Four Canadian teams hit the ice this evening in a busy Monday night across the National Hockey League.

Highlights include first overall draft pick John Tavares coming home to Toronto to face the team he cheered for growing up, and the streaking Senators welcoming high-flying Alex Ovechkin and his Capitals to Scotiabank Place.

In the Western Conference, the Edmonton Oilers will look to get back on track versus the Phoenix Coyotes, while red-hot Jarome Iginla and the Calgary Flames are in Anaheim to face the Ducks.

Islanders hope to avoid third loss in a row against Maple Leafs

(Sports Network) - The New York Islanders will try to avoid their first three- game losing streak in nearly a month as they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs for tonight's battle at Air Canada Centre.

The contest marks the return home for John Tavares, who was drafted first overall by the Islanders at the 2009 Entry Draft. Tavares, who grew up in the Toronto area, will be playing in his native city for the first time, looking to add to his nine goals and 10 assists this season.

The Islanders are playing the final test of a season-high, seven-game road trip tonight. New York went 2-0-2 in the first four tests on the swing, but has since dropped consecutive games in regulation. Following this evening's contest, the Isles will return home for two games before heading back out on another five-game trek.

New York was in St. Louis on Saturday night and was dealt a 4-1 setback by the Blues. David Perron scored two goals in the third period as St. Louis skated to victory at Scottrade Center.

Josh Bailey scored the lone goal for the Islanders, while Dwayne Roloson turned aside 22-of-26 shots in defeat. New York's last three-game slide came from October 22-26.

"That's a great hockey team over there. We just weren't able to take advantage of some opportunities that we had early," said Roloson.

Isles winger Trent Hunter added an assist in the loss to extend his point streak to six games. He has three goals and three assists during the run.

New York is expected to get Brendan Witt back tonight after the forward missed the previous three games due to personal reasons.

The Maple Leafs were able to snap a five-game skid their last time out and hope to notch back-to-back wins for just the second time this season tonight.

After winning two straight on November 6-7, the Maple Leafs lost five in a row until ending the slide with Saturday's shootout decision over visiting Washington.

Phil Kessel scored the game-winning goal in the first round of the shootout, as Toronto edged the Capitals, 2-1, at Air Canada Centre.

Kessel, the first shooter, fired a wrister that deflected off the inside of the left post and into the net. Vesa Toskala then stopped Eric Fehr and Alex Ovechkin before Niklas Hagman sealed the win when he found the back of the net to start the third round.

Hagman scored the lone goal in regulation for the Maple Leafs, who won for the first time since a 5-1 victory over Detroit on November 7. Toskala turned aside 31-of-32 shots for Toronto.

Toronto is just 2-6-2 as the host this year and is ending a brief two-game homestand tonight. The Leafs will play their next two tests in Florida, as they'll visit Tampa Bay on Wednesday before facing the Panthers on Friday.

The Maple Leafs and Isles are facing off for the first of four meetings this season. Toronto won three of four in 2008-09 and has four wins in the last five encounters between the clubs. The Islanders have lost three of their last four on the road in the series.

Streaking Sens welcome Caps to Ottawa

(Sports Network) - The Washington Capitals may be sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings, but the Ottawa Senators will be coming in as the hotter team when these two clubs face off this evening at Scotiabank Place.

Ottawa is riding a three-game winning streak and moved within a point of rival Buffalo for first place in the Northeast Division after Saturday's 5-3 home victory over the Sabres. That win came on the heels of an impressive 6-2 rout of the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.

Daniel Alfredsson led the way in Saturday's triumph with two goals and an assist, while Filip Kuba registered three helpers in addition to a a power- play goal in the second period. The Senators scored five straight times after spotting Buffalo a 1-0 lead after the opening 20 minutes.

"We're playing with more confidence and you can feel it in the locker room," Alfredsson told the Senators' official site afterward. "When you score five like tonight, you've got to be happy."

Ottawa did have to replace regular goaltender Pascal Leclaire after two periods due to an upper-body injury. Brian Elliot came in to start the third and turned aside 14-of-16 shots to protect a 2-1 lead.

Elliot figures to draw the starting assignment tonight with Leclaire, who stopped 24-of-25 Buffalo chances before exiting, likely to sit out at least one game.

The Senators are expected to get Alex Kovalev back in the lineup this evening. The veteran forward missed Saturday's contest to attend his mother-in-law's funeral back in his native Russia.

Ottawa will be wrapping up a five-game homestand tonight and has gone 3-0-1 thus far on the residency. For the season, the Senators have compiled a solid 8-3-3 mark as the host.

Washington, the East's leader with 31 points, has lost two in a row and three of its last four tests and is dealing with a recent rash of injuries. Two of the team's top scorers, forwards Alexander Semin (right wrist) and Mike Knuble (broken finger) have missed the last three and four games, respectively, and are sidelined indefinitely, while defencemen Tom Poti and Shaone Morrisonn were both scratched for Saturday's 2-1 shootout loss in Toronto.

Morrisonn, who hasn't played in the Capitals' two most recent tilts due to a concussion, is considered a game-time decision for tonight's matchup. Poti, who is dealing with a bruised chest, will not participate.

