Jets at Devils
Taylor Hall is doing everything he can to return the New Jersey Devils to the playoffs for the first time since 2012, bringing a 26-game point streak into Thursday’s home contest against the Winnipeg Jets. Hall recorded two assists in Tuesday’s 6-4 home victory over Montreal, one coming in the midst of a four-goal first period that helped New Jersey end a three-game losing streak and move three points ahead of Columbus for the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
“It seems like everything is kind of bouncing the right way when I’m out there, especially on the power play lately,” Hall told the media after setting a career high with his 22nd multi-point game of the season. The Jets extended their winning streak to three games and stayed six points behind first-place Nashville in the Central Division with Tuesday’s 3-0 victory at the New York Rangers. Patrik Laine continued his torrid scoring streak in the victory, recording his first hat trick of the season to give him 13 goals (19 points) in his past nine games. “The team is winning, and our line is playing some pretty good hockey,” Laine told reporters after his fourth multi-goal game in his past five contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), MSG Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE JETS (40-17-9): Laine’s outburst has moved the 19-year-old forward into second in the NHL in goals with 38, two behind Washington’s Alex Ovechkin entering Wednesday’s play. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck received a rare night off Tuesday and Steve Mason, making his first start since Jan. 9 after missing time with a concussion, posted his first shutout of the season. Winnipeg is tied with Nashville for best goal differential in the Western Conference (plus-48) and is 8-2-0 in its past 10 games.
ABOUT THE DEVILS (34-25-8): Hall has 18 goals and 20 assists during his streak, and Travis Zajac finished Tuesday with two power-play goals and an assist as New Jersey scored more goals than it did during its losing streak (five in three games). Goaltender Keith Kinkaid made 29 saves in winning for the third time in his past four starts. New Jersey finished 3-for-5 with the man advantage and began Wednesday ninth in power-play percentage (21.3 percent).
OVERTIME
1. The Jets lost C Mark Scheifele - who has six goals (14 points) in his past 13 games - to an upper-body injury of unknown extent in the second period Tuesday.
2. Devils F Patrick Maroon, acquired in a trade with Edmonton last week, scored his first goal with New Jersey on Tuesday and has four points in four games since the deal.
3. Winnipeg beat the Devils 5-2 on Nov. 18 in the teams’ only other matchup this season, putting away the game with three goals during a 1:35 stretch in the second period.