NHL On Tap: Rangers, Maple Leafs meet, each seeking fifth straight win

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 11 games Thursday.

Sizzling Rangers, Maple Leafs clash

Two of the hottest teams in the NHL collide when the New York Rangers (10-3-3) visit the Toronto Maple Leafs (7 pm ET: TSN4, MSG, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Each team enters with a four-game winning streak and has been led by its top players; Rangers forward Artemi Panarin has scored five points (two goals, three assists) in his past four games and goalie Igor Shesterkin has won his past three starts. The Maple Leafs (11-5-1) have been fueled by center Auston Matthews, who has scored six goals in his past eight games. A key to this matchup will be if the Rangers can improve in the face-off circle; they are 28th in the NHL in face-off percentage (47 percent), while the Maple Leafs are third (54 percent). New York defeated Toronto 2-1 Oct. 18 on an overtime goal by Panarin. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Ducks go for ninth straight win

The Anaheim Ducks will try to win their ninth straight game when they host the Carolina Hurricanes (10 p.m. ET; BSW, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). We're running out of superlatives to describe Ducks forward Troy Terry, who extended his point streak to 15 games in Anaheim's 3-2 overtime victory against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. Terry has scored 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) during his remarkable run, and the Ducks (10-4-3) have ascended to the top of the Pacific Division in the process, one point ahead of the Edmonton Oilers. The Hurricanes (12-2-0) are second in the Metropolitan Division, one point behind the Washington Capitals. Forward Andrei Svechnikov has seven assists in his past six games for Carolina, which is playing the second of a six-game road trip. -- Brian Compton, deputy managing editor

Jets-Oilers rematch

The Winnipeg Jets (9-3-3) won the first game of their home-and-home series against the Oilers, 5-2 Tuesday. Edmonton (11-4-0) will try to even the score when they host Winnipeg on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; SNW, TSN3, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl scored two goals Tuesday to increase his NHL-leading total to 17 and his League-leading point total to 33. Oilers center Connor McDavid has scored 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) during his 15-game season-opening point streak. The Jets have won three straight and forward Kyle Connor leads them with 12 goals in 15 games, which is tied for second in the NHL with Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin and Rangers forward Chris Kreider. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Thursday schedule

Calgary Flames at Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET; SN360, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
It's the fifth of a seven-game road trip for the Flames (8-3-5), who are 1-1-2 thus far. Jacob Markstrom made 41 saves in a 2-1 overtime loss at the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday and has a 1.82 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage in 12 starts this season. The Sabres (7-6-2) will try for their third win in four games after Dustin Tokarski made an NHL career-high 45 saves in a 2-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.
New York Rangers at Toronto Maple Leafs (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, MSG, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Forward Ryan Strome has scored five points (one goal, four assists) in a four-game point streak for the Rangers, who have six road wins, tied for most in the NHL with the Flames and Minnesota Wild. Maple Leafs goalie Jack Campbell is 28-8-4 since being traded to Toronto by the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 6, 2020, including 9-3-1 this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Montreal Canadiens (7 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, ATTSN-PT, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Penguins (5-6-4) travel to Bell Centre with hopes of ending a three-game losing streak. They are 2-6-2 in their past 10 games. Pittsburgh has been outscored 12-4 in the three games center Sidney Crosby has played this season, all losses, but Crosby did get his first point of the season, an assist, in a 2-1 loss to the Sabres on Tuesday. Forward Brendan Gallagher is expected to play his 600th NHL game for the Canadiens (4-12-2), who have also lost three in a row (0-2-1).
New Jersey Devils at Florida Panthers (BSFL, MSG+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Panthers (11-2-3), who are first in the Atlantic Division, will be without center Aleksander Barkov, who is week to week with a lower-body injury sustained during a 6-1 win against the New York Islanders on Tuesday. Defenseman Damon Severson is expected to play in his 500th NHL game for the Devils (7-4-3), who lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Rangers on Sunday.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Philadelphia Flyers (7 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, SNP, NBCSP, BSSUN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Flyers (8-4-2) host the Lightning (8-3-3) to continue a three-game homestand they opened with a 2-1 overtime victory against the Flames on Tuesday. Philadelphia has not won consecutive games since Oct. 27-28. The Lightning have won two in a row and have points in eight straight games (6-0-2).
San Jose Sharks at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, NBCSCA, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Blues (8-5-2) have lost four straight games (0-3-1) and are 3-3-1 at home, including 0-2-1 in their past three. The Sharks (8-6-1) are 2-2-0 entering the final game of a five-game road trip, including a 4-1 victory at the Wild on Tuesday. Forward Timo Meier has scored 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 10 games this season. Only two other players in Sharks history have scored more points in their first 10 games of a season: Owen Nolan (17 points in 1999-2000) and Joe Thornton (16 in 2005-06, 15 in 2010-11, 15 in 2009-10).
Dallas Stars at Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET; BSN, BSWI+, BSSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Stars (6-6-2) will try to win three in a row for the first time this season when they visit the Wild (10-5-0). Dallas forward Joe Pavelski has scored seven points (three goals, four assists) during a seven-game point streak. The Wild have lost two out of three following a four-game winning streak.
Winnipeg Jets at Edmonton Oilers (9 p.m. ET; SNW, TSN3, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Winnipeg has one regulation loss in its past 13 games (9-1-3) since opening the season with consecutive regulation losses. Edmonton returns home, where it is 6-1-0 this season, after a five-game road trip (2-3-0). The Jets have won five straight games against the Oilers, including their 5-2 victory at home Tuesday and a four-game sweep in the best-of-7 Stanley Cup First Round in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Arizona Coyotes (9 pm ET: BSAZ, BSOH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Blue Jackets (8-5-0) look to sweep the season series against the Coyotes after an 8-2 win at home Oct. 14. Forward Oliver Bjorkstrand scored four points (two goals, two assists) in that game. The Coyotes (2-13-1) will try to build some momentum and win consecutive games for the first time this season after a 3-2 victory against the Blues on Tuesday.
Detroit Red Wings at Vegas Golden Knights (10 pm ET; SNE, SNO, SNP, ATTSN-RM, BSDET, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Golden Knights (9-7-0) have won three of their past four since a 5-2 loss at the Red Wings on Nov. 7. Defenseman Shea Theodore has been the catalyst with six points (one goal, five assists) in the past five games. Detroit (8-8-2) will be looking to get back on track after losing three of four.
Carolina Hurricanes at Anaheim Ducks (10 pm ET: BSW, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Hurricanes successfully began a six-game road trip with a 4-2 victory at Vegas on Tuesday and will look for their third straight win. The Ducks are 7-1-1 at Honda Center and have won the first two of a three-game homestand.
Nashville Predators at Ottawa Senators, postponed