The Caps fell to the Maple Leafs despite an outstanding effort from goaltender Semyon Varlamov. The 21-year-old saved 38-of-39 shots over the course of regulation and overtime, but allowed two goals in the shootout phase to take the loss.

Alex Ovechkin scored Washington's lone goal late in the first period, but was stoned by Toronto's Vesa Toskala in the shootout's second round. Mike Green assisted on Ovechkin's tally and has now notched a point in six straight games, having recorded one goal and nine helpers over that span.

The Senators and Capitals split four meetings last season, with the home team winning each of those encounters. Washington has left with a defeat in four of its last six trips to Scotiabank Place.

Coyotes try to stop recent struggles against Oilers

(Sports Network) - The Phoenix Coyotes have yet to post consecutive victories this month. If they want to do so tonight, they will have to defeat an Edmonton Oilers club that has had their number over the last two seasons.

Phoenix heads to Edmonton, where it has lost four straight, tonight for a battle at Rexall Place.

The Coyotes began the season by going 9-4-0 in October, closing the month with three straight victories. However, Phoenix is just 4-5-1 in November.

Phoenix can notch back-to-back wins tonight after handling the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-1, on Saturday. The Coyotes scored the go-ahead goal in controversial fashion, as Adrian Aucoin bobbled the puck near the blue line on the power play in the third period, but the play was ruled onside and Keith Yandle eventually took a pass in the left circle that he converted into a goal.

"I guess the other team thought it maybe was an offside," said Matthew Lombardi, who returned from a three-game absence because of a lower-body injury and scored. "[Yandle] just found a hole there and I just kind of threw it to him and he made a great shot."

Ilya Bryzgalov made 23 saves for Phoenix and Shane Doan was credited with an empty-net tally that tied him with former Winnipeg Jet Thomas Steen for third on the franchise's all-time goals list with 264.

While the Coyotes have lost their last four -- as well as six of their last seven -- in Edmonton, last season's 3-2 home win versus the Oilers on March 26 snapped a seven-game overall losing streak in the series.

Edmonton will look to get back on track versus the Coyotes after Saturday's 5-2 loss to Chicago. Goaltender Jeff Deslauriers made 25 saves for the Oilers in a surprise start, as Nikolai Khabibulin missed the game with back spasms.

"Two days ago, I felt really good. All of a sudden [Saturday] morning, it just felt tight and just kind of progressed a little bit," Khabibulin told Edmonton's Web site on Sunday. "I don't know what it is. I had an injury, or I don't know what to call it, a couple of years ago, but I never had anything since then, so I don't know if it's ongoing or it just kind of happened."

Left without a No. 2 goaltender due to Khabibulin's injury, Edmonton signed Torrie Jung of the Western Hockey League to an amateur tryout before the contest to serve as the backup. Edmonton then took advantage of its off day on Sunday to recall netminder Devan Dubnyk from Springfield of the American Hockey League.

Khabibulin, meanwhile, said on Sunday his injury is a day-to-day thing.

Dustin Penner had a goal and an assist on Saturday and Sheldon Souray also scored for the Oilers, who have lost five of their last six games (1-3-2).

Edmonton, which did see forward J.F. Jacques (back) return to the lineup after a seven-game absence, fell to 1-1-0 on a five-game homestand and 7-4-1 overall as the host.

Scorching Iginla to lead Flames into Anaheim

(Sports Network) - Jarome Iginla's red-hot play as of late has helped the Calgary Flames stock up on some victories. Iginla will look to continue his torrid scoring tonight in a matchup with the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center.

Iginla has notched 11 goals over his last nine games, with the Flames winning six of those contests. He notched his first hat trick of the season on Saturday in a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings that helped Calgary bounce back from a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

"Our attitude was good [Saturday] and we came here very positive," said Iginla after his ninth career hat trick. "Nice to have an afternoon game and not have to sit around and wait for it."

Daymond Langkow and David Moss also scored and Jay Bouwmeester added a pair of assists for the Flames, who halted a two-game skid. Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 23 shots.

Calgary is 7-1-2 on the road this year, but hasn't won in Anaheim since January 19, 2004. The Flames have lost nine straight at Honda Center and five of the last six meetings overall between the clubs.

Iginla has 21 goals and 41 points in 48 career games versus the Ducks, who fell to 1-1-0 on a seven-game homestand thanks to Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Sharks.

Ryan Whitney and James Wisniewski tallied for Anaheim, which has lost five of its last six overall (1-4-1). Jonas Hiller allowed three goals on 36 shots.

"It's very tough anytime you give up one late like that," said Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf. "Especially against a team like that, where they are accustomed to playing with that lead and how to finish games out."

Anaheim's Corey Perry had an assist to run his career-best point streak to 14 games, the longest active stretch in the NHL. He has nine goals and 11 helpers over the burst, as well as four goals and 10 points in 16 games versus the Flames.

Wisniewski played on Saturday despite suffering a foot injury in the Ducks' previous game on Thursday. Also, veteran forward Saku Koivu returned after a five-game absence with a groin injury, while Steve Eminger played after missing a game due to back spasms.

Forward Joffrey Lupul, though, did not dress for the Ducks on Saturday because of a lower-body ailment.

Anaheim is 5-7-0 overall as the host this season.