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

Don’t miss out on the NHL showdown between the Avalanche and Wild. The game is starting at 8:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Wild at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. Get ready to place your bets! The Avalanche are favored by -1.5 in this Central divisional contest against the Wild. The game’s over/under currently sits at 6 goals. Colorado’s 5-2 loss to the Predators moved them to 25-16-1 on the season. The Avalanche were underdogs on the puck line, and the total of 7 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5. The Avalanche took a 1-0 lead at 17:06 in the second period, but Nashville responded with five unanswered goals. Colorado’s defense gave up two

At 7:00 ET, the Golden State Warriors (18-18) will travel to take on the Detroit Pistons (19-18) in a non-conference matchup. The Pistons are currently favored by 3 points, and the over/under line is set at 219. Golden State is 9th in the Western Conference, while Detroit is 8th in the Eastern Conference. The Warriors have lost two straight games, while the Pistons have won five in a row. After a 114-98 loss to the Heat on Tuesday, the Warriors are now 18-18 for the season. Golden State, who were -9 point favorites at home, not only lost but failed to cover the spread. The total score of 212 points fell short of the 216.5-point over/under line. Miami’s 10-0 run