NHL On Tap: Ovechkin resumes Gretzky chase when Capitals face Crosby, Penguins

Welcome to the NHL On Tap, a daily look at the games on the NHL schedule. There are 15 games on the schedule for Saturday, including four televised nationally in Canada and one in the United States.

Games of the day

Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MNMT)

Washington forward Alex Ovechkin will continue his quest to become the NHL’s all-time leading goal-scorer. He scored in overtime to give the Capitals (30-10-5) a 1-0 win at the Ottawa Senators on Thursday and has 874 goals, 21 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record (894). Ovechkin scored on a 179th goalie in his career, Leevi Merilainen, surpassing Jaromir Jagr’s NHL record of 178. The victory extended Washington’s winning streak to three games. Penguins center Sidney Crosby and Ovechkin are facing each other for the 71st time in the regular season. Crosby has 91 points (31 goals, 60 assists) head-to-head against Ovechkin, who has 67 points (37 goals, 30 assists) against his rival. Pittsburgh (19-20-8), which won 5-2 at the Buffalo Sabres on Friday to end a three-game losing streak, is 41-25-4 when Crosby and Ovechkin have gone head-to-head; Washington is 29-31-10.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNP, NHLN)

William Nylander scored two goals, including the game-winner, and had an assist for the Maple Leafs (28-16-2) in a 4-3 victory against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday that ended a three-game losing streak. The forward has 47 points (26 goals, 21 assists) in 46 games. Center Auston Matthews also scored twice in the win and has seven goals in his past eight games. He is looking to score in his third consecutive game. The Canadiens (22-18-4) are on a six-game point streak (5-0-1) and will be looking for a third consecutive victory, having won 3-1 at the Dallas Stars on Thursday. Center Nick Suzuki had two assists in the win and has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in his past eight games.

Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, TVAS2)

Leon Draisaitl will look to extend his point streak to six games when the Oilers (29-13-3) close out Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada at the Canucks (19-15-10). The forward has eight points (two goals, six assists) in his past five games and 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in his past 20. He is second in the NHL with 67 points (31 goals, 36 assists) in 45 games, behind Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, who has 72 points (17 goals, 55 assists) in 46 games. The Canucks will be looking to rebound after a 5-1 loss against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. Quinn Hughes scored for Vancouver in the loss. He is third in points by defensemen this season with 48 (10 goals, 38 assists) in 40 games, behind Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets (51 points; 15 goals, 36 assists in 45 games) and Cale Makar of the Avalanche (50 points; 13 goals, 37 assists in 46 games).

Other games Saturday

Philadelphia Flyers at New Jersey Devils (12:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NHLN, NBCSP)

Forward Morgan Frost can extend his point streak to six games for the Flyers (20-20-6). He has six points (four goals, two assists) in his past five. Philadelphia is 3-0-1 in its past four games. Center Nico Hischier has three goals in his past two games for the Devils (26-15-6), including two goals in the loss at the Maple Leafs on Thursday.

Boston Bruins at Ottawa Senators (3 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, NESN)

Senators forward Claude Giroux is six points from becoming the seventh active player to reach 1,100 in his career. Giroux has 1,094 points (359 goals, 735 assists) in 1,226 games, and 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) in 44 games this season. Ottawa (22-18-4) is on a four-game point streak (3-0-1). The Bruins (22-19-5) will look to extend their winning streak to three games following a six-game losing streak (0-5-1). Boston defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 on Tuesday, with forward David Pastrnak getting a goal and two assists. He has six points (three goals, three assists) in his past two games.

Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche (4 p.m. ET; Victory+, ALT)

MacKinnon will look to maintain his lead in the NHL points race for the Avalanche (27-18-1) after he scored two goals in a 4-3 loss to the Oilers on Thursday. After losing to the Canadiens on Thursday, the Stars (28-15-1) are 8-2-0 in their past 10 games.

Anaheim Ducks at Florida Panthers (6 p.m. ET; Victory+, SCRIPPS)

The Panthers (26-17-3) are looking to rebound after a 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Florida is 1-2-1 in its past four games. The Ducks (18-21-6) have lost five of six (1-3-2).

Detroit Red Wings at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, FDSNSUN)

The Red Wings (21-19-4) are looking to continue their roll under new coach Todd McLellan; Detroit is 8-2-0 since he replaced Derek Lalonde on Dec. 26. Forward Nikita Kucherov will look to extend his point streak to eight games for the Lightning (24-16-3). He has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in his past seven.

Columbus Blue Jackets at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, MSG)

Werenski has 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in his past 11 games for the Blue Jackets (22-17-6), who can extend their winning streak to seven games. The Rangers (21-20-3) are on a six-game point streak (4-0-2). Forward Artemi Panarin scored twice in a 5-3 victory at the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday and has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past six games.

Calgary Flames at Winnipeg Jets (7 p.m. ET; CITY, SNW)

Connor Hellebuyck will look for his NHL-leading 29th win for the Jets (31-12-3). He is 28-6-2 with a 1.97 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in 36 starts. The Flames (21-16-7) are playing the last of a four-game road trip. Calgary has lost two straight games, both at the St. Louis Blues, 2-1 on Tuesday and 4-1 on Thursday.

San Jose Sharks at New York Islanders (7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NBCSCA)

Macklin Celebrini can extend his point streak to four games for the Sharks (14-27-6). The center has four assists in his past three games and has 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 35 games, tied for second among rookies with Flyers forward Matvei Michkov (13 goals, 19 assists in 44 games); they trail Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, who has 36 points (three goals, 33 assists) in 44 games. The Islanders (17-20-7) have lost two in a row. Forward Mathew Barzal has seven points (two goals, five assists) in his past seven games.

Vegas Golden Knights at Chicago Blackhawks (8 p.m. ET; CHSN, SCRIPPS)

The Blackhawks (14-28-3) are looking to end a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) after a 3-2 shootout loss at the Nashville Predators on Thursday. Center Connor Bedard scored in the loss and has points in 11 of his past 12 games (14 points; six goals, eight assists). Vegas (29-13-3) has lost the first two of its three-game road trip, including 3-2 at the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday.

Minnesota Wild at Nashville Predators (8 p.m. ET; FDSNWL, FDSNNO, FDSNSO)

Forward Matt Boldy has eight points (four goals, four assists) in his past six games for the Wild (27-14-4) and is trying to pick up the slack in the absence of Kirill Kaprizov, who hasn’t played since Dec. 23 because of a lower-body injury and has missed the past 10 games. The Predators (15-22-7) will be looking for their third straight win. Forward Filip Forsberg has eight points (four goals, four assists) in a six-game point streak.

St. Louis Blues at Utah Hockey Club (9 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, Utah 16)

Colton Parayko will be looking to score in his fourth consecutive game for the Blues (22-20-4). The defenseman has four goals in his past six games. Forward Matias Maccelli is coming off a two-goal game for Utah (18-19-7), which will try to end a three-game losing streak.

Los Angeles Kings at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; KHN, KONG, KCAL)

Forward Adrian Kempe has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his past nine games for the Kings (25-12-5), who are 6-2-0 in their past eight. The Kraken (19-24-3), who are are 2-5-1 in their past eight, are beginning a four-game homestand and will play nine of their next 10 in Seattle. Forward Kaapo Kakko has five points (three goals, two assists) in a four-game point streak.