NHL Tonight: Keys to Blue Jackets-Sabres, Sharks-Wild, Ducks-Flames

A light three-game NHL Friday slate features matchups between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres, the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild, and the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames. Columbus looks to replicate its season-opening 6-3 win against Buffalo, while Tage Thompson leads the Sabres with 18 points. Meanwhile, the struggling Sharks visit the Central Division-leading Wild, and the Ducks face the Flames in a high-scoring division rivalry.

The preview highlights key statistics across the three matchups, noting San Jose's minus-17 goal differential and Minnesota's league-leading 2.24 goals-against average. In the Pacific Division clash, the visiting team has won both previous meetings by identical 4-2 scores. The article also mentions league news, including a trade request by Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov and Brock Faber returning to practice after a skull injury.