You again?
Two very familiar opponents will face off when the Boston Bruins (9-7-0) visit the Toronto Maple Leafs (8-5-1) at Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, NESN). It’s the 47th head-to-head matchup (regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs) between Boston forward David Pastrnak and Maple Leafs forward William Nylander. The two, who played junior hockey together in Sweden and were each first-round picks in the 2014 NHL Draft, are off to great individual starts. Pastrnak leads the Bruins with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) and Nylander leads the Maple Leafs with 20 points (six goals, 14 assists). Boston is also seeking its sixth straight win.
Oh, Canada
Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid will be teammates with Canada at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, but for now are foes when the Colorado Avalanche (8-1-5) play the Edmonton Oilers (6-5-4) at Rogers Place (10 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNW, ALT2, KTVD). McDavid, the Oilers captain, is tied for first in the NHL with 21 points (four goals, 17 assists) entering Friday, while MacKinnon is tied for fourth with 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists). The two have combined to win the Hart Trophy, awarded annually to the most valuable player in the regular season, four times: MacKinnon won in 2023-24 and McDavid in 2016-17, 2020-21 and 2022-23.
Sid still going strong
Sidney Crosby may be 38 years old, but he’s playing like he’s in the prime of his career. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain has 11 goals, tied for the NHL lead with Anaheim Ducks forward Cutter Gauthier, entering Friday. He could add to it when the Penguins (9-4-2) play the New Jersey Devils (10-4-0) at Prudential Center (12:30 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSGSN, SN). The only time a player 38 or older led or was tied for the NHL lead in goals at this point of a season or later was last season when Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin did so from Nov. 17-22. The Devils look to remain perfect at home, where they are 6-0-0, although they likely will be without defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who left Thursday’s 4-3 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens with a lower-body injury and did not practice Friday.
Something old, something new…
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