SETTING THE STAGE: The Winnipeg Jets are starting to find their game, and as a result, they're making up ground on a playoff spot in the ultra-competitive Central Division.
They're coming off a win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night at United Center, giving them three wins in three tries against the Blackhawks so far this season. Winnipeg has fought back to hit the .500 mark at 17-17-3, its 37 points now only four behind third-place St. Louis as the new year approaches.
On Thursday night at MTS Centre, they'll face the first-place Blue Jackets for the first of two meetings this season. Columbus comes into the game riding a 13-game winning streak (the longest active in the NHL this season), making it one of six teams in the 99-year history of the NHL to have a win streak of 13 games or more.
The Blue Jackets got a power play goal from captain Nick Foligno in the third period to beat Boston on Tuesday night, but by no means did they play their sharpest game. They held an hour-long practice on Wednesday afternoon before departing for Winnipeg, seeking to tighten up their defensive game and get back to checking the way they've checked over the past few weeks. When they do that, the Blue Jackets have proven to be a tough team to beat and it reduces the stress on Sergei Bobrovsky, who's had to be very good to keep this streak going beyond 10 games.
NOTEWORTHY NEWS: After Wednesday's practice, Tortorella said the Blue Jackets aren't planning to go back and review video from Tuesday's game. It's over and done with, but he wants it to serve as a reminder that they were too loose and disjointed even after taking a 3-0 first period lead. Columbus is expected to go with the same lines and defense pairs, along with Bobrovsky in goal vs. Winnipeg.
PROJECTED CBJ LINEUP:
Saad - Wennberg - Foligno
Jenner - Dubinsky - Atkinson
Calvert - Karlsson - Anderson
Hartnell - Sedlak - Gagner
Werenski - Jones
Johnson - Savard
Murray - Nutivaara
Bobrovsky
