Winnipeg @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 14, 2019 ) Colorado 4, Winnipeg 1

The Winnipeg Jets relished a bit of time off after losing five of their last seven, including back-to-back decisions to a pair of struggling teams -- one of which was the Colorado Avalanche. The Jets look to regain the previous form that catapulted them to the top of the Central Division on Wednesday when they open a three-game road trip against the Avalanche.

"You get enough experience over time, there's times when they need a wake-up call and there's times where they are grinding for it," Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said of the time off his team received following a frenzied 11-game, 20-day stretch. Brandon Tanev scored in Thursday's 4-1 setback to Colorado before collecting a goal and an assist two nights later in a 4-3 overtime loss to Ottawa. While the Jets are clinging to a three-point lead over second-place Nashville, the Avalanche have answered a disastrous eight-game skid by winning two of their last three to reside on the fringe of a wild-card berth. "Like I said a couple days ago, this team never gives up. We're going to battle to the end. We just need to get on a winning streak and kind of help ourselves," Colorado goaltender Semyon Varlamov said after turning aside all 40 shots he faced in Monday's 3-0 victory versus Vegas.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Sportnet (Winnipeg), Altitude (Colorado)

ABOUT THE JETS (36-19-4): Maurice told reporters that a new lower-body injury will prevent burly defenseman Dustin Byfuglien from traveling with the team on its road trip. "He's got to get more tests done so that we know exactly what we're looking at," said Maurice, who stressed that the ailment is unrelated to the 15-game absence that the 33-year-old endured from Dec. 31-Feb. 5. "Listen, so ... I'm hopeful it's not (long-term). I'm feeling pretty confident that it's not, but the tests are going to tell us." The Jets reached out to Manitoba of the American Hockey League and recalled blue-liner Tucker Poolman, who has 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 30 games with the Moose this season and one assist in 24 NHL games.

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (24-24-11): Two milestones were achieved on one play Monday as captain Gabriel Landeskog recorded his 400th point by setting up Andrew Agozzino's first NHL goal to give Colorado a 2-0 lead in the second period. "I've been waiting a long time for that moment, and it was just special," said the 28-year-old Agozzino, who was playing in his first league game since the Avalanche's season finale on April 9, 2016. "It's tough to put into words. A lot of emotion when I saw it go in. Just pure excitement." Landeskog (team-leading 30 goals) has provided plenty of excitement since joining Colorado, becoming the fourth Colorado draft pick (since 1995-96) to record 400 points with the franchise -- joining Alex Tanguay (488), Paul Stastny (458) and Matt Duchene (428).

OVERTIME

1. Colorado is mired in an 0-for-26 rut on the power play in its last nine games, although it is a perfect 11-for-11 on the penalty kill in its last three.

2. Jets captain Blake Wheeler, who leads the team with 56 assists, has scored two goals and set up seven others in three meetings with the Avalanche this season.

3. Colorado RW Mikko Rantanen, who is tied with C Nathan MacKinnon with a club-best 76 points, has just two in his last nine games.

PREDICTION: Jets 5, Avalanche 3