NHL On Tap: Canucks try for fourth straight win against Canadiens

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 Wednesday.

Canucks want to keep rolling

Look out Scotia North Division, here come the Vancouver Canucks, even without center Elias Pettersson. Maybe they're still a long shot to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs given they've played 29 games, more than half their schedule and more than every other team in their division. But the games played is a story for another day. The Canucks, sixth in the seven-team North in points percentage (.448), carry a three-game winning streak into their rematch against the Montreal Canadiens at home on Wednesday (11 p.m. ET; ESPN+, SNP, TSN2, RDS, NHL.TV). They've won all three without Pettersson, who won't be back for at least another week because of an upper-body injury. Vancouver defeated Montreal 2-1 in a shootout Monday, when forward Adam Gaudette scored the tying goal at 19:19 of the third period. Thatcher Demko is 4-0-0 with a 0.98 goals-against average and .969 save percentage and since March 1, giving the Canucks the goaltending he provided in the playoffs last season. The Canadiens have points in five straight games and seven of their past eight, but two wins (2-1-5). -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Avalanche need a quicker start

The Colorado Avalanche are growing a little weary of playing catch-up after falling behind 2-0 in each of their past three games, going 1-1-1. They'll try not to let that happen in the second of a two-game set at home against the Arizona Coyotes (9 p.m. ET, ALT, FS-A, NHL.TV). Colorado lost 3-2 to Arizona on Monday after erasing an early two-goal disadvantage. Ready for the fourth game of a nine-game homestand, the Avalanche are keeping their fingers crossed for the expected return of Nathan MacKinnon, who's missed the past three games because of a head injury. They could use the center's playmaking; his 22 points (5 goals, 17 assists) are second on the Avalanche behind Mikko Rantanen's 25 (12 goals, 13 assists). The Coyotes, meanwhile, will be looking to extend their road winning streak to six games, but goalie Darcy Kuemper left in the third period during the win Monday and is week to week with a lower-body injury. The Coyotes will turn to Antti Raanta, who was flawless Monday when he won in relief with 16 saves. -- Dave Stubbs, columnist

Wild in the hunt

The consensus playoff teams in the Honda West Division before the season began were the Vegas Golden Knights, Avalanche and St. Louis Blues. The Minnesota Wild are determined to join that conversation. They have the second-best points percentage (.630) in the eight-team division and will play their second consecutive home game against the team ahead of them, the Golden Knights (.750), on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN). Minnesota shut out Vegas 2-0 Monday, when goalie Kaapo Kahkonen made 26 saves and earned his first NHL shutout. It was the Wild's first victory in three games (1-1-1) this season against the Golden Knights that ended Vegas' six-game winning streak. After Tuesday, there will be four more games between the teams, so there's ample opportunity remaining for Minnesota to stake its claim against the best in the West, a process that is well underway. -- Tim Campbell, staff writer

Wednesday schedule

Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild, 7 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Wild forward Marcus Foligno has scored five points (three goals, two assists) in three games against the Golden Knights this season.
Ottawa Senators at Edmonton Oilers, 8 p.m. ET (SN, TVAS, NHL.TV)
The Oilers are 5-0-0 against the Senators and forward Leon Draisaitl has scored 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in those five games.
Arizona Coyotes at Colorado Avalanche, 9 p.m. ET (ALT, FS-A, NHL.TV)
Forward Valeri Nichushkin has scored four points (three goals, one assist) in a three-game point streak for the Avalanche, who are 4-2-1 in their past seven.
Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim Ducks, 9:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, PRIME, FS-SD, FS-W, NHL.TV)
Forward Rickard Rakell scored three points (two goals, one assist) for the Ducks in a 6-5 overtime win against the Kings on Monday and has scored 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in a six-game point streak.
Montreal Canadiens at Vancouver Canucks, 11 p.m. ET (ESPN+, SNP, TSN2, RDS, NHL.TV)
The Canucks have won three straight and four of their past five games (4-1-0). They are 2-4-0 against the Canadiens.