Friday's NHL schedule is light, with only two games, but both feature strong interconference matchups between four teams that reached the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
The first game pits the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Colorado Avalanche at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Colorado is a -218 favorite with a 6.5 over/under. The teams are not traditional rivals, but their meetings are always fun to watch as long as Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon face off. Both are future Hall of Famers and two of the league's most passionate competitors. The teams traded blowout wins last season, a 7-2 Penguins win on March 16 and a 6-2 Avalanche win on March 24, and fans hope the high-scoring trend continues.
The second game features the Boston Bruins at the Anaheim Ducks at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Boston is a -120 favorite with a 6.5 over/under. The Bruins are one game into their California swing after a 6-3 win over San Jose and will face a potentially tougher challenge in Anaheim. The matchup also showcases the league's next generation of stars, including Anaheim's Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke and Jackson LaCombe, along with Boston's Fraser Minten and James Hagens.
Odds are provided by DraftKings and subject to change. Fans can watch all the action on the NHL streaming hub and the ESPN App.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing