The New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs are both coming off a bye week, although each team had decidedly different results in their previous game. The Rangers will be hoping that the layoff did not stem the momentum from a spectacular comeback at Columbus when they host the Maple Leafs on Friday night.

The Washington Capitals snapped the Chicago Blackhawks' seven-game winning streak in their first encounter and look to put an end to their four-game run on Friday when the teams meet at the Verizon Center. Washington is on quite the streak of its own, having won a season-high seven in a row to join Chicago in residing within one point of Columbus for the NHL's best record.

New York Islanders coach Jack Capuano is struggling to locate his offense on the heels of his team's mandated five-day break in the schedule. After mustering just three goals since flipping the calendar, the Islanders look to avert a season sweep by the Florida Panthers on Friday when the clubs complete a home-and-home set at BB&T Center.

The Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the NHL's best home teams over the last two months and aim to continue their dominance at PNC Arena when they continue a four-game homestand against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday. Carolina won its final five home contests in November and proceeded to go 5-0-1 in its own building in December before beginning this month with a 3-1 loss to visiting New Jersey.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have hit a bump in the road since their historic 16-game winning streak and look to turn things around Friday, when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Blue Jackets fell to 1-3-0 since the run after Tuesday’s 5-3 loss at Carolina but will try for a three-game sweep against the desperate Lightning, who will retire the No. 26 of Martin St. Louis in a ceremony before the contest.

The Calgary Flames appear to have found the right formula for winning at home and attempt to apply it again when they host the New Jersey Devils on Friday. Calgary fell to 8-10-0 at Scotiabank Saddledome with a loss to Anaheim on Dec. 29 but has posted four consecutive victories in its own building, including a 3-2 triumph over San Jose on Wednesday.

Fresh off a much-needed five-day break, the Arizona Coyotes go for their first regulation victory in one month when they host the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night. The Coyotes halted a nine-game losing streak with a 2-1 shootout victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday, a win that also snapped a five-game skid at home.