A pair of first interconference dates pepper Tuesday's six-game slate when Sidney Crosby's Penguins host Nathan MacKinnon's Avalanche, and the sizzling-hot Oilers visit Detroit. Elsewhere, the Lightning are looking to make quick amends against the visiting Sharks after getting ripped apart by the Panthers the previous evening.
Bo Horvat makes his second appearance for his new Long Island squad in hosting the Kraken. Seattle might be at their healthiest in a while, with Matty Beniers, Jaden Schwartz, and defenseman Justin Schultz all considered 'probable'. Goalie Ilya Sorokin is anticipated to start for New York after Semyon Varlamov earned an impressive win in Philadelphia on Monday.
The evening wraps up with Vegas vs. Nashville, and the battle of the West's bottom-feeders when the Ducks visit Chicago. Anaheim may have to manage without Troy Terry after their No. 1 winger was forced, early, from Monday's contest in Dallas. If Terry isn't recovered in time for Tuesday's puck drop, Ryan Strome is again likely to fill in on a Ducks' scoring alongside Trevor Zegras and Adam Henrique. Projected starter Petr Mrazek surrendered seven goals to Edmonton in Chicago's last contest, 10 days ago. Blackhawk Jonathan Toews is also expected out, sick.
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All times Eastern.
7 p.m., PPG Paints Arena, Watch live on ESPN+
Fun fact: The Avalanche are a cool 15-3-2 with Valeri Nichushkin in the lineup. Guess who's due back after missing the final two games pre-All-Star recess? Combine Nichushkin's reappearance with the pending return of defenseman Bowen Byram, and this will be the healthiest Colorado's roster has been all season.
In the opposite crease, Casey DeSmith is struggling. Filling in for Tristan Jarry for most of January, the Penguins' No. 2 is 3-4-2, with an .887 SV% and 3.82 GAA. He surrendered 13 total goals in his last three starts ahead of the break. I like the visitors to put up a few in this season's first meeting between MacKinnon and his good Cole Harbour buddy.
7:30 p.m., Little Caesars Arena, Watch live on ESPN+
Detroit's Ville Husso is 5-5-0, with an .884 SV% and 3.34 GAA through January. The Oilers lead the league with an average of 4.25 goals/game over the same month's stretch - 5.00/contest since Jan. 11. Play all your fantasy Oilers in their first and only trip to Detroit this campaign. Not that you likely need such encouragement.
Kyle Palmieri, New York Islanders (3.3%): Picking up where he left off, the veteran extended his current point streak to five games with a goal in Philadelphia on Monday. Out nearly all of December and most of January, Palmieri finally appears fiddle-fit, with at least one point in each game back. Skating on the second line and secondary power play, the 32-year-old boasts solid potential value as a streaming or Daily Fantasy asset against the visiting Kraken on Tuesday.
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Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks (20.1%): The veteran Ducks defender has three goals and four assists on 18 shots in his past six games. Fowler is well capable of making some productive noise against Mrazek and the Blackhawks defense.
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Brian Elliott (projected), Tampa Bay Lightning (1.5%): In limited action this season, the veteran backup has been good enough, often enough, boasting a 9-3-0 record. As mentioned, this talented - and well-coached - Lightning crew will feel extra inspired to move on from Monday's 7-1 drubbing at the hands of Florida's other NHL club, back at home, where they're 20-4-1. The odds of Elliott securing win No. 10 versus the visiting Sharks appear favorable indeed.
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