Jets at Stars
Mathieu Perreault and the Winnipeg Jets have enjoyed an offensive explosion while winning two of their last three contests. Both look to continue their respective torrid streaks when the Jets open a two-game road trip against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. Winnipeg found itself on both ends of 5-4 shootout decisions before breezing to an 8-2 rout of Florida on Tuesday, with Perreault increasing his three-game total to five goals and two assists following the first four-tally performance of his career.
"Four goals, it's something very special," said Perreault, who also scored in Winnipeg's 5-2 victory over Dallas on Dec. 9. Rookie defenseman John Klingberg netted a pair of goals as the Stars skated to a 5-4 triumph over Ottawa on Tuesday to snap their four-game skid (0-2-2). Tyler Seguin was held off the scoresheet to remain tied with New York Rangers forward Rick Nash with a league-best 26 goals, but he did tally in the first meeting with the Jets.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE JETS (22-14-8): Dustin Byfuglien scored two goals and set up another versus the Panthers to extend his point total to 20 (eight goals, 12 assists) in the last 20 games. Byfuglien also notched a pair of assists in the first meeting with the Stars while fellow defenseman Tobias Enstrom set up a pair of tallies against Florida and has four points in three contests since returning to the lineup. Michael Frolik, who netted a tally and set up another in the first meeting with Dallas, also recorded a pair of assists on Tuesday to raise his point total to 14 (three goals, 11 assists) in the last 16 games
ABOUT THE STARS (19-16-7): Seguin found himself centering Antoine Roussel and Ryan Garbutt on a line in Wednesday's practice while captain Jamie Benn joined Cody Eakin and Brett Ritchie. "I wanted to look at just maybe a little switch, little different scenery for Tyler and Jamie," coach Lindy Ruff said. "Sometime, for a period maybe, we’ll take a look at it. Sometimes that helps a guy. Sometimes a little bitty change of roommates can get you going the right direction." Benn has scored twice in the last 10 games while Seguin has been limited to just one goal in that stretch.
OVERTIME
1. Dallas LW Erik Cole collected a goal and an assist Tuesday to give him nine points (four goals, five assists) in his last eight games.
2. Jets LW Adam Lowry scored twice versus the Stars in the first meeting but has netted just one goal in his last 15 contests.
3. Ruff declared that Stars C Vernon Fiddler (lower body) is "definitely a possibility" to play on Thursday.