Chicago @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 9, 2020 ) Chicago 2, Winnipeg 5

The Winnipeg Jets are making it hard on themselves in their bid to advance to the playoffs for the third straight season, mainly due to their inability to establish any consistency at Bell MTS Place. The Jets have split the first four of their six-game homestand but will look to beat the Chicago Blackhawks for the second time in one week on Sunday night.

Winnipeg opened the homestand in impressive fashion, posting three-goal victories over Ottawa and Chicago to push its winning streak to three, only to follow it with losses to the New York Rangers and San Jose to drop to 14-14-3 at Bell MTS Place. "We're not sitting there going this is going to be an easy night at any point," coach Paul Maurice told reporters after his team lost for the first time in 20 games (19-1-0) when leading after two periods in Friday's 3-2 setback to the Sharks. "Maybe we didn't keep the hammer down on that one." The Jets are three points out of the second wild card in the Western Conference as they prepare for their fifth and final meeting this season against Chicago, which snapped a five-game losing streak with an 8-4 romp at Calgary on Saturday. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews had a goal and two assists each for the Blackhawks, who erupted for a season-high goal total and matched their output from the previous five games combined.

TIME: 8:30 p.m. ET. TV: NBCS Chicago, TSN3

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (26-24-8): Despite the offensive fireworks, Chicago continues to flail with the man advantage, failing on three power-play chances against Calgary to fall to 0-for-14 on the road trip and 1-for-24 over the past seven games. Kane, who was held off the scoresheet in Wednesday's 3-0 loss at Vancouver, has not gone back-to-back games without a point since Dec. 10-12 and has collected 42 of his team-high 72 points away from home. Brandon Saad scored his seventh goal in 10 games and 10th in the last 14 on Saturday.

ABOUT THE JETS (29-25-5): Winnipeg announced Saturday that Bryan Little, out since taking a slap shot to the head on Nov. 5, will undergo a season-ending procedure to repair a perforated eardrum. "The smart thing for Bryan the person, Bryan the hockey player, and the Winnipeg Jets is not to have him play this year," said Maurice, who added that he may opt to shift Blake Wheeler from center back to the wing. "There's a certain energy burned for him at center ice. You spend more (energy) especially with the style of game that he plays." Right wing Patrik Laine boasts nine of his 24 goals in the last 11 games.

OVERTIME

1. Jets C Mark Scheifele has five goals and seven assists in his last eight meetings against Chicago.

2. Blackhawks F Alex Nylander scored twice Saturday after managing one goal in his previous 17 games.

3. Winnipeg F Kyle Connor has four goals and eight points in his last four games, including two tallies and three points versus Chicago last week.

PREDICTION: Jets 4, Blackhawks 3