Jets at Penguins
Sidney Crosby's recent scoring "woes" - well, by his standards - could be in line to come to an end considering the two-time Hart Trophy winner's dominating ways against the current Winnipeg Jets' franchise. One point shy of 1,000 for his career, Crosby looks to reach the milestone on Thursday as the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Jets.
Crosby (team-leading 30 goals) notched an assist for his first point in three contests in Tuesday's 4-0 victory over Vancouver as Pittsburgh improved to 5-0-2 in its last seven games. The 29-year-old has gashed the Winnipeg/Atlanta franchise for 47 points (15 goals, 32 assists) in 30 career encounters, with the Penguins winning seven of the last eight meetings. Thursday's tilt will be the first regular-season encounter pitting Crosby and rookie Patrik Laine (team-leading 26 goals), who recorded his third hat trick on Tuesday as the Jets snapped a four-game skid with a 5-2 victory over Dallas. "We need a guy like that to step up and that's something we've missed here in the past," captain Blake Wheeler told the Winnipeg Sun of Laine, who has seven goals and 10 assists in his last 13 games.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), ROOT (Pittsburgh)
ABOUT THE JETS (26-29-4): Mark Scheifele ended a four-game drought in impressive fashion, matching a career high by setting up three goals on Tuesday to increase his team-leading totals in assists (31) and points (56) heading into the opener of a pivotal four-game road trip. "We know we can't rest on one game," the 23-year-old Scheifele told the Winnipeg Sun after upping his point total to 19 (eight goals, 11 assists) in his past 16 contests. "We obviously have to make a push. We just have to focus on winning games and getting points and moving up the standings each and every day. Hopefully, we can make a run here." Connor Hellebuyck, who has yielded 11 goals and boasts a save percentage of .927 in his past five games overall, turned aside all 30 shots he faced in a 1-0 victory over Pittsburgh at MTS Centre on Dec. 27, 2015.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (35-13-7): Rookie Jake Guentzel helped Crosby inch closer to the milestone by converting a give-and-go on Tuesday for fourth point (two goals, two assists) in his last six games. "It has been crazy because you have to adjust and speed is so much faster at this level, so it has taken a little bit, but I feel better now," said the 22-year-old Guentzel, who has played alongside Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel among others during his 18 games with Pittsburgh. Speaking of Kessel, he has scored a goal in three straight and has recorded 31 points (17 goals, 14 assists) in 33 career meetings with the Jets/Thrashers franchise.
OVERTIME
1. Malkin has 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in his past 16 contests.
2. The Jets are just 7-13-2 against Eastern Conference foes this season, including 2-7-1 versus Metropolitan Division representatives.
3. Penguins G Matt Murray owns a robust .943 save percentage in his past 10 starts.