Perhaps a road trip is what the Vancouver Canucks needed as they visit the Boston Bruins on Thursday in the second contest of a five-game trek. Vancouver picked up three out of a possible eight points in its season-opening four-game homestand before hitting the road and scoring an impressive 3-0 victory over Ottawa on Tuesday as the bonding process truly began.

Perhaps the Battle of New York will help provide a spark for the city's two hockey teams, who will square off for the first time this season on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. The New York Rangers are mired in a four-game losing streak and certainly could use any kind of a jolt when they host the New York Islanders.

The Philadelphia Flyers have been one of the top surprises of the early NHL season and will have a chance to avenge one of their two losses Thursday night when the Nashville Predators pay a visit. The Flyers dropped a 6-5 decision at Nashville on Oct. 10 after coughing up a two-goal lead in the third period, but have responded by scoring 13 goals in their last two contests to open a five-game homestand.

The Columbus Blue Jackets allowed only 13 goals in six games to open the season and must produce another big defensive effort when they entertain the offensively gifted Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. The Blue Jackets were tied for third in the league in goals-against (2.17) entering Wednesday after winning at Winnipeg 5-2 on Tuesday for their fourth consecutive victory.

The Ottawa Senators have earned points in all but one game, but they still are in search of their first home victory as they prepare to host the surprising New Jersey Devils on Thursday. The Senators are 3-0-0 on the road but fell to 0-1-2 at the Canadian Tire Centre on Tuesday after being shut out 3-0 by Vancouver.

The Edmonton Oilers have dropped four straight games, and the schedule does not do them any favors as they begin a difficult three-game road trip against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Edmonton is second in the league in shots per game at 41.2 but has managed just 11 goals after suffering a 5-3 loss on Tuesday despite outshooting Carolina 51-21.

The Colorado Avalanche attempt to remain perfect at home this season when they host the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. Colorado has played at Pepsi Center only twice thus far but is unbeaten, posting a 6-3 triumph over Boston on Oct. 11 and a 3-1 win versus Anaheim two days later.

The Calgary Flames were off for four days prior to Thursday's matchup against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes - a break coach Glen Gulutzan felt was necessary despite a stretch of four wins in five games. The Flames have been off since posting a 5-2 victory at Vancouver on Saturday, a triumph that came 24 hours after they endured a 6-0 drubbing at home against Ottawa.

The Arizona Coyotes make their seventh attempt to record their first victory of the season when they host the Dallas Stars on Thursday in the back end of a home-and-home series. Arizona dropped a 3-1 decision at Dallas on Tuesday to remain winless in 2017-18, scoring fewer than three goals for the fifth consecutive game.