The Buffalo Sabres have dropped six of their last seven outings (1-5-1) to see their once-promising postseason aspirations grow dimmer by the day. The Sabres look to get back on track and defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second time this season when the clubs meet on Friday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo.

The Philadelphia Flyers did not get the result they hoped for in the opener of their three-game road trip, but they still managed to remain within reach of a postseason berth. Philadelphia hopes for a better outcome when it continues its trek Friday against the New Jersey Devils.

The New York Islanders look to pull off an impressive back-to-back sweep and increase their lead in the Metropolitan Division when they host the Washington Capitals on Friday. The Islanders registered a resounding 6-1 victory over Toronto and former captain John Tavares on Thursday to move two points ahead of the reigning Stanley Cup-champion Capitals.

Coming off their highest goal output in nearly 15 months, the Montreal Canadiens are trying to maintain their tenuous hold on a wild-card spot while navigating a rugged stretch that features just one home game in a two-week span. With a three-game trek to California upcoming next week, Montreal winds up a four-game road trip at the New York Rangers on Friday night.

The St. Louis Blues surged into playoff contention in the Western Conference by setting a franchise record for wins in February. So did the Carolina Hurricanes in the East. Two of the hottest clubs in hockey, St. Louis and Carolina will try to carry their momentum into this month when the Blues pay a visit to the Hurricanes on Friday night.

The Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators are vying for Central Division supremacy, although neither team is looking much like a contender of late. The sputtering Jets, who have lost five of their last six (1-4-1), look to overtake the first-place Predators on Friday when the clubs reconvene at Bell MTS Place.

The Vegas Golden Knights maintained their six-point lead for third place in the Pacific Division by completing their 2-1-1 homestand with a victory. They hope to further tighten their grip when they visit the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.

The San Jose Sharks have been unable to keep up with the sizzling pace of first-place Calgary in the Pacific but they still hold a comfortable lead over Vegas for the No. 2 spot in the division. The Sharks have a chance to make up some ground on the Flames when they open a four-game homestand against the resurgent Colorado Avalanche on Friday night.