NHL On Tap: Batherson looks to extend streak when Senators visit Sabres

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Bedard can join exclusive Blackhawks club; Panthers' Eller to hit 1,200-game milestone

There are four games on the NHL schedule for Wednesday, including two nationally televised in the United States and one in Canada. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.

Loving Drake

Drake Batherson is on pace for his most productive offensive season. The 28-year-old has an opportunity to extend his point streak to nine games when the Ottawa Senators (9-6-1) visit the Buffalo Sabres (7:30 p.m. ET; MSG-B, Prime) on NHL on Prime "Wednesday Night Hockey." The forward has 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in 16 games this season and 13 points (six goals, seven assists) on an eight-game point streak. Tim Stutzle leads the Senators with 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 16 games.

Thompson triplets

Tage Thompson can extend his multigoal streak to three games when the Sabres (7-4-3) host the Senators. The forward has five goals in his past two games, with a hat trick as part of a five-point night in a 7-6 win at the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 29, and two goals in a 3-2 win at the Kings two nights later. Only four players in Sabres history had multigoal streaks of at least three games: Alexander Mogilny (five games, 1992-93), and Ales Kotalik (2002-03), Pat LaFontaine (1995-96) and Rick Martin (1975-76) with three each. Thompson leads Buffalo with 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in 14 games.

Bedard eyes exclusive list

Connor Bedard can become the sixth player in Chicago Blackhawks history to score 80 goals prior to turning 22 years old when Chicago (4-10-1) travels to face the Florida Panthers (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT). The 21-year-old forward has 79 goals (134 assists, 213 points) in 228 games. Only Jeremy Roenick (111 goals in 225 games), Bobby Hull (86 in 245), Denis Savard (84 in 208), Jonathan Toews (83 in 222) and Patrick Kane (83 in 264) have scored at least 80 goals for the Blackhawks before their 22nd birthday. Bedard leads Chicago with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in nine games this season. He missed the first six games after having shoulder surgery in July for an injury sustained during an offseason training session.

The 200 club

Macklin Celebrini is six points from 200 in the NHL ahead of the San Jose Sharks visiting the Los Angeles Kings (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT). The San Jose captain has 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 14 games this season and 194 points (75 goals, 119 assists) in 166 games. At 20 years and 144 days, Celebrini can become the fifth-youngest player to reach the milestone behind Sidney Crosby (19 years, 207 days), Wayne Gretzky (19 years, 347 days), Jimmy Carson (20 years, 107 days) and Mario Lemieux (20 years, 133 days). He needs to reach the mark before the Sharks (7-8-1) host the Nashville Predators on Nov. 15 to surpass Pierre Turgeon (20 years, 155 days).

SJS@MTL: Celebrini roofs a one-timer for PPG and OT winner

BUF@LAK: Thompson nets his second goal of game, 10th of season

Moving on up

It's already a big night for the Florida Panthers and could get even bigger. Forward Lars Eller will play his 1,200th NHL game on Tuesday when the Panthers play the Blackhawks. In addition, Sam Reinhart is on the verge of taking over second place on the Panthers' all-time goal-scoring list. The forward has 197 goals in 400 games, one behind Jonathan Huberdeau, since he was traded to the Panthers by the Sabres on July 24, 2021. Aleksander Barkov is first with 286. Matthew Tkachuk leads Florida with 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) in 15 games and brother Brady Tkachuk has 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 15 games. Their father, Keith Tkachuk, will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Monday.