The Vegas Golden Knights and New Jersey Devils are headed in opposite directions, although the clubs are similar in one respect - enjoying success at home while struggling on the road. However, while the Golden Knights have shown improvement on all fronts in the past month, New Jersey has regressed and looks to avoid a ninth loss in 10 games against visiting Vegas on Friday night.

The New York Rangers will be without one of its top defensemen on Friday as it seeks a rare regulation victory when it hosts the Arizona Coyotes. Kevin Shattenkirk is expected to miss two-to-four weeks after suffering a separated shoulder in Monday's 6-3 loss at Tampa Bay.

The Boston Bruins answered a three-game slide by rattling off three straight victories and can match their longest winning streak of the season when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night. The home team has won eight in a row during the rivalry and the Bruins are riding a five-game point streak (4-0-1) against the Penguins, including a 2-1 overtime victory Nov. 23.

The Detroit Red Wings have staggered a bit since their sizzling 9-2-0 stretch and look to begin moving in a positive direction again when they host the injury-plagued Ottawa Senators on Friday night. The Red Wings are 4-5-2 over the last 11 games after a 6-2 loss at Washington on Tuesday and will start a run of six road games in the next seven outings following the matchup against the Senators.

Captain Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals have been on quite the roll of late and hope it continues when they visit the slumping Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. The reigning Stanley Cup-champion Capitals are riding a three-game winning streak during which they've outscored their opponents 14-4, giving them 10 victories in their last 12 contests.

The Colorado Avalanche are experiencing the typical peaks and valleys a rollercoaster of an NHL season can offer as they visit the St. Louis Blues on Friday. Colorado has lost three of its last four contests, allowing six or more goals in each setback, after a 9-0-2 stretch vaulted it to the top of the Central Division with one of the overtime losses - against St. Louis - halting a six-game winning streak.

Fresh off their first win in nine games, the Chicago Blackhawks attempt to avenge the last loss during their slide when they continue a four-game homestand Friday against the Winnipeg Jets. Chicago ended its eight-game skid with a 6-3 triumph over Pittsburgh on Wednesday - one day after losing in Winnipeg by the same score.

The slumping Philadelphia Flyers look to rebound from a pair of dispiriting losses when they continue their five-game road trip Friday against the red-hot Edmonton Oilers. The Flyers opened the trek with a win in Buffalo but were routed 7-1 at Winnipeg on Sunday before coughing up a two-goal lead in the final 1:07 of regulation and losing 6-5 in overtime at Calgary three nights later.