Dallas @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 25, 2019 ) Dallas 5, Winnipeg 2

The Winnipeg Jets played one of their most complete games of the season Friday, so it makes sense they will deploy the same lineup for Sunday’s home contest against the Dallas Stars. The Jets reshuffled power play scored the first goal in Friday’s home 4-1 triumph over Vancouver, Blake Wheeler earned an assist after moving from wing to center, Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves in goal and he will get the start Sunday.

Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice told reporters after Friday’s game he could sense a renewed confidence in the power play even before Jack Roslovic opened the scoring with a goal on the man advantage, saying, “we tried to find a way to get all of them back to their best position. It was fast. They moved it right. It was good.” The Stars have been good of late, even though they have not played since a 4-1 home victory Tuesday against Colorado extended their winning streak to four games. Center Radek Faksa score twice in lifting Dallas to their seventh victory in eight games following a 1-7-1 start to the season. “I think we’ve started playing on our toes,” Dallas coach Jim Montgomery told reporters following practice Friday. “We’ve started skating, and that’s what the difference is.”

TV: 2 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE STARS (8-8-1): Forward Roope Hintz will miss Sunday’s game with a lower-body injury, leaving the Stars without their leading goal scorer (nine in 16 games), and defenseman John Klingberg suffered a lower-body injury Tuesday that will sideline him for at least two weeks. Faksa finished with seven shots Tuesday and has three points in his past two games. Goaltender Ben Bishop stopped 36 shots against Colorado and is 4-1-0 with a .955 save percentage and eight goals allowed in his last six games.

ABOUT THE JETS (9-7-1): Winnipeg was 2-for-23 on the power play in its previous seven games before going 1-for-3 Friday, as the Jets mixed up their lines when forward Bryan Little landed on injured reserve after being hit in the head with a puck Tuesday. Forward Kyle Connor finished with a goal and an assist Friday, giving him seven points (two goals) in his past four games. Hellebuyck improved to 4-3-1 in his past eight contests, giving up 15 goals total with a .943 save percentage in that span.

OVERTIME

1. The Stars have outscored opponents 24-12 during their past eight games, after giving up 29 goals across the first nine games.

2. Winnipeg F Joona Luoto, called up after the Little injury, played 8:43 in his NHL debut Friday.

3. Dallas won three of four meetings with Winnipeg last season, scoring four or more goals in each victory.

PREDICTION: Jets 4, Stars 3