Colorado @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 4, 2019 ) Winnipeg 2, Colorado 3

The Colorado Avalanche have steadied themselves with back-to-back victories entering Tuesday’s opener of a five-game road trip at the Winnipeg Jets, and rookie defenseman Cale Makar continues providing an offensive boost. The 21-year-old entered Monday leading all NHL rookies with 17 points and 13 assists, and his two goals in Saturday’s 4-2 home victory over Columbus gave Maker three tallies and three assists during his current three-game point streak.

“You can’t just send your forwards into five guys and expect them to be able to create goals and points,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar told reporters postgame Saturday, “so you have to have other guys that are up and a part of it on the rush, and be a part of it in the offensive zone too, with good awareness and making plays and shooting pucks.” Winnipeg has settled into its best sustained stretch so far this season, earning points in five straight games (4-0-1) after Sunday’s 3-2 overtime victory over Dallas at home. The Jets re-engineered power play netted a goal for the second consecutive game, and center Mark Scheifele scored the game winner 21 seconds into the extra period as Winnipeg won for the sixth time in seven games settled after regulation this season. “Nothing has been easy,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler told the media postgame. “When you go into overtime and you’ve been grinding all game, you have that as a habit.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (10-5-2): Colorado defensemen have scored five goals in the past two games, including three from Makar - named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week on Monday - and one apiece from Ryan Graves and Samuel Girard. Center Tyson Jost recorded two assists against Columbus, while forward Vladislav Kamenev assisted on Girard’s goal to extend his point streak to a career-long three games. Pavel Francouz made 39 saves Saturday and in back-to-back wins has stopped 59-of-65 shots.

ABOUT JETS (10-7-1): Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck began the week tied for third in the NHL in save percentage (.933) and eighth in goals against average (2.28), after recording 26 saves Sunday to give him a 3-0-1 record with six goals allowed in his past four games. Forward Patrik Laine snapped a 10-game goal drought with a power-play tally against Dallas. Forward Adam Lowry has registered a point in back-to-back games, and Sunday he finished 11-2 on faceoffs.

OVERTIME

1. Colorado won 54.9 percent of its faceoffs Saturday, its highest percentage of the season.

2. Sunday’s victory improved Winnipeg’s record to 3-0-0 against Central Division foes this season, with three of its next five games coming against division competition.

3. Colorado C Nathan MacKinnon entered Monday tied for seventh in the NHL in points with 22, and in 26 career contests against Winnipeg has 16 points (11 assists).

PREDICTION: Avalanche 3, Jets 2