NHL On Tap: Matthews, Maple Leafs welcome Canucks, future 4 Nations teammates Hughes, Miller
Ovechkin continues Gretzky chase against Predators; Kings take 5-game win streak into Flames matchup
© Claus Andersen/Getty Images
Games of the day
Vancouver Canucks at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNP)
Nearly a month before they’ll be teammates on Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Quinn Hughes and J.T. Miller of the Canucks will take on Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada at Scotiabank Arena. The 4 Nations Face-Off will be a best-on-best tournament featuring NHL players from the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston. Matthews and Miller have played together before on Team North America (players aged 23 and under from the United States and Canada) at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Toronto (27-14-2) will look to rebound after it had a five-game winning streak snapped with a 6-3 loss at the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. Vancouver (18-13-10) continues a five-game road trip in which it is 0-1-2 so far.
Washington Capitals at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MNMT)
Alex Ovechkin continues his chase of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 goals when the Capitals visit the Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Ovechkin has 872 goals, 23 away from surpassing Gretzky. The 39-year-old left wing is also one goal away from his 20th consecutive 20-goal season, which would be the second most in NHL history behind Gordie Howe’s 22. Ovechkin has 18 goals in 28 career games against Nashville, including the winner in a 3-2 victory at Washington on Nov. 6. The Capitals (27-10-5) are 1-4-1 in their past six road games following a franchise-record 10-game road winning streak from Nov. 9-Dec. 12. The Predators (13-21-7) return home following a six-game road trip in which they went 2-4-0.
Los Angeles Kings at Calgary Flames (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, FDSNW)
The Flames Quarter-Century Team will be unveiled before they host the Kings in a key Pacific Division matchup. Calgary (19-14-7) will look to build on a 3-2 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. Flames goalie Dustin Wolf leads all rookies in wins (13-6-2) and shutouts (two) with a 2.60 goals-against average and .914 save percentage. Los Angeles (24-10-5) has won five straight after Friday's 2-1 overtime win against the Winnipeg Jets. Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson and Kings forward Adrian Kempe will each play for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off. They’ve represented Sweden together multiple times before, including most recently at the 2014 IIHF Under-18 World Championship.
Other Saturday games
Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers (1 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN)
The third of four games between the Panthers (25-15-2) and the Bruins (20-19-5) this season. Florida won the first two, including a 6-4 victory in each team’s season opener on Oct. 8, when Florida raised its first Stanley Cup banner, and a 4-3 victory on Oct. 14 in Boston. The Bruins are 12-10-2 since Joe Sacco replaced Jim Montgomery as their coach on Nov. 19, including losses in six straight (0-5-1).
Seattle Kraken at Buffalo Sabres (4 p.m. ET; KHN, KONG, MSG-B, SN)
The Sabres (16-21-5) will seek their third straight win. Buffalo defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has assists in four consecutive games (four assists) to reach 250 for his career. The Kraken (17-22-3) continue a five-game road trip they opened with a 6-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. Seattle has lost four straight overall (0-3-1).
Ottawa Senators at Pittsburgh Penguins (4 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, TSN5, TVAS)
Sidney Crosby has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past two games for the Penguins (18-17-8), who have points in four straight games (1-0-3) to pull into a tie with the Blue Jackets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference with 44 points each, one behind the Boston Bruins. The Senators (19-18-3) trail the Penguins by three points with three games in hand after losing their past four games (0-3-1).
Colorado Avalanche at Winnipeg Jets (7 p.m. ET; SN1, ALT, NHLN, KTVD)
Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood has points in eight straight games (7-0-1), the sixth to have a streak of that length or more in his first season with the Colorado Avalanche (26-16-1) franchise. Dan Bouchard set the franchise mark when he went 11 games with at least one point when the franchise was the Quebec Nordiques in 1980-81. Defenseman Cale Makar has 99 career goals in 358 regular- season games and can with his next become the sixth fastest to reach 100. George Boucher did it the fastest, 223 games. The Winnipeg Jets (28-12-3) have the League’s best power play at 32.3 percent and have scored a League-best 41 power-play goals.
Dallas Stars at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, CITY, SNE, Victory+)
The Stars (26-13-1) have won six straight games. Roope Hintz has 19 goals in 39 games this season for the Stars. If he scores against Montreal, he will become the fourth Stars player to get 20 goals in fewer than 41 games in the past 15 seasons. Tyler Seguin has done it three times, Jason Robertson twice and Jamie Benn once. The Canadiens (20-18-3) have five players with 10 or more goals, led by Cole Caufield’s 23.
Tampa Bay Lightning at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSUN, MSGDSN)
Brayden Point scored his 25th goal in a 4-1 victory by the Lightning (22-15-2) against the Boston Bruins. It was the 600th point (289 goals, 311 assists) of his career in 615 regular-season games. Only Nikita Kucherov (557) and Steven Stamkos (595) did it faster for the Lightning. He is also the third member of the 2014 NHL Draft class to reach 600 points, behind Leon Draisaitl and David Pastrnak. With a goal and an assist Thursday in a 3-2 overtime loss by the Devils (25-15-4) to the Rangers, Jack Hughes became the second player in franchise history to have 50 or more multipoint games before turning 24. Kirk Muller did it 54 times.
Anaheim Ducks at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; Victory+, NBCSP, KCOP-13)
Anaheim rookie Cutter Gauthier plays in Philadelphia against the Flyers for the first time. The forward was selected No. 5 by the Flyers (17-20-5) in the 2022 NHL Draft, but never played for the team, asking for a trade. He was traded for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick on Jan. 8, 2004. Gauthier had no points and a plus-1 rating for the Ducks (17-19-5) in a 3-1 loss to the Flyers at the Honda Center on Dec. 28. Matvei Michkov, who has 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 40 games, can become the second-fastest player to reach 30 career points for the Flyers in the last 30 years behind Shayne Gostisbehere, who did it in 30 games in 2016.
Edmonton Oilers at Chicago Blackhawks (7 p.m. ET; CHSN, SNW)
Connor Bedard will look to extend his NHL career-best point streak to 10 games when the Blackhawks (14-26-2) face Connor McDavid and the Oilers (25-13-3), who had a four-game winning streak snapped in a loss at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.
Columbus Blue Jackets at St. Louis Blues (7 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, FDSNOH)
The Blue Jackets (19-17-6), who have won three straight and are 7-2-1 in their past 10, will look to win on the road for just the sixth time this season. The Blues (20-19-4), who snapped a two-game skid with a home win against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, will play 12 of their next 16 at home.
New York Islanders at Utah Hockey Club (9 p.m. ET; Utah16, MSGSN)
The Islanders (16-18-7) have won two straight on the road, including a 4-0 win at the NHL-leading Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. Utah (18-16-7) had lost seven on eight (1-5-2) and four straight at home before Friday's 2-1 win against the San Jose Sharks.
New York Rangers at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MSG)
The Rangers (19-20-2) begin a three-game road trip on a bit of roll, going 3-1-1 in their past five games. The Golden Knights (28-10-3), who have the best home record in the NHL (17-5-0), had a three-game win streak snapped on Thursday.
Minnesota Wild at San Jose Sharks (10 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNOX, NBCSCA)
The Wild (26-12-4), who had a four-game win streak snapped in a 6-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, begin a stretch of playing nine of their next 12 games on the road. Forward William Eklund has four points (two goals, two assists) in his past four games for the Sharks (13-25-6).
