The Brooklyn Nets, battling a spate of injuries, begin a challenging six-game road trip Friday night against the Denver Nuggets, who are also navigating roster absences. Both teams are eager to find consistency amid health issues and maintain their playoff trajectories. Brooklyn (16-19) enters the matchup severely short-handed, with key players sidelined due to various injuries. Cameron Johnson, the team’s second-leading scorer (19.5 points per game), has missed three games with a sprained ankle. While Nets coach Jordi Fernandez remains optimistic about Johnson’s return during the road trip, he won’t suit up against Denver. The Nets are also without their top scorer, Cam Thomas (24.7 ppg), who has played just two games since late November due to a hamstring issue.

The Detroit Red Wings, riding a five-game winning streak, welcome the Chicago Blackhawks to Little Caesars Arena on Friday night in an Original Six matchup. Detroit has surged into the wild-card race, with Patrick Kane leading the charge during the team’s hot streak. Detroit (5-1 under new coach Todd McLellan) has flourished since McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde, finding a more aggressive playing style and renewed confidence. Patrick Kane, acquired earlier this season, has been pivotal to the turnaround. The future Hall of Famer has notched four goals and four assists during the win streak, including the overtime power-play winner against Ottawa on Tuesday. Kane’s resurgence is a significant boost after a slow start to the season, where he tallied just

The Montreal Canadiens look to extend their strong post-holiday form on Friday as they face the Metropolitan Division-leading Washington Capitals in Washington, D.C. With wins against top-tier opponents in recent games, the Canadiens aim to bolster their playoff aspirations, while the Capitals seek consecutive victories for the first time in nearly three weeks. Montreal (5-1-0 in their last six games) has been on a tear, collecting wins against playoff contenders like the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and Tampa Bay Lightning. Most recently, the Canadiens earned a 5-4 overtime victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, thanks to Nick Suzuki’s power-play goal. Head coach Martin St. Louis attributes his team’s success to a focus on consistency rather than the level

The Utah Hockey Club and San Jose Sharks face off on Friday night in Salt Lake City, each team desperate to reverse its fortunes in what has been a challenging season. With both teams stuck in slumps, this game offers an opportunity for one side to gain much-needed momentum. Utah (1-5-2 in its last eight games) has seen its playoff hopes waver after a promising start to the season. Just a few points out of a playoff position at the holiday break, Utah now finds itself five points off the pace midway through the season. A lack of offensive production has been the primary culprit during this skid. The team has scored two or fewer goals in seven of its