Welcome to NHL On Tap. Three NHL.com writers will fragment what they’re most taking a request forward to on the schedule each day. At the present time, their choices from the nine games Thursday.
Wild explore to lengthen hot launch
The Minnesota Wild develop their first poke to to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, BSN, BSWI, ESPN+, NHL LIVE) after opening their three-sport boulevard outing with a 3-2 snatch in opposition to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. The Wild have received 5 of their first six games (5-1-0) although forward Kirill Kaprizov (5 assists) composed is hunting for his first aim of the season and hasn’t scored a degree in the previous three games. The Kraken proceed their inaugural homestand which began with a 5-1 snatch in opposition to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, their first at Climate Pledge Arena, and are 1-1-0 at some stage in their four-sport homestand. Ahead Brandon Tanev fleet has turn into a Seattle fan celebrated alongside with his tenacious play and his Seattle-finest 5 goals in seven games, including two in opposition to Montreal. — Tom Gulitti, workers author
Blues composed hot
I’m no longer appropriate at predictions. Never were, never will likely be. I did now not voice the St. Louis Blues would be atop the Central Division this season, but there they’re, with a 5-0-0 file, entering their sport in opposition to the Colorado Avalanche (2-4-0) at Endeavor Arena on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, ALT, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Forwards David Perron (six goals, two assists) and Jordan Kyrou (two goals, six assists) lead the Blues with eight functions in 5 games every. Ahead Vladimir Tarasenko has looked appropriate in scoring six functions (three goals, three assists) in 5 games. St. Louis’ penalty slay is first in the NHL at 93.8 percent (15 for 16) and its vitality play is second at 37.5 percent (6 for 16). Meanwhile, the Avalanche have struggled to get consistency thru their first six games. The Blues will likely be a huge test. — Tracey Myers, workers author
Road warriors
The Calgary Flames (4-1-1) will explore to enact a 5-sport boulevard outing with a fifth straight snatch when they poke to the Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, ATTSN-PT, SNW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Calgary forward Johnny Gaudreau has eight assists at some stage in a 5-sport level hasten and forward Andrew Mangiapane has six goals at some stage in a four-sport aim hasten. Penguins (3-1-2) captain Sidney Crosby (wrist) will likely be out for the seventh straight sport no topic working in direction of Wednesday on the tip line. Pittsburgh also will likely be without centers Evgeni Malkin (knee) and Jeff Carter (COVID-19 protocol), and defenseman Kris Letang (COVID-19 protocol). The Penguins had their season-opening 5-sport level hasten (3-0-2) ended in a 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. — Mike G. Morreale, workers author
Thursday schedule
Arizona Coyotes at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, BSAZ, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Lightning ended a three-sport losing hasten (0-2-1) and received for the major time this season in law, defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 on Tuesday. The Coyotes penalty killing is 35.7 percent, having have allowed nine vitality-play goals in 14 shorthanded scenarios this season.
Calgary Flames at Pittsburgh Penguins (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, ATTSN-PT, SNW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Flames, who have no longer trailed at any level thru the major four games of their 5-sport boulevard outing, have swept a boulevard outing of 5-plus games as soon as (6-0-0 from Dec. 9-18, 2007). Calgary forwards Andrew Mangiapane (seven goals) and Elias Lindholm (seven) have equaled the Flames mark for loads of goals in the major six games of a season (Gary Roberts, 1991-92). Pittsburgh has functions in seven of its previous eight games in opposition to Calgary (4-1-3). Ahead Jake Guentzel has scored six functions (four goals, two assists) in eight games in opposition to the Flames, including three goals in his previous four in opposition to them.
Boston Bruins at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; SN360, SNE, SNO, SNP, BSSO, NESN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Hurricanes are 5-0-0 for the second time in their history (2019-20). Ahead Sebastian Aho has scored seven functions (four goals, three assists) at some stage in a season-opening 5-sport level hasten. Boston misplaced 4-1 at the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. Bruins forward Brad Marchand is one abet from turning into the 10th player all-time with 400 assists for Boston.
Colorado Avalanche at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, ALT, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Avalanche have misplaced four of their previous 5 games (1-4-0), including 5-3 in opposition to the Blues on Oct. 16. Colorado forward Nathan MacKinnon has scored six functions (one aim, 5 assists) at some stage in a four-sport level hasten. The Blues feature their file for loads of wins to launch a season with their fifth in a row in a 3-0 snatch in opposition to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. Blues forward Ivan Barbashev has scored 5 functions (three goals, two assists) at some stage in a 5-sport level hasten.
Philadelphia Flyers at Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m. ET; SN, NBCSP+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Canucks forwards Conor Garland (three goals, 5 assists) and J.T. Miller (one aim, seven abet) are tied for the Vancouver scoring lead with eight functions in seven games every. Philadelphia received 5-3 at the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday in its first boulevard sport of the season. Forwards Claude Giroux (four goals, two assists) and Cam Atkinson (six goals, one abet) every scored to lengthen their level hasten to launch the season to 5 games.
Buffalo Sabres at Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. ET; BSSC, BSSD, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Ducks forward Troy Terry has scored seven functions (two goals, 5 assists) at some stage in a 5-sport level hasten. The Sabres have scored at the very least 5 goals in three of their six games this season, marking the major time they’ve performed that since 2007-08. Buffalo forward Victor Olofsson has scored four functions (three goals, one abet) in his previous four games.
Minnesota Wild at Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, BSN, BSWI, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Cam Talbot is the second goalie in Wild history to launch a favorite season with 5 straight wins, becoming a member of Manny Fernandez (6-0-0, Oct. 11-29, 2002). Minnesota defenseman Matt Dumba is one level from 200 in the NHL. The Wild will likely be without forwards Mats Zuccarello and Rem Pitlick, every of whom changed into placed into NHL COVID-19 protocol Thursday. Kraken forward Brandon Tanev has scored 5 goals in seven games after scoring seven in 32 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins final season.
Winnipeg Jets at Los Angeles Kings (10: 30 p.m. ET; BSW, TSN3, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Ahead Pierre-Luc Dubois has scored seven functions (four goals, three assists) at some stage in a 5-sport functions hasten for the Jets, who have received three in a row. Kings captain Anze Kopitar has no functions and a minus-2 rating in his previous two games after scoring nine functions (six goals, three assists) in his first four games of the season.
Montreal Canadiens at San Jose Sharks (10: 30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Sharks launch a 5-sport homestand after concluding a 5-sport boulevard outing (3-2-0) with a 3-1 loss at the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. San Jose forwards Logan Couture (three goals, six assists) and Timo Meier (four goals, 5 assists) every has scored nine functions at some stage in a six-sport level hasten to launch the season. The Canadiens began a four-sport boulevard outing with a 5-1 loss at the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday. Montreal forward Jonathan Drouin has scored four functions (one aim, three assists) in his previous 5 games.
