44th birthday, blocked a game-high six shots against his former team Saturday and was plus-1 with 20:54 of ice time, third-highest on the Capitals and fourth-highest in the game. Chara will be a game within a game again Monday. I'll enjoy this marvel as I do every time he laces up his skates. Even if plays another decade -- and he might, the way he's going -- we'll not see another like him any time soon. --Dave Stubbs, columnist

Rangers seeking consistency

It seems like one step forward and two steps back for the New York Rangers, who are last in the MassMutual East Division (2-4-2) entering their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, MSG+, ATTSN-PT). They defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in overtime Thursday on the first NHL goal by
Alexis Lafreniere
, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, then lost 5-4 in overtime to the Penguins on Saturday, letting another third-period lead slip away. Center Mika Zibanejad has scored two points (one goal, one assist) in eight games, but has another opportunity to break his scoring slump against the Penguins, who have given up 34 goals in nine games, most in the division. -- Rob Reese, fantasy editor

Monday schedule

Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers, 7 p.m. ET (NBCSN, MSG+, ATTSN-PT)
The Penguins are 3-0-0 against the Rangers this season, winning once each in regulation, overtime and a shootout.
Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET (SN1, SNE, SNO, TVAS, NBCSWA, NESN, NHL.TV)
The Capitals look to extend their nine-game point streak (6-0-3) to start the season.
Nashville Predators at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. ET (SUN, FS-TN, NHL.TV)
The Lightning are unbeaten at home (3-0-0) after a 4-3 win against the Predators on Saturday.
Vancouver Canucks at Montreal Canadiens, 7 p.m. ET (TSN2, RDS, SNP, NHL.TV)
Canucks forward Brock Boeser is tied with Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid for the NHL lead with eight goals, scoring four in his past two games.
Calgary Flames at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+, TSN3, SNW, NHL.TV)
Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has scored nine points (five goals, four assists) during a seven-game point streak, and Jets forward Adam Lowry has scored in six straight games (four goals, four assists).