The Boston Bruins are trying to keep pace with the league-best Tampa Bay Lightning as they resume their six-game homestand against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. The Bruins are riding a three-game winning streak and trail first-place Tampa Bay by six points in the Atlantic Division with three games in hand on the Lightning.

Every time it appears safe to pencil the New Jersey Devils into one of the postseason slots in the Eastern Conference, the club takes a downward turn. The struggling Devils will try to avoid their fourth losing streak of at least four games since the Christmas break when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night.

The New York Rangers made a splash at the trade deadline for who they dealt, not who they acquired, but entering Tuesday’s home contest against the Winnipeg Jets they still hold out hope in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Rangers sit five points behind Columbus for the final wild-card spot and, after losing seven games in a row, New York owns a three-game winning streak following Saturday’s 3-2 victory at Edmonton.

The Columbus Blue Jackets hope the comforts of Nationwide Arena will pay dividends as they open a season high-tying four-game homestand versus the expansion Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. The Blue Jackets, who salvaged the finale of their three-game trek by doubling up San Jose on Sunday, head back to Buckeye State where they own a 3-1-1 mark in their last five home contests.

The red-hot Florida Panthers look to extend their season-high winning streak to seven games when they make a quick trip north to take on the NHL-best Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night. The Panthers have climbed within one point of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference after sweeping through a six-game homestand, with another five straight at home coming after Tuesday’s showdown.

The Nashville Predators have been steamrolling through their schedule of late and look to keep moving forward when they begin a four-game homestand Tuesday against the Central Division-rival Dallas Stars. Nashville is hoping to set a franchise record with its ninth straight victory and move ahead of Tampa Bay, which it trails by one point in the race for the Presidents' Trophy with a game in hand.

Following a pair of ugly road losses, all it took for the Minnesota Wild to get back on track was a return to the Xcel Energy Center, where they have lost a league-low five times in regulation. Locked in a battle for third place in the Central Division, Minnesota looks to continue its success at home when it hosts the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.

Nathan MacKinnon has inserted his name into the Hart Trophy discussion in the midst of a career season with the Colorado Avalanche. Named the NHL's First Star of the Week for the second time this season, MacKinnon aims to keep the conversation going in his favor on Tuesday as the Avalanche open a two-game road trip against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Alex Ovechkin reached one milestone in his last game and aims to net another on Tuesday as the Washington Capitals open a three-game road trip against the Anaheim Ducks. Ovechkin scored to become the sixth player in NHL history with nine or more 40-goal seasons in Saturday's 5-2 win over Toronto at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md.