NHL On Tap: Senators go for season sweep of Maple Leafs
Devils, Penguins each seek 4th straight win; Bedard, Blackhawks visit Canucks
© Claus Andersen/Getty Images
Games of the day
Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, TVAS2)
It's the third and final Battle of Ontario of the season and the Senators (35-25-5) have won both this season and the past four matchups overall against the Maple Leafs (39-23-3). The Senators have won five in a row and occupy the first wild card in the East and are seeking to end a seven-season playoff drought. Forward Brady Tkachuk is on an eight-game point streak (seven goals, two assists). He tweaked his hip and didn't play in the final 6:49 of the third period of a 6-3 win against the Boston Bruins on Thursday, but is expected to play. The Maple Leafs are 1-3-1 in their past five games. Forward William Nylander has nine points (three goals, six assists) during a seven-game point streak.
New Jersey Devils at Pittsburgh Penguins (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN1, TVAS)
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby continues to move up the all-time assists list. He's currently 10th with 1,053, 10 behind Steve Yzerman for ninth. Crosby had two assists in a 5-3 win against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday and has Pittsburgh (27-31-10) seeking its fourth straight win, which would tie a season high. The Penguins need all the points they can get, as they are six points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, but have played three more games. The Devils (36-25-6) have won three in a row and will try for four straight wins for the first time this season. They enter Saturday six points behind the Carolina Hurricanes for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Forward Jesper Bratt has six points (two goals, four assists) in his past two games and his 57 assists this season are a career high, one more than he had last season.
Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, TVAS2, CHSN+)
Blackhawks center Connor Bedard plays in front of his hometown crowd for the second time in his NHL career. Bedard, who also played in Vancouver on Nov. 16 (a 4-1 Canucks win), leads the Blackhawks (20-37-9) with 52 points (17 goals, 35 assists) in 66 games this season. The Canucks (30-24-11) are tied in points (71) with the Calgary Flames for the second wild card from the Western Conference. Defenseman Quinn Hughes has been limited to 51 games because of injury but leads the Canucks with 61 points (14 goals, 47 assists), which ranks third in the NHL among defensemen.
Other Saturday games
Vegas Golden Knights at Buffalo Sabres (12:30 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MSG-B, SN1, TVAS)
Jack Eichel is on a seven-game point streak (one goal, nine assists) for the Golden Knights (39-19-7), who are 8-1-2 in their past 11 games. He has 79 points (20 goals, 59 assists), passing William Karlsson (78 in 2017-18) for the most points in a single season in Golden Knights history. The Sabres (25-33-6) are 3-6-1 in their past 10 games.
Washington Capitals at San Jose Sharks (5 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSCA)
The "GR8 Chase" makes it way to San Jose with Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin nine goals from passing Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history; he didn't have a shot on goal in a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. Washington (43-15-8) had won five straight prior to the loss. Ovechkin has 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists) in 28 career games against the Sharks (18-40-9). San Jose forward Will Smith is on a five-game point streak (three goals, four assists).
Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSUN, NESN)
Nikita Kucherov is expected to return for the Lightning (37-23-5) after the forward was out due to illness in their 4-3 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. Kucherov is third in the NHL with 92 points (28 goals, 64 assists) in 61 games. The Bruins (30-29-8), who look to gain in the Eastern Conference wild-card race, had won two straight prior to a 6-3 loss at the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.
Florida Panthers at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, CITY, SNE, NHLN, SCRIPPS)
The Panthers (41-22-3) are 7-1-0 in their past eight games, including three shutouts. Forward Sam Bennett is on a four-game point streak (three goals, two assists). The Canadiens (31-27-7) enter Saturday one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card in the East. Defenseman Lane Hutson leads NHL rookies with 51 points (four goals, 47 assists) in 65 games.
Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, NBCSP)
It's the second half of a back-to-back for the Hurricanes (40-22-4), who have won six in a row following a 4-2 victory against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday. The Flyers (28-31-8) ended a five-game losing streak with a 4-3 shootout win against the Lightning on Thursday. Forward Travis Konecny, who leads them with 65 points (22 goals, 43 assists) in 67 games, is three points from tying his career high for a season (68 points in 76 games last season).
New York Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, MSG)
The Blue Jackets (31-26-8) hold the second wild card in the East and are tied with the Rangers in points (70), but have one game in hand. Columbus defenseman Jake Christiansen will not play because of an upper-body injury sustained in a 4-0 loss against the Golden Knights on Thursday. The Rangers (32-28-6) ended a four-game losing streak (0-2-2) with a 3-2 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. Forward Artemi Panarin, who leads New York with 69 points has 10 points (five goals, five assists) during a seven-game point streak.
St. Louis Blues at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; FDSNWIX, FDSNNO, FDSNMW)
The Blues (31-28-7) are 7-2-2 in their past 11 games and in a tight race for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. They have lost all three games against Minnesota this season, getting outscored 14-7. The Wild (37-24-5) have lost three of their past four (1-2-1) and continue a season-long, seven-game homestand.
Nashville Predators at Los Angeles Kings (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, KCAL)
This is the second half of a back-to-back for the Predators (25-32-7), who had won four straight games prior to a 2-1 loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Center Steven Stamkos had his four-game point streak end in the loss (five goals, four assists). The Kings (35-20-9) have won four in a row, led by forward Quinton Byfield, who has scored a goal in five straight games.
