Welcome to the NHL On Tap. Three NHL.com writers will share what they are most looking forward to on the schedule each day. Today, their choices from the six games Sunday.
Capitals have momentum entering rematch against Lightning
The Washington Capitals have a rematch with the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena (7 pm ET; ESPN, SN NOW) coming off a 5-1 win at Capital One Arena on Friday. Two of the most prolific scorers in NHL history face off again, with the Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (625 goals in 1,045 games) and Lightning captain Steven Stamkos (488 in 936 games) ranking first and second in goals since Stamkos was the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. Ovechkin, chosen no. 1 in the 2004 NHL Draft, has scored 788 goals in the NHL, 13 behind Gordie Howe (801) for second all-time. Although Stamkos is 12 goals from 500 and three from 500 assists, he’s without a goal since Oct. 21 against the Florida Panthers (nine games). The Capitals (7-7-2) are on the road after a 2-2-0 homestand and the Lightning (7-6-1) have lost three of four (1-2-1). Washington is averaging 3.46 goals per game against Tampa Bay goalies Andrei Vasilevskiy, the highest among all NHL teams and ahead of the Winnipeg Jets (3.44 goals per game against the two-time Stanley Cup winner). — Jon Lane, staff writer
Video: Milano’s three point lead Capitals past Lightning
Canucks face difficult task after tough start
The Vancouver Canucks limp into this matchup with the Boston Bruins (6 pm ET; SN, TVAS, NESN, ESPN+), having lost four of six games (2-3-1), including 3-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. . The Canucks (4-8-3) led 2-0 and coach Bruce Boudreau said after the game they stopped playing in the second period, a problem that has haunted Vancouver through the first 15 games of the season. Things don’t get easier against the Bruins (13-2-0), who have the best points percentage in the NHL (.867) and have won three straight and nine of 10 (9-1-0). Boston defeated the Buffalo Sabers 3-1 on Saturday Patrice Bergeron scoring twice. After Spencer Martin made 32 saves Saturday, Thatcher Demko should start for the Canucks. The no. 1 goalie has struggled. He is 1-7-2 with a 4.01 goals-against average and .874 save percentage. He’s allowed at least four goals in seven of his 10 starts and has a save percentage better than .910 once. — Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial
Rangers need a strong effort at home before the road trip
The New York Rangers split a two-game road trip, winning 8-2 at the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday before losing 2-1 at the Nashville Predators on Saturday. They’re home for one game against the Arizona Coyotes (7 pm ET; MSG, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW) before heading back out for a four-game road trip starting at the Seattle Kraken on Thursday and winding down through California. The Rangers (7-6-3) aren’t playing poorly, but they haven’t gotten any traction. They outshot the New York Islanders 40-26 on Tuesday but blew a 3-1 third-period lead and lost 4-3. They scored six goals in the third period against the Red Wings. Then they outshot the Predators 35-18 and managed one goal. Forward Barclay Goodrow said after the game in Nashville he doesn’t think the Rangers need to change much in how they’re playing. He’s not necessarily wrong, but the results are what matter and the Rangers have lost four of five (1-3-1). A 60-minute effort leading to a win against the Coyotes would be big for New York both in the standings and for confidence. Arizona (6-7-1) is coming off a 4-2 loss at the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. That ended a three-game winning streak for the Coyotes, who are playing their fifth game on a 14-game road trip. — Dan Rosen, senior writer
Sunday games
Dallas Stars at Philadelphia Flyers (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, NBCSP, BSSW, SN NOW)
Goalie Jake Oettinger returned from a lower-body injury to make 13 saves for the Stars (8-4-1) in a 5-4 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Friday, his first game since Oct. 29. Felix Sandstrom is expected to start for the Flyers (7-5-2) after Carter Hart made 23 saves in a 4-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Flyers forward Wade Allison is not expected to play after he was helped off the ice following a hit on Senators defenseman Jacob Benard-Docker with 4:40 left in the second period. Philadelphia general manager Chuck Fletcher is one win away from becoming the 33rd GM and fifth active to reach 500 in the NHL.
San Jose Sharks at Minnesota Wild (6 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWI, NBCSCA, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Timo Meier has scored in five straight games for the Sharks (4-9-3). The Wild (7-6-1) are home after ending a 2-1-0 road trip with a 1-0 win against the Seattle Kraken on Friday. Marc-Andre Fleury earned his first shutout with Minnesota and 72nd in the NHL. Seattle was the 28th franchise Fleury shut out to pass Ed Belfour, Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur and Tomas Vokoun for most in NHL history.
Vancouver Canucks at Boston Bruins (6 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, NESN, ESPN+)
Quinn Hughes‘ nine-game assist streak (12 assists) is the second longest streak by a Canucks defenseman since Dennis Kearns’ 11-game run in 1976-77. Linus Ullmark is expected to start for the Bruins after Keith Kinkaid made 30 saves in his first start of the season, a 3-1 win against the Buffalo Sabers on Saturday.
Arizona Coyotes at New York Rangers (7 p.m. ET; MSG, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW)
Both teams are on the second half of a back-to-back set. Rangers defenseman Adam Fox has a five-game point streak (two goals, six assists) and Coyotes forward Clayton Keller has points in his past four (two goals, four assists). Igor Shesterkin is expected to start for New York after Jaroslav Halak made 16 saves in a 2-1 loss at the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Connor Ingram could get his first start for Arizona since Nov. 3, when he was pulled in the first period after allowing three goals on 10 shots in a 7-2 loss to the Dallas Stars.
Washington Capitals at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN NOW)
Capitals forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel will serve the first of a three-game suspension for an illegal check to the head against the Lightning defenseman Cal Foote on Friday. John Carlson became the first Capitals defenseman and 11th born in the United States to reach 600 points in the NHL. He passed Michal Pivonka (599) for the fifth-most points in team history and is three games from 900. Washington coach Peter Laviolette remains in NHL COVID-19 protocol with assistant Kevin McCarthy handling coaching duties. Victor Hedman is one power-play goal from tying Roman Hamrlik (27) for third-most by a Lightning defenseman in team history behind Pavel Kubina (33) and Dan Boyle (31).
Winnipeg Jets at Seattle Kraken (8 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, TSN3, ESPN+, SN NOW)
David Rittich is expected to make his third start of the season for the Jets (8-4-1) after Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves in a 3-2 home loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday that ended the Jets’ seven-game point streak (6-0-1). Winnipeg forward Blake Wheeler is one goal from 300 in the NHL. The Kraken are 8-5-2 after their five-game winning streak ended Friday. They had not scored fewer than three goals in a game since a 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 17. Defenseman Adam Larsson is the only skater to play every game since Seattle joined the NHL as an expansion team last season.
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