NHL On Tap: Lightning visit Ducks, look to end 3-game skid

Welcome to the NHL On Tap, a daily look at the games on the NHL schedule. There are five games on the schedule for Sunday, including one nationally televised in the United States and three in Canada:

Games of the day

Tampa Bay Lightning at Anaheim Ducks (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSUN, Victory+, KCOP-13, SN360)

The Lightning (20-14-2) felt they played well in a 2-1 loss at the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday but dropped their third straight. They will finish a three-game trip to California against the Ducks (16-18-4), who had won three in a row before giving up a goal to Leon Draisaitl with 1:35 left in a 3-2 loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. Keep an eye on Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov, who has 54 points (17 goals, 37 assists), tied for fifth in the NHL with Oilers center Connor McDavid (15 goals, 39 assists). Kucherov has been held without a point in two straight games for the first time this season. Is he due?

New York Rangers at Chicago Blackhawks (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS)

Connor Bedard is back in the spotlight. The 19-year-old has three goals and five assists during a six-game point streak and can become the second Blackhawks teenager since 1986-87 with a point streak of seven or more games. The other? Jonathan Toews, who was 19 when he had 10 points (five goals, five assists) on a 10-game point streak in 2007-08. This will be the 600th regular-season game between the Blackhawks (13-24-2) and the Rangers (17-20-1). Each team is 1-5-0 in its past six.

New York Islanders at Boston Bruins (6 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NESN, SNP, SNW, SNE, TVAS)

Boston (20-17-4) is facing adversity for the first time under coach Joe Sacco. After replacing Jim Montgomery with Sacco on Nov. 19, the Bruins went 12-5-1 in their first 18 games and vaulted into third place in the Atlantic Division. But now they have lost three in a row and four of five and are in danger of being passed by the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Islanders (14-18-7) also have lost three in a row and four of five and badly need a win as they try to get into the Eastern Conference wild card race. Boston is 10-0-2 in its past 12 home games against the Islanders.

Other Sunday games

Pittsburgh Penguins at Carolina Hurricanes (6 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SN-PIT)

Kris Letang could return after missing three games with a lower-body injury for the Penguins (17-17-6), who are 1-2-1 in their past four. The Hurricanes (23-14-2) are 2-3-1 in their past six and are searching for more consistency.

Philadelphia Flyers at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; SNO, NBCSP)

Mitch Marner is fourth in the NHL with 56 points (14 goals, 42 assists) in 40 games for the Maple Leafs (25-13-2), who have won three in a row, including 6-4 against the Bruins on Saturday. The Flyers (17-18-4) are concluding a six-game road trip (2-3-0).