NHL On Tap: McDavid looks for points in 18 straight with Oilers

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 three games Tuesday.

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McDavid seeks to extend point streak, get 400th assist

Connor McDavid will try to extend his point streak to 18 games when the Edmonton Oilers (13-4-0) visit the Dallas Stars on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SNW, NHL LIVE). McDavid has scored 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) during his streak, the third-longest to start a season in Oilers history. Wayne Gretzky had a point streak of 51 games in 1983-84 and 30 games in 1982-83. Gretzky also had a point streak of 23 games to open a season for the Los Angeles Kings in 1988-89. McDavid can become the sixth player in NHL history to have a point streak of at least 18 games to start a season, joining Gretzky, Mats Sundin of the Quebec Nordiques (30, 1992-93), Dany Heatley of the Ottawa Senators (22, 2005-06), Bill Cowley of the Boston Bruins (18, 1943-44) and Marcel Dionne of the Los Angeles Kings (18, 1979-80). McDavid also needs one assist for 400 in the NHL, which would make him the fourth-fastest player in NHL history to reach that milestone. Roope Hintz has had the hot hand for the Stars (7-7-2), scoring five goals in his past five games, including two shorthanded goals in a 4-1 win against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Dallas is seeking its fourth consecutive home victory. -- William Douglas, staff writer

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Flyers start challenging stretch at Lightning

Though the Philadelphia Flyers (8-5-3) appear to be in decent shape after 16 games, they're 1-2-1 in their past four and 4-4-2 since Oct. 28 while scoring a maximum of three goals twice. They start a three-game stretch against teams with a combined record of 37-8-7 when they play at the Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS, BSSUN, NBCSP, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). The stretch also includes playing at the Florida Panthers on Wednesday and home against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. Tampa Bay (10-4-3), the reigning Stanley Cup champion, is 8-1-2 in its past 11 games. The Flyers' challenge will be greater without forward Kevin Hayes (abdominal muscles, week to week) and defenseman Ryan Ellis (lower body, out 4-6 weeks). Philadelphia has scored 18 goals over its past 10 games, and in that same stretch forwards James van Riemsdyk (two goals, four assists) and Oskar Lindblom (no goals, minus-4), and defenseman Keith Yandle (no goals, minus-7) are struggling. -- Jon Lane, staff writer

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Blackhawks face soaring Flames

The Chicago Blackhawks (6-10-2), who are 6-3-0 in their past nine games, look to stay on an upward track when they play at the Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET, SN1, NBCSCH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Each team is coming off a shutout win Sunday, with Marc-Andre Fleury earning his first for Chicago in a 40-save, 1-0 victory against the Vancouver Canucks and Dan Vladar making 28 saves for Calgary (11-3-5) in a 4-0 win at the Boston Bruins. The Flames are allowing an NHL-best 1.87 goals per game. Goalie Jacob Markstrom leads the NHL with five shutouts in 14 games. Calgary is getting it done on offense too. Forward Johnny Gaudreau was named the NHL First Star for the week ending Nov. 21 after scoring seven points (four goals, three assists) in four games, including two game-winning goals. The Blackhawks are 5-1-0 since coach Derek King replaced Jeremy Colliton on Nov. 6. -- Dave Stubbs, columnist

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Tuesday schedule

Philadelphia Flyers at Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS, BSSUN, NBCSP, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
The Flyers were 6-0-0 following a loss before they were defeated 5-2 by the Boston Bruins on Nov. 20 after losing 4-3 in a shootout to the Lightning two days earlier. Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman has scored seven points (two goals, five assists) during a five-game point streak.
Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SNW, NHL LIVE)
Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl is the first NHL player to score 35 points in 17 or fewer games since Mario Lemieux did it in 11 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1995-96. Forward Roope Hintz is the fourth player in Stars/Minnesota North Stars history to score two shorthanded goals in one game, and the first since the team relocated to Dallas for the 1993-94 season. The others with multiple shorthanded goals in a game for Stars/North Stars are Bill Collins in 1970, Dirk Graham in 1986, and Neal Broten in 1988. Hintz was the first to do so on home ice.
Chicago Blackhawks at Calgary Flames (9 p.m. ET; SN1, NBCSCH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)
Marc-Andre Fleury is 4-0-0 with a .964 save percentage since Chicago's coaching change. His shutout against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday was his 68th to pass Roy Worters (67) for sole possession of 14th place in NHL history and he became the fourth Blackhawks goalie with a shutout at age 36 or older (Tony Esposito, Hugh Lehman, Nikolai Khabibulin). Calgary forward Andrew Mangiapane has scored five goals in his past three games and is the first Flames player to score 15 goals through their first 19 games in a season since Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla in 2001-02.