ESPN tripleheader, 'Frozen Frenzy' highlights according to NHL.com writers

Hockey heaven arrives Tuesday.

In addition to an ESPN tripleheader, each of the League's 32 teams play on the same night for the second and final time this season as part of "NHL Frozen Frenzy."

The action begins when the surprising Pittsburgh Penguins (7-2-1) visit the Philadelphia Flyers (4-3-1) in the latest edition of this fierce rivalry (6 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN1, TVAS). Alex Ovechkin will try to become the first player in NHL history to score 900 goals when the Washington Capitals (6-3-0) play the Dallas Stars (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN) in the second game. The 16-game night concludes when the red-hot Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks (2-5-2) host the Los Angeles Kings (4-3-3) in the finale of the tripleheader (11 p.m. ET; ESPN).

While the tripleheader is taking place on ESPN, there will be a whip-around show that runs from 6-7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and then switches to ESPN+ and Disney+ for the rest of the night, featuring live cut-ins for each of the 16 games on the schedule. All games are also available on ESPN+.

To gear up for the big night, NHL.com writers and editors gave their picks of the game they will be focused on Tuesday. Here are the answers:

Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers (6 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN1, TVAS)

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby remains Public Enemy No. 1 in the city of Brotherly Love. It's been that way for 20 years and it remains so because Crosby can still break open games and break hearts of opposing fans with his unrivaled skill and unmatched determination. The Penguins are a huge surprise in the early going, sitting second in the Atlantic Division behind the rampaging New Jersey Devils. They are doing it on the back of their veterans. Evgeni Malkin leads Pittsburgh with 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in 10 games, and Crosby has 14 points, including a team-best seven goals. The Flyers are trying to find their way and some consistency. The emotion that accompanies this rivalry can only help. -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director, editorial

Vegas Golden Knights at Carolina Hurricanes (6:30 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SCRIPPS)

A rematch of the Golden Knights' 4-1 win against the Hurricanes last Monday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and, potentially, a preview of the Stanley Cup Final this season. Carolina (6-2-0) will be out for revenge after Vegas (5-1-3) handed it its first loss of the season. The Hurricanes finished 4-2-0 on their six-game road trip and return home, where they will play seven of their next 10. The Golden Knights will wrap up a three-game road trip, where they are 0-1-1 so far. Vegas center Jack Eichel's 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) are tied with Utah Mammoth forward Nick Schultz for first in the NHL. Center Sebastian Aho has at least one point in each of Carolina's eight games (four goals, six assists). -- Tom Gulitti, senior writer

Anaheim Ducks at Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET; Victory+, SCRIPPS, KCOP-13)

I love what the Ducks are building, the young talent that suffuses that roster, the guidance they're now getting from coach Joel Quenneville and the promise that they represent. Which is why a matchup with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions is a great measuring stick for where the Ducks (4-3-1) are and, for that matter, where the Panthers (5-5-0) are, even in their hobbled form. I got a chance to see both teams in person this week and foresee a great, fun contest when the Ducks will try to finish 3-1-1 on their five-game road trip. -- Amalie Benjamin, senior writer

Tampa Bay Lightning at Nashville Predators (7:45 p.m. ET; The Spot, FDSNSO)

What a difference a year makes. One year to the day, Oct. 28, 2024, I had the pleasure of covering the emotional return of Steven Stamkos to Tampa in what was his first game as a member of the Predators against the Lightning, the team he had played for his whole NHL career and where he won the Stanley Cup twice. His departure from the Lightning was a huge story during the 2024 offseason when Tampa Bay decided to go in a younger direction. For Stamkos, who hoped to stay, his first season with Nashville didn't go as planned. In the end, the underachieving Predators lost each game to the Lightning 3-2 in overtime and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 35-year-old forward, who had three assists in those two losses, now has another chance to defeat his former team when the Predators (4-4-2) host the Lightning (3-4-2). That storyline understandably might not be getting anywhere near the hype it did a year ago, but anyone who knows Stamkos knows how much this matchup, specifically defeating the Lightning, means to him. That alone makes this game worth watching. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Winnipeg Jets at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, TSN3)

How could you not love watching one of the most exciting and dynamic goal-scorers in the NHL going up against one of the best, if not THE best, goalie in the NHL? The goal-scorer is Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov, who has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 10 games. He got a monster, eight-year, $136 million contract from the Wild (3-5-2) on Sept. 30, and he's proving to be worth every penny. But he will have to earn his goals against Connor Hellebuyck of the Jets (6-3-0), who not only has won the Vezina Trophy voted as the best goalie in the League the past two seasons, but he also won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP last season. He's off to a strong start again this season (4-3-0, 2.16 goals-against average, .928 save percentage), and I expect him to be the No. 1 goalie for Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

