Ottawa @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 9, 2019 ) Winnipeg 2, Ottawa 5

The Winnipeg Jets have been one of the best teams on home ice in the NHL this season, but look to quickly erase their last performance at Bell MTS Place when they host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Winnipeg suffered just its seventh regulation loss at home - the first since Dec. 29 - in an ugly 4-1 defeat against Colorado on Thursday to snap a nine-game point streak in its home rink, as the Jets simply were outplayed against a team riding an eight-game losing skid.

“We got away from simplifying our game a little bit,” Winnipeg defenseman Tyler Myers told the media afterward. “But we’ve regrouped and bounced back before. We’ll do it next game.” The Jets, who are 2-3-1 in their past six games overall, get another chance against a struggling team in the Senators, who have lost seven of nine after Thursday’s 3-2 setback at Detroit despite outshooting the Red Wings 42-29. “We had over 40 shots in someone else’s building and held them under 30,” Ottawa coach Guy Boucher told reporters afterward. “I’ll take those stats every day. We just didn’t capitalize on our opportunities.” Ottawa sits in last place in the Eastern Conference, but looks to replicate one of its best games of the season - a 5-2 home triumph over the Jets on Feb. 9 in which forward Mark Stone scored twice.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet One, TVA

ABOUT THE SENATORS (21-31-5): Center Matt Duchene scored his fifth goal in five games Thursday, and his 11 goals (17 points) in his past 15 games has lifted him to a tie with Stone for the team lead with 26. Ottawa ranks last in the NHL in goals allowed per game (3.65), but received 44 saves from goaltender Anders Nilsson in last week’s victory over Winnipeg. Stone recorded four goals and two assists during a four-game point streak that ended Thursday.

ABOUT THE JETS (36-19-3): Forward Brandon Tanev scored his career-high 12th goal Thursday, but Winnipeg - which ranks sixth in the league in scoring (3.4 per game) - failed to score more than three for the fifth time in six games. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck gave up a short-handed goal in the second period and stopped 31-of-35 shots against Colorado. Struggling forward Patrik Laine returned to Winnipeg’s top power-play unit, but the Jets finished 0-for-4 with the man advantage.

OVERTIME

1. Ottawa 19-year-old F Brady Tkachuk scored his 13th goal of the season Thursday, giving him two in his past four games after scoring one in his previous 18 contests.

2. Jets D Joe Morrow suffered a lower-body injury Thursday that will sideline him for two-to-three weeks.

3. The Senators, who have won just seven games away from home this season, play the second contest of a four-game road trip Saturday.

PREDICTION: Jets 3, Senators 2