Jets at Golden Knights
The Winnipeg Jets are picking an opportune time to pay a visit to Vegas -- riding a hot streak in which they have lost only once in regulation over the past 12 games. The surging Jets have points in eight consecutive games as they prepare to face the expansion Golden Knights on Friday night in the second stop of a three-game road trip.
Winnipeg opened the season by giving up 13 goals in a pair of lopsided drubbings but the team is 8-1-3 since and riding a wave of good vibes. “Every team in this league is great and you can’t expect to win games, but we’re comfortable with our game, we’re confident in our game and when we put a full 60 minutes together, we know we’re a tough team to beat,” center Mark Scheifele said. Vegas was the feel-good story of the league after winning eight of its first nine games, but it returns home after winning just once on a six-game road trip (1-4-1). “It was a great trip,” Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant insisted. “We only got three points out of it, but I thought we deserved a lot more.”
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Vegas)
ABOUT THE JETS (8-3-3): Scheifele scored twice and captain Blake Wheeler collected four assists in Monday's 4-1 win at Dallas, continuing a sensational five-game stretch by the duo. Scheifele has six goals and four assists in that span while Wheeler has amassed 13 points, including two games with four apiece. "I think we could say probably right from the day those two guys got together there was some real good chemistry," coach Paul Maurice said. "Blake is always driven to get better and Mark's like that, too."
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (9-5-1): Vegas reached an agreement with Vadim Shipachyov that allows the Russian to be placed on the NHL voluntary list and return home to play in the Kontinental Hockey League. "Vadim did not want to put in any time at the American Hockey League level, and he did not want to be traded to another club, which we could have done," general manager George McPhee said. "He just wanted to go home, so we've accommodated him and wish him well." Maxime Lagace will make his sixth straight start in goal.
OVERTIME
1. Jets G Connor Hellebuyck has yet to lose in regulation, posting an 8-0-2 mark and 2.12 goals-against average.
2. Golden Knights F David Perron has four assists during a three-game point streak.
3. Winnipeg's power play has converted on six of nine chances over the past three games.