Detroit Red Wings at St. Louis Blues (8:15 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, FDSNDET)

With so many games, you're going to want to flip around, but keep an eye on this one no matter the score. When these teams played in Detroit on Saturday, the Blues (3-5-1) took a 4-0 lead at 3:12 of the second period. The Red Wings were in danger of losing three in a row after a five-game winning streak. Coach Todd McLellan called time out. What did he say? "I don't think you want to know," forward Andrew Copp said. The Red Wings (6-3-0) responded to win 6-4. "We're in every game until it's over," defenseman Moritz Seider said. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Washington Capitals at Dallas Stars (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN)

There's no shortage of fun things to watch between the Capitals and Stars. Let's start with Alex Ovechkin's quest for his 900th goal. He's one away, and Washington's captain will be a focal point for Dallas' defense. The Stars (5-3-1) have been on a bit of a roller coaster to start this season, but they've won two in a row. Mikko Rantanen always captures your attention, and the forward leads the Stars with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in nine games. These are two of the best teams in the League, and it should make for an entertaining matchup. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

New Jersey Devils at Colorado Avalanche (9 p.m. ET; MSGSN2, ALT)

It's the second of a home-and-home series after Jack Hughes scored his second goal of the game at 1:53 of overtime to give New Jersey (8-1-0) a 4-3 win at Prudential Center on Sunday. It was the Devils' eighth straight win, tying them with the 1982-83 New York Islanders for the longest winning streak following a season-opening loss in NHL history. The Avalanche (5-1-4) are plenty motivated having lost four straight (0-1-3). Goalie Scott Wedgewood, who played three seasons with the Devils, will likely start for the Avalanche and is 4-0-0 with 1.02 GAA, .965 save percentage and two shutouts in six games against his former team, but the visitors are averaging 3.89 goals per game. Devils goalie Jake Allen has won five straight starts and Jacob Markstrom, who has missed six games with a lower-body injury, might be ready to make his return. -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer

Utah Mammoth at Edmonton Oilers (9:30 p.m. ET; SN1, UTAH16)

Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are always worth the price of admission, but the Mammoth have become the team to watch early into the season. Utah is rolling in its second season since relocating from Arizona and extended its winning streak to seven games with an impressive 3-2 victory at the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday. The Mammoth (8-2-0) are a young, exciting team, supplemented by veterans who know what it takes to win. Atop of the Western Conference, they have been led offensively by Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther. The Oilers (4-4-2) are still looking to gain traction, losing 4-3 in overtime to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. The game should be a good measuring stick for the Mammoth, who appear to be the real deal, and will be fun to watch. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

New York Rangers at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SN360, MSG)

The big story is J.T. Miller. The Rangers captain is returning to Vancouver for the first time since the Canucks traded the forward to New York on Jan. 31. Nearly nine months have passed but Canucks fans remember Miller's last days in Vancouver being filled with controversy, so it will be interesting to see how he is greeted. Miller played six seasons in Vancouver. He had 99 points in 2021-22, 103 points in 2023-24 and 437 points in 404 games with the Canucks. Regardless of the greeting, Miller has bigger issues. The Rangers (3-5-2) are coming off a 5-1 loss at the Calgary Flames on Sunday, when they came out flat for the third game in a row. They have lost three straight games and six of seven (1-4-2). Canucks defenseman and captain Quinn Hughes missed the OT win against the Oilers on Sunday with a lower-body injury and is day to day. If you're planning to watch this game, you're hoping Hughes is back for the Canucks (5-5-0), but Miller is the story. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks (11 p.m. ET; ESPN)

The Sharks are becoming must-watch television led by Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, and a developing young core that's learning how to win. After losing their first six games (0-4-2), the Sharks have won two of three, each 6-5 in overtime. Celebrini scored the game-winner at the Wild on Sunday and had a hat trick and two assists at the Rangers last Thursday. The 19-year-old forward leads San Jose with 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in nine games and has 10 points (five goals, five assists) during a four-game point streak. The Sharks face a tough Pacific Division foe in the Kings, who are on a five-game point streak (3-0-2) with Adrian Kempe getting eight points (three goals, five assists) during his five-game run. -- William Douglas, staff writer