NHL On Tap: Ovechkin continues pursuit of Gretzky with Capitals against Canucks

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

Games of the day

Vancouver Canucks at Washington Capitals (7:30 p.m. ET; MNMT2, SN)

Alex Ovechkin will continue his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record when the Capitals (26-10-4) play the Canucks (18-12-9) at Capital One Arena. Ovechkin has scored 19 goals in 24 games this season and 872 in the NHL, 23 from breaking Gretzky's record of 894. He has four goals in six games since coming back from a fractured left fibula that caused him to miss 16 games from Nov. 21-Dec. 28. He didn't score in Washington's 4-3 shootout loss at the Buffalo Sabres on Monday. If he scores against Vancouver, it will be his 20th season with at least 20 goals, tying Ron Francis for the second most in NHL history after Gordie Howe (22). With a goal, Ovechkin will also pass Brendan Shanahan for the second most consecutive 20-goal seasons (20) behind Howe's 22. Washington has points in four straight games (2-0-2) and is 5-2-2 since Dec. 20. The Canucks had a 3-1 lead in the second period at the Montreal Canadiens on Monday but gave up the next three goals and eventually lost 5-4 in overtime. They're 2-3-4 since Dec. 18 and have one win in six road games (1-2-3) since Dec. 3. The one win was 4-3 in a shootout at the Seattle Kraken on Jan. 2, when they similarly had a 3-1 lead and couldn't win in regulation.

Colorado Avalanche at Chicago Blackhawks (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT, ALT2, TVAS)

The Avalanche (25-15-1) put their eight-game point streak and Mikko Rantanen his 14-game point streak on the line against the Blackhawks (13-25-2) at United Center. Colorado defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Monday, when Rantanen scored an empty-net goal to extend his run, tie his NHL career-high and give him 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) during the point streak. Rantanen is the third Finland-born player in NHL history with multiple point streaks of at least 14 games, joining Teemu Selanne (three times) and Jari Kurri (twice). The Avalanche are 11-2-1 in those 14 games led by Nathan MacKinnon's 26 points (five goals, 21 assists). MacKinnon has a point in 10 straight games against the Blackhawks, who haven't played since losing 6-2 to the New York Rangers on Sunday, their sixth loss in seven games. Connor Bedard has points in all seven of those games, making him the fourth Blackhawks teenager in the past 50 years to have a point streak of at least seven (Jonathan Toews, Eddie Olczyk and Denis Savard). If he gets a point Wednesday, he will tie Olczyk (1985-86) and Bobby Hull (1957-58) for the third longest streak by a teenager in team history. Toews had a 10-game streak in 2007-08 and Olczyk a nine-game run in 1985-86.

Florida Panthers at Utah Hockey Club (10 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1, TVAS)

The Panthers (24-15-2) are making their first visit to Delta Center to play the Utah Hockey Club (17-15-7). Their loss to the Avalanche on Monday was their fourth in six games since a four-game winning streak from Dec. 16-22. The loss in Denver ended a three-game road winning streak, but coach Paul Maurice said after the game that he didn't mind how the Panthers played. Utah has one win in seven games (1-4-2) since Dec. 22, including a 3-2 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday, and hasn't played since then. Matthew Tkachuk will try to become the 16th player in NHL history and first for the Panthers to score a goal against 33 teams.

Calgary Flames at Los Angeles Kings -- Postponed, makeup date to be announced