The Pittsburgh Penguins have been patient over the years with Tristan Jarry, a luxury that a team can afford with Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray ahead of him on the depth chart. With Fleury now in Vegas and Murray considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, the visiting Penguins likely will turn to Jarry on Friday for the opener of a home-and-home series against the Buffalo Sabres.

The New York Islanders are averaging the most goals per game in the NHL and that offense has been especially lethal at home, where the team has yet to lose in regulation. The surging Islanders have won four consecutive games and seven of their last eight as they prepare to host the ice-cold Ottawa Senators on Friday night.

The New York Rangers saw their eight-game home winning streak come to a halt in their last outing, but coach Alain Vigneault's team has an even longer run under the belts heading into Friday's tilt versus the Carolina Hurricanes. The Rangers have won a staggering 13 straight versus the Hurricanes, including a 6-1 drubbing of coach Bill Peters' club on Nov. 22.

The Anaheim Ducks have responded well to their two worst losses this season, rebounding from each by knocking off a conference leader in their next game. Fresh off a 3-2 victory at Western Conference-best St. Louis, the Ducks will feature a new-look lineup when they continue a six-game road trip at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.

The Florida Panthers hope the third time is the charm as they attempt to extend their winning streak to a season-high three games on Friday against the visiting San Jose Sharks. Florida exited the Metropolitan area with a pair of one-goal victories, highlighted by Roberto Luongo becoming the second goalie in NHL history to win 200 games with two different teams following a 3-2 triumph versus New Jersey on Monday.

The St. Louis Blues were perfect in their own rink during October but have been just average at Scottrade Center since, needing a victory over the visiting Los Angeles Kings on Friday to clinch a winning five-game homestand. The Blues were 5-0-0 at home in October and have gone 4-4-0 in their last eight games in St. Louis after dropping a 3-2 decision against Anaheim on Wednesday.

The Vegas Golden Knights hope to avoid the second three-game slide in their brief history when they visit the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. Vegas, which lost three straight from Oct. 30-Nov. 2, had its three-game road winning streak snapped with Thursday's 4-2 setback against Minnesota.

The New Jersey Devils are among the league's early-season surprises, battling for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. That didn't stop New Jersey from swinging a three-player trade with Anaheim for defenseman Sami Vatanen, who is expected to be in the lineup Friday when the Devils open a three-game road trip at the Colorado Avalanche.