There are four games on the NHL schedule for Friday, two which are nationally televised. Here are five things to watch today, along with the complete game schedule.
Global goodness
The NHL takes the world stage in Stockholm for the first of a two-game series between the Pittsburgh Penguins (9-5-3) and Nashville Predators (5-9-4) at Avicii Arena in the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal (2 p.m. ET; FDSNO, SN-PIT, NHLN, SN). The Predators and Penguins met 25 years ago in Saitama, Japan to open the 2000-01 regular season with GAME ONe Japan 2000. Nashville won the opener 3-1 on Oct. 6, 2000, and Pittsburgh won 3-1 the next day. The second game of the Global Series will be played Sunday (9 a.m. ET; FDSNSO, SN-PIT, NHLN, SN). Each team enters the Global Series looking to turn things around: The Penguins are on a 1-3-1 skid while the Predators have lost five in a row (0-4-1).
How Swede it is
Erik Karlsson will become the sixth player to skate for three different NHL teams outside North America when the Penguins play the Predators in Sweden. The 35-year-old is one of six defensemen with at least four career points in such games and is on the verge of tying the NHL benchmark for games (six) played outside North America (J.T. Compher, Matt Duchene, Erik Johnson, Ryan McDonagh). He has four assists in four NHL games overseas with the Ottawa Senators (two games in 2017) and San Jose Sharks (two games in 2022). Karlsson, incidentally, is the League’s active leader in goals (201), assists (681) and points (882) among European defensemen. Pittsburgh could certainly use some Karlsson magic as it enters the game on a 1-3-1 skid. The Predators
Pointing to Pettersson
Elias Pettersson needs one point to move into sole possession of eighth place on the Vancouver Canucks’ all-time list. The forward will get that chance when Vancouver (8-9-1) visits the Carolina Hurricanes (11-5-0) at Lenovo Center (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SN). The 27-year-old had two assists in a 5-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday to give him 470 career points (188 goals, 282 assists) to draw even with Tony Tanti, who played with Vancouver from 1983-1990. He’s eight points behind Pavel Bure for seventh place. The Canucks’ list is topped by Henrik Sedin (1,070 points).
Mammoth milestone
The Utah Mammoth (10-7-0) will play their 100th game in franchise history when they host the New York Islanders (9-6-2) at Delta Center (9 p.m. ET; Utah16, MSGSN). The Mammoth, who are 48-38-13 in their first 99 games, ended a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday, scoring five straight goals after falling behind 2-0. Utah hasn’t allowed a power-play goal in seven straight games (12-for-12), is 5-1-0 at home this season, and has earned a point in 21 of its past 26 home games dating back to last season. The Islanders are playing the second game of a back-to-back following a 4-3 overtime win at the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
Flying high
The Philadelphia Flyers (8-5-3) will look to extend their point streak to five games when they visit the St. Louis Blues (6-8-3) at Enterprise Center (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, NBCSP+). The Flyers lost their second straight overtime game 2-1 to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday and are 2-0-2 in the past four games. It’s their longest point streak since getting a point in five straight (4-0-1) from Feb. 8-March 1 last season. The Blues, who defeated the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, haven’t won two in a row since Oct. 13.
The schedule
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Nashville Predators (2 p.m. ET; FDSNO, SN-PIT, NHLN, SN)
Vancouver Canucks at Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SN)
Philadelphia Flyers at St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, NBCSP+)
New York Islanders at Utah Mammoth (9 p.m. ET; Utah 16, MSGSN)