Blackhawks at Jets
The Winnipeg Jets host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday following a six-game road trip where their chances for a Central Division title were weakened thanks in part to a rash of injuries. Tuesday’s 3-1 loss at division leading Nashville, which puts the Jets eight points out with 12 games remaining, featured center Paul Stastny getting hurt in warmups and goaltender Michael Hutchinson being injured in the first period.
Nonetheless, the Jets battled hard after giving up three goals in nine minutes to open the game, as head coach Paul Maurice told reporters afterward, “In a tough situation, I really liked the way we stayed with it. There wasn’t anything easy there for us tonight.” The Blackhawks almost certainly are going to miss the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons, going 6-13-1 in their past 20 games to drop to the bottom of the Central standings. Chicago responded from Saturday’s 7-4 defeat at Boston to beat the Bruins at home Sunday 3-1, getting a goal and an assist from Patrick Kane. “We had really good jump in practice,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville told the media Wednesday. “We did some good things in the majority of the back-to-back against Boston.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (30-32-8): Goaltender Anton Forsberg, who made 31 saves in Sunday’s victory, is expected to start Thursday. Center Jonathan Toews recorded three assists Sunday, and has nine points (three goals) in seven games this month after recording eight in each of the season’s first five months. Chicago has struggled on the power play, ranking 28th in the league at 15.9 percent, but broke a 2-for-22 drought by going 2-for-5 with the man advantage Sunday.
ABOUT THE JETS (41-19-10): Winnipeg has lost three in a row (0-2-1) but maintains a seven-point lead on Minnesota for second place in the Central. Center Mark Scheifele, who the Jets hope is close to returning, has missed the past four games with an upper-body injury, and Winnipeg promoted goaltender Eric Comrie from Manitoba of the AHL on Wednesday. Connor Hellebuyck, third in the NHL with 35 wins, made 30 saves in relief of Hutchinson and will start Thursday.
OVERTIME
1. Chicago F Anthony Duclair (leg) remains sidelined after a collision in Saturday’s loss to Boston.
2. Jets F Patrik Laine did not score Tuesday to end his goal-scoring streak at six games, but picked up an assist to extend his point streak to 13 games (16 goals, 23 points).
3. The Blackhawks lead the season series 2-0, outscoring the Jets 7-2 as Kane has one goal and one assist.