Red Wings at Jets
After falling at home to Nashville in a showdown for Central Division supremacy, the Winnipeg Jets will look to rebound when they host the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night. It is the final contest before a crucial six-game road trip for the Jets, who will be looking to avenge a 5-1 shellacking by the Red Wings in Detroit on Dec. 5.
Winnipeg squandered a chance to move into a tie for first place with Nashville, coughing up a two-goal lead in the third period of a 6-5 loss. “A 6-5 game is not the kind of game we want to be playing too much," Jets forward Mathieu Perrault said. “We can’t be playing run-and-gun games like this against offensive teams like that.” Despite the results of the first meeting in December, such an offensive eruption is unlikely from Detroit, which has failed to score more than three goals in nine consecutive games and is coming off a 2-1 loss at St. Louis in the second of a five-game road trip. Already facing a steep climb to get back in the playoff picture, the Red Wings are in the midst of a grueling stretch in which they play 10 of 11 away from home.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Plus Detroit, TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (26-27-10): Not only does Detroit play only once at home over the next nine games, but its next eight opponents provide a daunting challenge -- each one is currently holding down playoff spots. The Red Wings could get a boost with the expected return of defenseman Mike Green, who has been sidelined for seven games with a neck injury but said at Thursday's practice that he is ready to play. "Anytime you get a chance to get back in is a good feeling," Green said. "I'm feeling good, so I can't wait."
ABOUT THE JETS (37-17-9): Center Paul Stastny was the big addition for Winnipeg at Monday's trade deadline and he did not disappoint in his debut with the team, scoring one goal and setting up another while dominating in the faceoff circle by going 14 of 19. "He's a cagey guy," Jets forward Mark Scheifele said. "He knows the areas to go to to create offense, and in the (defensive) zone the areas to be." Scheifele scored twice against Nashville to give him six in his last seven games and hike his home point total to 34 in 24 games.
OVERTIME
1. Winnipeg has at least one power-play goal in six straight games, going 8-for-21 in that span.
2. Red Wings G Jimmy Howard is 2-4-2 with a 3.25 goals-against average versus Winnipeg.
3. Jets captain Blake Wheeler has four goals and 11 assists during a nine-game point streak.