Jets at Coyotes
Second overall pick Patrik Laine has faced little turbulence during his rookie season and the Winnipeg Jets are starting to ascend in the ultra-competitive Central Division. Fresh off his second career hat trick in only 14 games, Laine will look to continue to torment goaltenders on Thursday as the Jets begin a two-game road trip against the Arizona Coyotes.
The 18-year-old Finn upped his goal total to a league-best 11 following his career-high four-point performance in Winnipeg's 8-2 rout of Dallas on Tuesday. "If you get the puck on his stick, you know he's going to score. He's a special player and he's been doing awesome," said linemate Mark Scheifele, who has recorded three straight multi-point performances (four goals, five assists). Winnipeg (3.00) is averaging nearly a half-goal more per contest this season than last (2.59) and enters Thursday's tantalizing encounter against an Arizona squad surrendering a league-worst 3.67 per tilt. Beleaguered Louis Domingue has stopped the bleeding, yielding just 17 goals en route to helping the Coyotes post a 4-2-0 mark in their last six on the heels of a 1-5-0 start to the season.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), FSN Arizona
ABOUT THE JETS (6-7-1): Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck's attitude is refreshing in an age when athletes are more interested in their own stats as opposed to those of the team. "If I'm called upon, I'm going to give my best. But like I said earlier, we have two good goalies and the coach knows what he's doing," Hellebuyck told the Winnipeg Sun on whether he should receive a fourth consecutive start or if Michael Hutchinson should get the nod. Coach Paul Maurice hasn't made publicly announced his decision, but the 23-year-old Hellebuyck likely won't have his feet up with Winnipeg playing on back-to-back nights (Friday at Colorado).
ABOUT THE COYOTES (5-7-0): Max Domi set up a pair of goals before netting his first of the season on Tuesday, helping Arizona record its third win in four outings with a 4-2 triumph at Colorado. "If the team's doing great, you're happy no matter what's going on," Domi told AZCentral.com, referring to his goal-scoring issues this season after recording 18 as a rookie. "As soon as the team starts struggling just a touch and losing a couple of games, you start holding yourself accountable a little bit if you're not doing your job to the potential you should be." Fellow second-year player Jordan Martinook tallied twice after being held off the scoresheet in five consecutive outings.
OVERTIME
1. Winnipeg's line of Laine, Scheifele and RW Nikolaj Ehlers has collected 10 goals and 13 assists in the last three games.
2. Arizona D Michael Stone is "close" to returning from an upper-body injury, coach Dave Tippett told reporters on Wednesday.
3. Jets D Dustin Byfuglien has yet to score a goal in 14 games this season.