Welcome to the NHL Daily Picks where hockey writers Adam Gretz and Chris Peters make their picks for select games every day.
Anaheim Ducks at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET
Former Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau will be back in the building when his league-leading Ducks come into town fresh off of a 5-2 win over the Predators. Ryan Getzlaf's availability is not known for the game after he sat out Thursday's win in Nashville. Both teams are playing in the second half of a back-to-back, with both of them winning on Thursday. The Capitals have won just three of their past nine games but are still within three points of the top spot in the Metropolitan Division and only two points behind Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers. Pick: Ducks 3, Capitals 2 (shootout)
Chicago Blackhawks at Winnipeg Jets, 8 p.m. ET
If you can move on from all of the Evander Kane madness for a minute, this is a pretty big game for the Jets. For one, they need something positive to happen after losing five games in a row. Second, with a win in regulation they can move to within one point of the Blackhawks in the Central Division standings, which is not something that many would have expected from this team at any point this season. The Blackhawks, meanwhile, are simply looking to score a goal, something they have not done in two games getting outscored by a combined 5-0 in losses at San Jose and Minnesota. Not only will they score, but a win against a slumping Jets team that is dealing with a pretty chaotic week seems very possible. Pick: Blackhawks 4, Jets 2
Pittsburgh Penguins at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m. ET
With wins in three straight games and eight of their past 10 the Flames are not slowing down. They continue to put distance between themselves and the teams on the outside of the playoff picture, and Friday night they get a visit from Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins. Pittsburgh is coming off a 2-0 win in Edmonton that was a lot more lopsided than the final score may have indicated. Now that Malkin is back in the lineup, Crosby shouldn't be expected to carry the load as much as he had been, but the offense pretty much comes down to their two lines. Pick: Penguins 3, Flames 2
The rest of Friday's schedule
Toronto Maple Leafs at New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m. ET
St. Louis Blues at Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. ET
Three stars
1. Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues: Tarasenko is one of the NHL's most exciting players and is on one of his tears right now where he just looks unstoppable. He has scored a goal in three straight games for the Blues.
2. Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins: There isn't a defenseman in the NHL playing better hockey than Letang right now. He has assisted on eight of the Penguins' past nine goals, is leading the NHL's defensemen in points per game for the second time in three years, and has 15 points in his past 10 games, including five games where he has at least two points.
3. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks: There is going to be one Kane on the ice in Winnipeg on Friday night, and this one is playing like an MVP candidate this season for the Blackhawks. His past two games have been a little rough, recording zero points and finishing as a minus-4, but he has yet to go more than two games in a row this season without recording a point. He should factor into the scoring in what should be a Chicago win on Friday.