NHL On Tap: Peterka looking to build on hot start for Mammoth

There are four games on the NHL schedule for Friday, including one nationally televised in the United States and one in Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

Mammoth start

Forward JJ Peterka has been quick out of the gate with the Utah Mammoth (2-2-0) after being acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on June 26. He has three points (two goals, one assist) in four games with the Mammoth, including a goal in each of Utah’s past two games. Peterka and the Mammoth are hoping to move to 2-0-0 at Delta Center when they face the San Jose Sharks (0-1-2) on Friday (9 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+).

Streak legal

The Vancouver Canucks (2-2-0) can tie their longest winning streak against one opponent in franchise history, 11-game runs against the Sharks from Jan. 18, 2020 to Nov. 20, 2023 and the Toronto Maple Leafs from Jan. 10, 2006 to Nov. 2, 2013, when they face the Chicago Blackhawks (2-2-1) at United Center on Friday (8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, SN1, TVAS). They’re 10-0-0 against the Blackhawks since Jan. 31, 2022, and hope to make it 11 straight behind forwards Brock Boeser, Filip Chytil and Kiefer Sherwood, each of whom with three goals so far this season.

Ovi looks to get on the board

Alex Ovechkin scored 44 goals last season to break the all-time mark held by Wayne Gretzky and finished with 897, the most in NHL history. The 40-year-old forward is still stuck there through the Washington Capitals’ first four games of the season. That’s unlikely to last much longer, and could end as soon as Friday, when the Capitals (3-1-0) host the Minnesota Wild (2-2-0) at Capital One Arena (7 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, MNMT). Ovechkin has two assists this season and sits at 1,625 points (728 assists) in his career, 11th on the NHL all-time list.

Wildly hot

The Wild’s forward combo of Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy continue to light up the scoreboard. Kaprizov is second in the NHL in scoring this season, tied with three other players at nine points (four goals, five assists) in four games, behind only Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, who has 11 points. Boldy is not far behind, with eight points (four goals, four assists), numbers each will try to add to against the Capitals. Boldy is hoping to improve on a career season last year, when the 24-year-old had73 points (27 goals, 46 assists) in 82 games.

Nikita nearing grand mark

If Nikita Kucherov can tally three points for the Tampa Bay Lightning (1-2-1) against the Detroit Red Wings (3-1-0) at Little Caesars Arena on Friday (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, FDSNDET, TVAS), he’ll hit an even 1,000 for his NHL career. The 32-year-old forward has 997 points (359 goals, 638 assists) in 807 games and can become the fourth-fastest player born outside of North America to hit 1,000, after Peter Stastny (682 games), Jari Kurri (716) and Jaromir Jagr (763). He’s not the only one close to a record in this game, though, with Red Wings forward Patrick Kane six goals from 500 and closing in on Mike Modano’s all-time points record for a United States-born player; Kane has 1,348, 26 behind Modano's 1,374.

The schedule

Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings, 7 p.m. ET; The Spot, FDSNDET, TVAS

Minnesota Wild at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, MNMT

Vancouver Canucks at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, SN1, TVAS

San Jose Sharks at Utah Mammoth, 9 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+