Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon will share the ice in Denver on Friday night, giving a thin two-game NHL slate a marquee center-ice draw. The Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Colorado Avalanche at 9 p.m. ET, followed by the Boston Bruins meeting the Anaheim Ducks at 10 p.m. ET. All four clubs reached the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Friday’s two-game card
Penguins at Avalanche, 9 p.m. ET
Crosby and MacKinnon carry the headline into Colorado. The Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, products are longtime friends away from the rink, but neither has ever treated a head-to-head meeting lightly.
Last season’s series was a split of lopsided results. Pittsburgh rolled to a 7-2 victory on March 16 before Colorado answered with a 6-2 win eight days later. Another open game would fit the recent script when these clubs meet.
The game is available on ESPN+.
Bruins at Ducks, 10 p.m. ET
Boston continues its California trip after opening the swing with a 6-3 win in San Jose. Anaheim now gets the chance to slow the Bruins and test a club arriving with some offensive momentum.
The Ducks’ young core will be in focus, led by Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke and defenseman Jackson LaCombe. Boston brings its own developing pieces in Fraser Minten and James Hagens.
The Bruins-Ducks game is also on ESPN+.
After the horn
Thursday’s 11-game board produced four contests decided beyond regulation. Buffalo outlasted Toronto 5-4 in overtime, Ottawa edged the New York Islanders 2-1 in a shootout, Tampa Bay beat Seattle 4-3 in overtime, and Florida slipped past Vancouver 3-2 in overtime.
- New Jersey Devils 7, New York Rangers 1
- Detroit Red Wings 2, Philadelphia Flyers 1
- Chicago Blackhawks 4, Winnipeg Jets 3, overtime
- San Jose Sharks 3, Nashville Predators 2
- Minnesota Wild 5, St. Louis Blues 4
- Utah Mammoth 4, Edmonton Oilers 2
- Vegas Golden Knights 6, Calgary Flames 2
League notebook
Ottawa forward William Eklund is expected to miss 10 to 12 weeks after ankle surgery. Carolina also lost Taylor Hall to an upper-body injury during its win over Washington.
Detroit and Alex DeBrincat have reached agreement on a seven-year contract extension worth $91 million. The Red Wings have played with an “us against the world” edge this season, and the DeBrincat deal gives that group another major commitment.
The Tkachuk brothers combined for nine points in a Frozen Frenzy win against Columbus. Around the league, the season has already produced its share of surprises across all 32 teams, while Devils general manager Sunny Mehta remains one of the notable front-office figures under discussion.
A century ago in the NHL
One hundred years ago today, the NHL added three clubs and divided its 10-team circuit into Canadian and American divisions.
| Canadian Division | American Division |
|---|---|
| Montreal Canadiens | Boston Bruins |
| Montreal Maroons | Chicago Blackhawks |
| New York Americans | Detroit Cougars |
| Ottawa Senators | New York Rangers |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Pittsburgh Pirates |
The Montreal Maroons went on to win the 1926 Stanley Cup Final over the Western Hockey League’s Victoria Cougars. It was the last Cup Final to include a team outside the NHL, as the WHL folded after that series.
