Jets at Predators
The Winnipeg Jets have been here before, sitting on the edge of a playoff spot with 17 games to go, and yet the franchise has not reached the postseason since moving from Atlanta four years ago. The Jets, who open a critical four-game road trip Saturday against the Central Division-leading Nashville Predators, hold the second and final Western Conference wild-card spot, two points ahead of Los Angeles. The Predators have lost five in a row but maintain a four-point lead on St. Louis in the division.
“We’ll get out of this together,” Nashville coach Peter Laviolette told reporters after Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the New York Islanders. Colin Wilson scored his career-high 20th goal in the defeat, in which goaltender Pekka Rinne allowed three goals for the fourth consecutive game. Winnipeg lost All-Star defenseman Dustin Byfuglien to an upper-body injury midway through Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to Ottawa.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, SportsNet (Winnipeg), FSN Tennessee (Nashville)
ABOUT THE JETS (32-21-12): Byfuglien, who will miss two-to-four weeks, is fourth on Winnipeg in scoring with 15 goals and 27 assists. The Jets finished a four-game homestand with five of a possible eight points. Newcomers Tyler Myers and Lee Stempniak each collected an assist Wednesday, while Michael Frolik scored the lone goal to extend his points streak to a career high-tying five games.
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (41-18-7): Rinne remains third in the league in GAA (2.14) but has surrendered 19 goals in his past seven contests after allowing only 11 in his previous 10. Defenseman Ryan Ellis returned Thursday after missing four games with a lower-body injury, assisting on Nashville’s second goal. The Predators have won three of four meetings with Winnipeg this season, including 2-1 and 3-2 victories in Nashville.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville has allowed the first goal in 10 consecutive games, going 3-6-1 in that stretch.
2. Eight of Winnipeg’s final 17 games are against teams that reside in the top 10 in points.
3. Nashville F Eric Nystrom did not play Thursday with a lower-body injury and is not expected to compete against the Jets.