Arizona @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 6, 2019 ) Winnipeg 4, Arizona 2

The Arizona Coyotes begin the week in last place in the Pacific Division with only three points through four games, but hope a win and an overtime loss in their past two games marks a turning point entering Tuesday’s contest at the Winnipeg Jets. Arizona scored once in two games before netting four in a win over Vegas and battling to a 3-2 overtime loss Saturday at Colorado as forward Conor Garland and center Nick Schmaltz each recorded two goals in the past two contests.

“Last year in the second half, I saw this team coming back from leads where before, not so much,” Arizona coach Rick Tocchet told the media after the Coyotes rallied from a 2-0 deficit Saturday, tying the game on Schmaltz’s goal at 16:03 of the third period. “Now we have a belief, if we keep doing the right things.” The Jets three-game winning streak ended with a thud in Sunday’s 7-2 home loss to Pittsburgh, as Winnipeg’s shaky defense gave up four or more goals for the fourth time in seven games. “We’ve obviously been behind a fair bit this year, but we’ve stayed in the battle,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler told reporters postgame. “We’ve fought all year. Every once in a while, it’s going to go like that.” Forward Patrik Laine recorded his eighth assist of the season Sunday on a Mark Scheifele goal, giving Laine 11 points on the season while Scheifele registered his 10th point.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE COYOTES (1-2-1): Schmaltz scored in his second consecutive game Saturday in 13:44 of ice time, while Garland netted a pair of goals Thursday against Vegas. Center Clayton Keller, who recorded 33 assists in 82 games a season ago, has one assist in three of Arizona’s first four games. Goaltender Antti Raanta stopped 29 of 32 shots against Colorado after being sidelined since November 2018 with a bone bruise, while Darcy Kuemper - who likely will get the start against the Jets - has 89 saves and four goals surrendered in three games.

ABOUT THE JETS (4-3-0): Laine - named the NHL's second star of the week - entered Monday tied for the NHL lead in assists and tied for second in points, while Scheifele is tied for fourth in points and assists (seven). Backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit gave up seven goals to Pittsburgh in his third start of the season, while starter Connor Hellebuyck has stopped 102 of 107 shots while winning his past three games. Winnipeg is just 3-for-21 on the power play while allowing at least one power-play tally in four of its first seven games.

OVERTIME

1. Scheifele, Wheeler and D Josh Morrissey each finished minus-4 against the Penguins.

2. Arizona D Niklas Hjalmarsson will miss at least three months with a cracked left fibula after blocking a shot Saturday.

3. Winnipeg C Andrew Copp, who played his 300th career game Sunday, won 9 of his 13 faceoffs against Pittsburgh.

PREDICTION: Jets 4, Coyotes 3