The Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres started the season as the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference, but recent slides have dropped both clubs into fifth place in their respective divisions. Carolina finally ended a four-game skid in its last contest and has won nine in a row over the slumping Sabres entering Thursday night's matchup in Buffalo.

The Tampa Bay Lightning found some elements of their elusive top form in Sweden at the Global Series last weekend and hope to build off those two consistent efforts when they host the New York Rangers on Thursday for their first home game in 19 days. The Lightning edged Buffalo 3-2 in the first game, followed that up with a 5-3 triumph against the Sabres and will play five of the next seven contests on home ice.

Joel Quenneville has coached 1,654 games in the NHL, but even he was surprised at what he saw Tuesday from his Florida Panthers, who rallied from four goals down to stun Boston on the road in a shootout. The Panthers return home Thursday to face the Winnipeg Jets after a wild night during which Florida gave up four second-period goals, answered with four goals in the third, and prevailed when Vincent Trocheck and Mike Hoffman scored in the shootout.

The Arizona Coyotes have enjoyed a start to a week like no other, with the upstart club becoming the first team in NHL history to post road victories on consecutive nights over the previous two Stanley Cup champions. The Coyotes aim to complete their three-game road trip in style on Thursday when they bid to exact a bit of revenge against the Minnesota Wild.

Although Leon Draisaitl leads the NHL in points (36) and multi-point performances (11), the Edmonton Oilers star forward saw his club undone for the third time in five outings by a fast start from its opponent. The Oilers aim to rebound as Draisaitl carries a 10-game point streak (nine goals, 11 assists) into Thursday's tilt versus the visiting Colorado Avalanche.

The Vancouver Canucks snapped a four-game losing streak with an impressive win last time out and look to carry that over when their homestand continues with a matchup against the red-hot Dallas Stars on Thursday night. Elias Pettersson scored twice on his 21st birthday as the Canucks knocked off Nashville 5-3 on Tuesday after managing five goals during a 0-3-1 stretch.

Having reached the Western Conference finals in 2018-19, the San Jose Sharks were among the league's biggest disappointments, winning only four times in 15 games over the first month of the season. However, San Jose has abruptly turned things around following a five-game slide and will go for their fifth straight victory at the skidding Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.

The Detroit Red Wings were down in the dumps with one win in a 13-game stretch (1-11-1) before flipping the script and emerging victorious in each of their last three contests. The Red Wings aim to extend their season-high winning streak on Thursday when they continue their trek through California with an encounter against the Los Angeles Kings.