NHL On Tap: Stars seek first win against Lightning this 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 the five games Tuesday.

Stars try to slow down Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning have played the Dallas Stars this season like they have a grudge against them, even though it was the Lightning who defeated the Stars in the Stanley Cup Final last season. The Lightning are 3-0-0 against the Stars and have outscored them 10-3. Dallas made Tampa Bay work for it in their most recent game, though. Dallas scored twice in the final 2:06 of the third period to tie the game, but Tampa Bay won 4-3 in a shootout March 16. The Stars, who have points in eight of their past 10 games (4-2-4) will have another chance when they host the Lightning on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, FS-SW, SUN, NHL.TV). The Lightning have won four in a row, a streak that started with the shootout win against the Stars, and are 13-2-1 in their past 16 games and first in the NHL. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Predators could be finding their game

After struggling for most of the season, the Nashville Predators have won three of their past four games (3-1-0) and come home for the first of two against the Detroit Red Wings (8 p.m. ET; FS-TN, FS-D, NHL.TV). Forward Calle Jarnkrok, who was named NHL First Star of the Week on Monday, has scored six points (three goals, three assists) in his past four games, and rookie forward Eeli Tolvanen had his first three-point NHL game (one goal, two assists) in a 4-3 shootout win at the Stars on Sunday. Goalies Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros have combined to allow six goals on 158 shots (.962 save percentage) in the past four games, and Nashville has pulled within four points of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks for the fourth and final Stanley Cup Playoff spot in the Discover Central Division. The Red Wings travel to Nashville after going 3-2-1 during a six-game homestand. -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

Panthers aim to pick up ground in Central

The Florida Panthers will try to move closer to first place in the Central when they visit the Blackhawks (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, NBCSCH, FS-F, NHL.TV). The Panthers had a chance to tie the Lightning for the division lead but lost 5-3 on the road Sunday and now are four points back. Still, Florida is 7-3-0 in its past 10 games. Center Aleksander Barkov is having a terrific season and leads the Panthers with 37 points (13 goals, 24 assists), including nine points (four goals, five assists) in his past five games. The Blackhawks have lost four straight games, during which they have been outscored 18-8, and have fallen back into a tie with the Blue Jackets for the fourth and final playoff spot in the eight-team division. Despite the Blackhawks' struggles, forward Patrick Kane continues rolling along. He's third in the NHL with 42 points (12 goals, 30 assists) in 32 games, including four points (two goals, two assists) in four games this season against the Panthers. -- William Douglas, staff writer

Tuesday's schedule

New Jersey Devils at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN, TVAS, NBCSP, NHL.TV)
The Flyers are 3-6-1 in their past 10 games after a 2-1 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Monday. The Devils have won three of their past four (3-1-0).
Florida Panthers at Chicago Blackhawks, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+, NBCSCH, FS-F, NHL.TV)
The Panthers are 4-0-0 against the Blackhawks and Florida forward Carter Verhaeghe has scored seven points (four goals, three assists) in the season series.
Detroit Red Wings at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m. ET (FS-TN, FS-D, NHL.TV)
The teams have split the first four games of the season series.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Dallas Stars, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+, FS-SW, SUN, NHL.TV)
Lightning forward Yanni Gourde has scored a goal in three consecutive games.
Colorado Avalanche at Arizona Coyotes, 10 p.m. ET (FS-A, ALT, NHL.TV)
It's the second of a back-to-back set after Colorado won 5-1 on Monday and extended its winning streak to seven games. Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is one shy of 200 goals in the NHL.
New York Islanders at Boston Bruins, postponed