The Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins have picked up speed in their respective bids to distance themselves from the rest of the teams in the congested Metropolitan Division. The first-place Capitals carry an 8-2-2 mark in their last 12 contests into Friday's tilt versus the Penguins, who have won eight of their last 10 and are attempting to complete a perfect four-game homestand.

The Carolina Hurricanes have won three straight games to move into a virtual tie for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and hope to keep climbing when they host the Detroit Red Wings on Friday. The Hurricanes have allowed a total of one goal in their last two wins, including Thursday's 2-0 triumph over Montreal in the second contest of their eight-game homestand.

The San Jose Sharks have not won since veteran center Joe Thornton suffered a serious knee injury, a streak they hope to end when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night. It's the third stop of a five-game road trip for San Jose, which has lost a season-high four in a row after dropping a back-to-back at Pittsburgh and Detroit.

The Minnesota Wild have been dominant at home this season and hope to continue the trend when they host the Western Conference-leading Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. Minnesota owns a 17-4-4 record at Xcel Energy Center and carries a nine-game home point streak (7-0-2) into the matchup against the surprising expansion team.