Dallas @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 6, 2018 ) Winnipeg 1, Dallas 5

The Winnipeg Jets have hit a rough patch in their schedule, and now injury concerns are mounting entering Sunday’s home matchup with the Dallas Stars. Already missing defenseman Dustin Byduglien to an ankle injury, forward Nikolaj Ehlers suffered a shoulder injury in Friday’s loss at Pittsburgh that will sideline him for at least a month.

“Every team is going to lose key guys,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice told reporters Saturday, the day after his club lost for the third time in four games. “We may look a little bit different because of it, but it doesn’t change what you’d like to think you’re capable of doing.” Dallas has won four of its past five following Friday’s 2-1 victory over Washington, getting two goals from forward Tyler Seguin — including the game-winning marker in overtime. “We’ve just got to keep harping on the details we believe in, keep harping on the process,” Stars first-year head coach Jim Montgomery told the media afterward. “The second and third periods weren’t good enough. We were lucky.” The Stars come into Sunday in third place in the Central Division with 48 points, four points behind Winnipeg.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE STARS (22-16-4): Seguin extended his point streak to four games (four goals, two assists) to help Dallas improve to 4-0-1 in its past five contests. Anton Khudobin stopped 36 shots against Washington and has allowed just one goal on 86 shots in back-to-back victories. Sunday starts a three-game road swing for the Stars, who are 8-11-2 away from home.

ABOUT THE JETS (25-13-2): Winnipeg’s high-powered offense has been limited to one goal or less in five of its past seven games. Forward Blake Wheeler ranks third in the NHL in assists with 44, while forward Patrik Laine is tied for seventh in the league with 24 goals. Connor Hellebuyck has lost three of his past four outings, giving up 11 goals in that span.

OVERTIME

1. Ehlers had scored 10 goals in 16 game (including two hat tricks) before getting injured.

2. Dallas F Jamie Benn did not play Friday due to an upper-body injury, but is expected to return to the lineup Sunday.

3. Jets C Mark Scheifele is pointless in his past four games, after not going more than two games without a point this season.

PREDICTION: Jets 3, Stars 2