Friday's four-game NHL slate features a tilt between two playoff-bound contenders, both jostling for position, when the Maple Leafs welcome the Hurricanes to Toronto. Elsewhere, the not-out-of-it Capitals hope to gain ground in the Eastern Wild Card race with a win against the Blues — themselves coming off Wednesday's violent, high-scoring affair with the Wild — while the Sabres aspire for a similar standings-climbing victory versus the porous Flyers. No Jordan Binnington in this battle, after the Blues netminder was suspended two games for assaulting Ryan Hartman with his blocker.