NHL On Tap: Ovechkin resumes pursuit of Gretzky record for Capitals against Kings

Welcome to the NHL On Tap, a daily look at the games on the NHL schedule. There are nine games on the schedule for Thursday, including one nationally televised in the United States and two in Canada.

Games of the day

Washington Capitals at Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET; FDSNW, MNMT2, SN, TVAS)

The GR8 Chase continues on the West Coast as the Capitals (43-14-8) head to Crypto.com Arena on Thursday with Alex Ovechkin nine goals from passing Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history (894). Ovechkin did not score in the Capitals' 7-4 win at the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, but the Washington captain did have three assists, including one on an empty-net goal that finished off the first NHL hat trick for Aliaksei Protasin the Capitals' fifth consecutive win. Forward Quinton Byfield has scored in four straight games for the Kings (34-20-9), who are on a three-game winning streak and a four-game point streak. He is the third player in Los Angeles history under the age of 23 to score in four straight, joining Anze Kopitar (2008-09) and Matt Luff (2018-19).

Florida Panthers at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN4, SCRIPPS)

That’s the Stanley Cup Playoffs knocking. The top of the Atlantic Division is tight, with the Panthers (40-22-3) just two points ahead of the Maple Leafs (39-22-3) in second place, who themselves are three points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Which means that either an Eastern Conference First Round or a second-round series between Florida and Toronto is highly possible. We will get a preview of that, with the Panthers looking to bounce back after their six-game winning streak ended in a 3-2 loss at the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, and the Maple Leafs are looking to build on their 4-3 shootout win at the Utah Hockey Club on Monday after three straight losses.

Edmonton Oilers at New Jersey Devils (7:30 p.m. ET; Disney+, HULU, ESPN+, SN)

Leon Draisaitl will look to extend his NHL career-high point streak to 16 games; the center has 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in his past 15 games for the Oilers (37-23-4). Edmonton lost 3-2 at the Buffalo Sabres on Monday after winning three of its previous four. Draisaitl is second in the NHL in points with 97 (46 goals, 51 assists) in 64 games, behind only Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, who has 102 points. The Devils (35-25-6), who have won consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 22-25, are six points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who are second in the Metropolitan Division, and six points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Other Thursday games

Boston Bruins at Ottawa Senators (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN5, NESN)blo

This stands as a huge game for each team in the battle for wild card spots in the Eastern Conference. The Senators (34-25-5) hold the first wild card, while the Bruins (30-28-8) are two points out of the second wild card. Boston has won two straight since being reshaped at the NHL Trade Deadline. Ottawa has points in six straight (5-0-1).

Tampa Bay Lightning at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSUN, NBCSP)

The Lightning (37-23-4) recalled forward Cam Atkinson from Syracuse of the American Hockey League after Nikita Kucherov, the NHL’s third-leading scorer with 92 points (28 goals, 64 assists) left in the second period of a 4-1 loss at the Hurricanes on Tuesday; there was no update after the game. Tampa Bay has lost two straight after winning 10 of 11 games. The Flyers (27-31-8) have lost five straight games, all at home. That ties for the second-longest home skid in franchise history, with the record being eight straight in 2006-07.

St. Louis Blues at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, SN-PIT)

The Blues (31-27-7) are 7-1-2 in their past 10 games and sit two points out of the second wild card in the Western Conference behind the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks. The Penguins (26-31-10) have gotten two goals from Sidney Crosby in each of his past two games, giving the Pittsburgh captain 70 points (23 goals, 47 assists) in 65 games this season. The Penguins have won two straight after going 0-3-1 in their previous four.

Vegas Golden Knights at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, SCRIPPS)

Jack Eichel is one point from setting the single-season points record for the Golden Knights (38-19-7); the center has 78 points (20 goals, 58 assists) in 63 games this season. He is tied with forward William Karlsson, who set the mark in Vegas' inaugural NHL season in 2017-18. The Blue Jackets (31-25-8) have won once in their past four games. Forward Mathieu Olivier had two goals on Tuesday and has five goals and two assists in his past seven games.

New York Rangers at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, MSG)

The Rangers (31-28-6) have lost four straight (0-2-2). Center Mika Zibanejad tied Brian Leetch for the fourth-most power play goals in New York history with his 106th, scored in a 2-1 loss at the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. Forward Mats Zuccarello (223 assists in 375 games) needs one more assist to tie Mikael Granlund (224 in 461 games) for fifth all-time for the Wild (37-24-4). With a goal in a 2-1 shootout win against the Avalanche on Tuesday, Zuccarello’s 322 points sit eighth on Minnesota's all-time list.

Chicago Blackhawks at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; CHSN+, NBCSCA)

This game marks the first meeting between the past two No. 1 picks in the NHL Draft; centers Connor Bedard (2023) and Macklin Celebrini (2024) match up again as the Blackhawks (20-36-9) visit the Sharks (17-40-9). Celebrini missed the first two games between the team in October due to injury. Celebrini has 48 points (20 goals, 28 assists) in 54 games this season; Bedard has 52 points (17 goals, 35 assists) in 65 games.