NHL On Tap: Ovechkin continues goal record chase with Capitals against Kraken

Welcome to the NHL On Tap, a daily look at the games on the NHL schedule. There are 11 games on the schedule for Thursday, including one nationally televised in the United States.

Games of the day

Washington Capitals at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; KHN, KING 5, MNMT2, KONG, SNO, SNE)

Alex Ovechkin will continue his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's NHL goal record when the streaking Capitals visit the Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Ovechkin has 21 goals in 31 games this season to raise his career total to 874 and move within 21 of breaking Gretzky’s record of 894. Washington (32-10-5) can win six in a row for the first time since a seven-game run during the 2020-21 season and become the first team to reach 70 points this season if it extends its point streak to 12 games (8-0-3). Capitals goalie Logan Thompson is 10-0-1 with a 1.49 goals-against average, .947 save percentage and two shutouts in his past 11 games (10 starts). Seattle (21-24-3) has won the first two games of its four-game homestand. Kraken forward Kaapo Kakko has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 15 games since being acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on Dec. 18. Seattle goalie Joey Daccord is 4-1-0 with a 2.40 GAA and .919 save percentage in his past seven games (five starts).

Utah Hockey Club at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+)

Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon could return for Minnesota when it hosts Utah at Xcel Energy Center. Kaprizov has missed the past 12 games because of a lower-body injury. The forward, who last played since Dec. 23, was tied for second in the NHL in goals (23) and tied for fourth in points (50) in 34 games before he was injured. Spurgeon has missed nine games because of a lower-body injury. The defenseman, who last played Dec. 31, has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) and is averaging 20:43 of ice time in 32 games The Wild (28-15-4) have a one-point lead on the Dallas Stars for second in the Central Division after ending a three-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. Utah (20-19-7) begins a three-game road trip after winning the final two games of its seven-game homestand. Utah forward Logan Cooley has four goals during a four-game goal streak and seven points (four goals, three assists) during a five-game point streak.

Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, MSG, SNO, SNE)

Two teams surging in the tight Eastern Conference wild card race will square off when the Rangers host the Flyers at Madison Square Garden. New York (23-20-4) and Philadelphia (22-20-6) each trail the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins by two points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the East. The Rangers have points in nine straight games (6-0-3) while the Flyers have points six straight (5-0-1). Igor Shesterkin can become the fourth Rangers goalie to post three consecutive shutouts. Shesterkin, who blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets (1-0 shootout win) and Ottawa Senators (5-0) in his previous two starts, can join Lorne Chabot (four), John Ross Roach (three) and Andy Aitkenhead (three) as the only Rangers goalies with at least three straight shutouts. Flyers forward Travis Konecny has eight points (one goal, seven assists) during their six-game point streak.

Other Thursday games

Ottawa Senators at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NESN, TSN5, RDS2)

The Bruins (23-30-6) and Senators (24-19-4), who are tied with the Canadiens for the second wild card from the East, meet for the second time in six days after the Senators rallied from a two-goal third period deficit for a 6-5 shootout win Saturday. The Bruins had points in four straight games (3-0-1) before a 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. The Senators will look to rebound after a 5-0 loss to the Rangers on Tuesday ended their six-game point streak (5-0-1).

Montreal Canadiens at Detroit Red Wings (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, TSN2, RDS)

The Canadiens (24-19-4) are 13-3-1 in their past 17 games to climb into a tie with the Senators and Bruins for the second wild card from the East. Montreal's Lane Hutson has nine-game point and assist streaks (one goal, 12 assists) and can break the NHL record for the longest assist streak by a rookie defenseman he shares with Shayne Gostisbehere (2015-16). The Red Wings (21-21-5) are 1-3-1 in their past five games following a seven-game winning streak.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, FDSNSO)

Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen is expected to go for his 300th NHL win after returning from a knee injury to make 22 saves in a 4-3 overtime victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday. The Hurricanes (29-16-3) have won three in a row to move one point ahead of the Devils for second in the Metropolitan Division. The Blue Jackets (23-18-7) are 7-1-1 in their past nine games to climb into the first wild card in the East.

Vegas Golden Knights at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, SCRIPPS)

It's the second game of a home-and-home set between the teams after St. Louis won 5-4 in a shootout at Vegas on Monday. The Golden Knights (29-14-4) have lost four straight (0-3-1) and cling to a one-point lead on the Edmonton Oilers for first in the Pacific Division. Brayden Schenn has five points (three goals, two assists) during a four-game point streak for the Blues (23-21-4).

Buffalo Sabres at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SN1, MSG-B)

Calgary (22-16-7) rookie goalie Dustin Wolf has won four of his past five starts, compiling a 1.99 GAA and .935 save percentage during that span. Buffalo (18-24-5) is 1-1-0 through two games of a four-game road trip. Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin will look to extend his five-game road point streak (six assists).

Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; SNW, SNP)

It's a rematch of Canucks' 3-2 win against the Oilers at home Saturday. Oilers center Connor McDavid and Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers each will serve the second games of their respective three-game suspensions from the NHL Department of Player Safety for separate cross-checking incidents in the game Saturday. Forward Leon Draisaitl has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) during a seven-game point streak and leads the NHL with 34 goals in 47 games for Edmonton (29-15-3). Quinn Hughes has four points (three goals, one assist) during a three-game point streak for Vancouver (20-16-10).

Pittsburgh Penguins at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, SN-PIT, KCOP-13)

The Penguins (20-21-8) are 2-1-0 so far during their season-long seven game road trip. Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby has 741 points (280 goals, 461 assists) in 662 road games, tied with Joe Sakic for 10th in NHL history. The Ducks (18-23-6) will try for their first win in five games (0-3-1).

Nashville Predators at San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NBCSCA)

It's the second game of a home-and-home series between the Predators (17-22-7) and the Sharks (14-30-6). Nashville overcame a 5-1 second period deficit to defeat San Jose 7-5 on Tuesday and extend its winning streak to a season-high four games. Forward Filip Forsberg has goals in six straight games (seven goals) and can tie the Predators goal streak record of seven games he set last season. Nashville forward Jonathan Marchessault has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) during a nine-game point streak. San Jose has lost four in row.