Winnipeg @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 10, 2019 ) Detroit 1, Winnipeg 5

The Detroit Red Wings just cannot catch a break on or off the ice, and are looking for something positive when they conclude a home-and-home series by hosting the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. The Red Wings are winless in their past 12 games, falling to 0-10-2 in that span and giving up five or more goals for the 16th time this season in Tuesday’s 5-1 road loss to the Jets, then had to spend the night in Winnipeg when mechanical issues grounded the team plane.

The Red Wings gave former Jets goaltender Eric Comrie his first start, and although he stopped 25-of-30 shots, Detroit defensive breakdowns in front of him against Winnipeg’s high-powered offense contributed to the lopsided score. “It doesn’t feel good right now,” Detroit center Dylan Larkin told reporters postgame. “Next time he’s in, we need to play harder and execute for him.” Winnipeg continued its early-winter surge, getting a goal and an assist each from centers Blake Wheeler and Andrew Copp to improve to 9-2-1 since Nov. 14 - allowing just 25 goals in that span. “Andrew has a very unique brain for the game,” Jets coach Paul Maurice told the media afterward. “He picks up an awful lot on the bench. There is no video to show the guy defensively. He can come in and talk about plays without having seen the video.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), FS Detroit Plus

ABOUT THE JETS (19-10-2): Twelve Jets recorded at least one point in Tuesday’s victory, as Wheeler’s goal - his 200th with the franchise - at 16:43 of the second period snapped a 1-1 tie and was followed by goals from Copp and forward Patrik Laine in the next two minutes. Center Mark Scheifele extended his goal-scoring streak to four games (five goals) with his team-best 14th of the season on a third-period power play. Backup goaltender Laurent Brossoit earned the victory and made 15 saves, while Connor Hellebuyck allowed the only Detroit goal during a 1:09 stint in the second period while Brossoit had an equipment issue repaired.

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (7-22-3): Forward Christoffer Ehn snapped a 28-game point drought dating back to last season with Detroit’s lone goal, and forward Filip Zadina registered an assist to give him three in four games before being sent down to the AHL on Wednesday. The Wings gave up three goals in a two-minute span late in the second period, turning a 1-1 tie into a 4-1 deficit, and have been outscored 53-21 during their winless skid. Goaltender Jonathan Bernier played in Detroit’s last victory - a 4-3 overtime win on Nov. 12 at Anaheim - but is 0-5-1 in seven appearances since.

OVERTIME

1. Jets F Adam Lowry scored Tuesday’s first goal on a Detroit power play, giving Winnipeg its first short-handed goal of the season.

2. Detroit’s 12-game winless streak is its first since Oct. 21-Nov. 16, 1989 (nine losses, three ties).

3. The Red Wings were limited to a season-low 17 shots on goal Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Jets 5, Red Wings 2