The Winnipeg Jets look to remain in the thick of the race for a wild card in the Western Conference when they continue their six-game homestand Saturday against the road-challenged Colorado Avalanche. Winnipeg began its stretch at MTS Centre with a loss to Minnesota on Tuesday but bounced back with a 3-0 triumph over St. Louis three nights later.

The Boston Bruins are clinging to third place in the Atlantic Division and will look to avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time under interim coach Bruce Cassidy when they host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night. The Bruins are coming off a 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers to drop to 7-2-0 since Cassidy replaced Claude Julien.

The Buffalo Sabres snapped an ill-timed losing streak last time out and look to keep alive their dim hopes for a playoff spot when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. The Sabres had lost four in a row (0-3-1) before pulling away in the third period for a 6-3 victory over Arizona on Thursday, but leading scorer Kyle Okposo suffered a rib injury during the contest and is not expected to face the Lightning.

The Ottawa Senators were thrilled to see Alex Burrows, their top acquisition at the trade deadline, pay dividends in his first game with the club and hope for more of the same when the Columbus Blue Jackets visit Canada's capital city Saturday. Ottawa sits second in the Atlantic Division, six points behind Montreal with three games in hand on the Canadiens while two points ahead of Boston, but isn't too far above a huge logjam for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Florida Panthers open a three-game homestand against the Dallas Stars on Saturday night, but that doesn't necessarily bode well for the club's postseason chances. The Panthers have dropped four of their last five games overall (1-3-1) and will be seeking their first regulation victory at home since Feb. 3.

The Montreal Canadiens posted one of their biggest wins of the season in their last visit to Madison Square Garden, knocking off the red-hot New York Rangers in a shootout on Feb. 21. Montreal is on a roll entering Saturday's rematch against the host Rangers, having ripped off four consecutive victories to solidify its hold atop the Atlantic Division.

Braden Holtby and the Washington Capitals are positioning themselves to repeat as the respective Vezina and Presidents' Trophy winners, although it's the club's dogged pursuit of its first Stanley Cup title that remains the focal point. Holtby carries an astounding 18-0-1 mark in his last 21 starts into Saturday's outing as the Capitals look to extend their franchise-best 14-game home winning streak against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Artemi Panarin has the surging Chicago Blackhawks knocking on the door of the penthouse of both the Central Division and Western Conference. Winners of six in a row and 11 of their last 12, the Blackhawks could move to the top of standings on Saturday with a victory over the host Nashville Predators.

The Los Angeles Kings are making no apologies on their recent path of success while captain Anze Kopitar is taking a similar stance after snapping a 13-game goal drought in his last outing. Kopitar and the Kings look to extend their respective point streaks on Saturday when they host the Vancouver Canucks in the second contest of a seven-game homestand.

After breaking even on their six-game road trip, the Edmonton Oilers attempt to strengthen their hold on a playoff spot when they begin an eight-game homestand Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings. Edmonton edged St. Louis 2-1 on Tuesday to conclude its 3-3-0 trek and enters the matchup against Detroit third in the Pacific Division — two points ahead of Calgary.