NHL On Tap: Crosby, Ovechkin face off for 99th time when Penguins host Capitals

There are nine games on the NHL schedule for Thursday, including two nationally televised in the United States and one in Canada. Thursday also marks the fifth week of "NHL Coast to Coast," a weekly whip-around studio show on Prime Video in Canada giving viewers live look-ins, highlights and analysis of all the games. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

Sid and Ovi clash for the 99th time

Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin will face-off for the 99th time in the NHL (73 regular-season and 25 Stanley Cup Playoff games) when the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SN). Crosby has 125 points (46 goals, 79 assists) against Ovechkin (101 points; 53 goals, 48 assists) since going head-to-head for the first time Nov. 22, 2005, with the Penguins (55-39-4) holding the advantage in wins over the Capitals (43-45-10). Ovechkin became the first NHL player to reach 900 goals when he scored in the second period of a 6-1 win against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday. Crosby has scored four of his 101 game-winning goals in the regular season against the Capitals (7-5-1) including their most recent game, a 5-2 victory in Pittsburgh on April 17, 2025, and is one from passing Patrick Marleau (101 with the San Jose Sharks) for third-most with one franchise (Ovechkin, 138; Gordie Howe, 121 with the Detroit Red Wings). The Penguins (8-4-2) have lost four of six (2-2-2) since a 6-2-0 start.

Kings look for second home win

Adrian Kempe and the Los Angeles Kings (6-4-4) are home against the Florida Panthers at Crypto.com Arena (10 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+) before going on a six-game road trip. Kempe scored and Darcy Kuemper earned his 37th NHL shutout in a 3-0 victory against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday for the Kings' first home victory of the season. Brad Marchand and the Panthers (6-6-1) arrive after a 7-3 loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. Marchand scored for the second straight game and has seven points (four goals, three assists) during a five-game point streak. He has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in his first 12 games this season.

Ducks flying

The Ducks (8-3-1) take a season-high four-game winning streak into American Airlines Center to play the Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; Victory+, Victory+, KCOP-13) after Cutter Gauthier had his first NHL hat trick and an assist against the Panthers to extend a seven-game point streak (seven goals, six assists). Leo Carlsson (two assists) is also on a seven-game run with 12 points (three goals, nine assists) and Anaheim leads the NHL with 3.92 goals per game. Dallas (7-3-3) has points in seven straight (4-0-3), tied with the Buffalo Sabres for the League's longest active point streak, after a 4-3 shootout win against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Mikko Rantanen had two goals and an assist to become the fourth Finland-born player to score at least 300 goals, joining Teemu Selanne (684), Jari Kurri (601) and Olli Jokinen (321).

Bruins seek fifth straight win

The Boston Bruins (8-7-0) go for their first five-game winning streak under coach Marco Sturm when they host the Ottawa Senators (6-5-2) at TD Garden (7 p.m. ET; NESN, TSN5, RDS2). Bruins forward David Pastrnak has 398 goals in 771 games and needs two to become the third Czechia-born player with 400 in the League, joining Jaromir Jagr (766) and Patrik Elias (408). He has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past five games, including an assist in a 4-3 win at the New York Islanders on Tuesday. Drake Batherson has 11 points (five goals, six assists) during a five-game point streak and leads the Senators (6-5-2) with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 10 games.

Sabres on unique run

The Sabres (5-4-4) host the St. Louis Blues at KeyBank Center (7 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, MSG-B) having needed overtime or a shootout to decide the outcome of each of their past five games (1-0-4) and can become the seventh team in NHL history to require extra time in at least six straight. The Blues (4-8-2) have lost eight of nine (1-6-2) and will try to end a four-game road losing streak.

The schedule

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

St. Louis Blues at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, MSG-B)

Montreal Canadiens at New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, TNS2, RDS)

Minnesota Wild at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, FDSNSO)

Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, SN)

Philadelphia Flyers at Nashville Predators (8 p.m.; FDSNSO, NCBSP)

Anaheim Ducks at Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; Victory+, Victory+, KCOP-13)

Tampa Bay Lightning at Vegas Golden Knights (10 p.m. ET; The Spot, SCRIPPS, SN360, TVAS)

Florida Panthers at Los Angeles Kings (10 p.m. HULU, ESPN+)