Winnipeg @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 15, 2019 ) Philadelphia 3, Winnipeg 7

The Philadelphia Flyers sport a sterling 11-4-1 record over their last 16 games to move within five points of first place in the Metropolitan Division. The Flyers look to continue their ascent and avenge a lopsided loss to Winnipeg on Saturday afternoon when they open a three-game homestand against the Jets.

"Two or three weeks ago, we were battling just to get in the wild card, and now we're battling for home ice," said Kevin Hayes, who scored in overtime as Philadelphia completed a home-and-home sweep of Columbus with a 4-3 victory on Thursday. The 27-year-old Hayes accompanied his 19th goal of the season with a pronounced championship belt celebration for the Flyers, who have played like champs at home (20-5-4) to reside five points in back of Pittsburgh and Washington in the Metropolitan Division. Hayes collected two assists against his former team in Philadelphia's 7-3 setback in Winnipeg on Dec. 15, a game in which Mark Scheifele scored a goal and set up two others. "The main focus is winning games here and if it's taking a hit or doing whatever, that's what we need down the stretch," said the 26-year-old Scheifele, who answered a 12-game goal drought by recording his third career hat trick in Thursday's 5-1 win over Ottawa.

TIME: 1 p.m. ET. TV: NBCS Philadelphia, Sportsnet

ABOUT THE JETS (32-25-5): Kyle Connor reached the 30-goal plateau for the third straight season on Thursday after scoring on the power play. "We played great. Our power play really got us going," the 23-year-old Connor said after his team went 3-for-6 with the man advantage to improve to 7-2-1 in its last 10 games. Captain Blake Wheeler joined Connor and Scheifele with a power-play goal in the first encounter with Philadelphia while also adding two assists.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (34-20-7): Captain Claude Giroux has reversed course following a 13-game goal drought by recording a seven-game point streak, during which he has scored four times and added eight assists. Giroux also received some company on an exclusive list, as Travis Konecny collected a goal and two assists in back-to-back games to become the fourth player in franchise history to notch three-point performances in consecutive regular-season contests against the same opponent. The 22-year-old Konecny, who leads the team with 21 goals, resides three shy of tying his career high set in 2017-18 and matched the following season.

OVERTIME

1. Philadelphia C Sean Couturier, who leads the team in assists (36), carries a five-game point streak (three goals, two assists) into Saturday's matinee.

2. The Jets acquired Winnipeg native C Cody Eakin from Vegas on Friday for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.

3. Flyers D Matt Niskanen was fined $5,000 by the NHL on Friday for slashing Blue Jackets C Gustav Nyquist.


PREDICTION: Jets 4, Flyers 2