First-year coach Phil Housley is not overreacting to his team’s early-season struggles and is hoping that approach will help the Buffalo Sabres find their form as they host the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. The Sabres have dropped three of their last four games while allowing a total of 17 goals and share last place in the Atlantic Division with Florida.

Vladimir Tarasanko has been the consistent scoring threat on a St. Louis Blues' team that has been known more for its tenacious defense than explosive offense. With at least a point in 11 of 15 contests this season, Tarasenko aims to send the red-hot Blues to their eighth straight victory over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday when the clubs meet in the Garden State.

The New York Islanders aim to improve upon their best home start to the season in 35 years on Tuesday when they welcome the return of former first-round pick Ryan Strome and the sputtering Edmonton Oilers. The Islanders skated to a 6-4 triumph over Colorado on Sunday to improve to 6-2-0 in their last eight contests overall and 5-0-1 at Barclays Center this season, marking their best six-game start at home since 1982-83 (6-0-0).

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins attempt to snap out of their recent funk while taking on an old friend when they host the struggling Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday. Rick Tocchet, who was an assistant for Mike Sullivan from 2014-17 and also won a Stanley Cup as a player with the Penguins in 1992, returns to the Steel City as the coach of the Coyotes.

Two teams struggling out of the gate in different ways look to turn things in a positive direction when the defensively-challenged Florida Panthers visit the low-scoring Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. The Panthers have lost four straight and stood last in the league in goals-against per game (4.23) entering Monday while Carolina has dropped four in a row and six of seven (1-4-2), sliding near the bottom in scoring (2.58).

The Nashville Predators figure to display their newest acquisition when they wrap up a four-game road trip Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Nashville, which is 2-1-0 on the trek, landed Kyle Turris from Colorado via Ottawa on Sunday in a three-team deal and signed the center to a six-year, $36 million contract.

The Montreal Canadiens aim for their third straight victory Tuesday as they kick off a six-game homestand against the Vegas Golden Knights. Montreal closed out a 3-1-0 road trip Sunday with a 2-0 triumph at Chicago, as defenseman Joe Morrow recorded a goal and an assist in the third period while Charlie Lindgren made 38 saves in his season debut en route to his first career shutout.

The Calgary Flames attempt to extend their winning streak to four games Tuesday as they continue their seven-game homestand against the Vancouver Canucks. Each of the first four contests during Calgary's string at Scotiabank Saddledome have been one-goal affairs, with the last two going beyond regulation.

The Los Angeles Kings aren't ready to sound the alarm after answering a blistering 9-1-1 start with losses in two of their last three games, but coach John Stevens and company sure know the importance of what lies ahead. The Kings look to hit the on-ramp with some speed on Tuesday as they visit the Anaheim Ducks in the latest installment of the "Freeway Faceoff."