Nashville @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 17, 2019 ) Winnipeg 5, Nashville 1

The Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators are vying for Central Division supremacy, although neither team is looking much like a contender of late. The sputtering Jets, who have lost five of their last six (1-4-1), look to overtake the first-place Predators on Friday when the clubs reconvene at Bell MTS Place.

"We haven't had a juiceless game against Nashville in a long time. They've been full of emotion, intensity, and penalties," Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said on Thursday. "They get new guys in, we get new guys in, they're not bragging about their last 10 games, neither are we. But the edge will be right (on Friday)." Patrik Laine has found his scoring touch since being paired with captain Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele, snapping a 15-game goal drought by tallying in three straight contests to push his point streak to four games (four goals, two assists). Nashville has struggled with its offense of late, getting shut out in two of the last three outings while mustering 21 goals scored in its last 10 contests (4-5-1). The Predators, who have split the first two games of the season series with the Jets, began a string of four straight contests versus Central Division rivals with a 2-0 setback at St. Louis on Tuesday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Tennessee (Nashville), TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (37-24-5): Rugged forward Wayne Simmonds registered two shots in 15:46 of ice time in his debut with the Predators since being acquired from Philadelphia prior to Monday's trade deadline. "When your goalie (Juuse Saros, 43 saves) is playing like that and he's keeping you in the game, he's giving you a chance and you don't get something for him, it's a little bit disappointing," the 30-year-old Simmonds said. "He played unbelievable. It's my first time not playing against him, but he played great." Mikael Granlund, who was acquired from Minnesota on Monday, is expected to play versus the Jets after missing the game against the Blues to celebrate the birth of his first child.

ABOUT THE JETS (37-22-4): Kyle Connor and Wheeler each had an assist in Tuesday's 3-2 setback to Minnesota to boost their respective point streaks to five and four games apiece. Maurice elected to tinker with his lines during Thursday's practice, shuffling Connor on the wing with trade acquisition Kevin Hayes and Nikolaj Ehlers while Bryan Little was moved from center to wing to join Adam Lowry and Brandon Tanev. "I was expecting some changes to be made with the new guys here. Going to wing was a definite possibility. ... It's different but it's something I don't mind doing," said the 31-year-old Little, who logged just 12:51 of ice time against the Wild.

OVERTIME

1. Nashville C Ryan Johansen, who leads the team in assists (42) and points (53), has been held off the scoresheet in each of the last six games.

2. Winnipeg G Connor Hellebuyck has yielded 20 goals in his last five starts (2-3-0).

3. Predators G Pekka Rinne turned aside all 29 shots he faced in a 3-0 win versus the Jets on Oct. 11.

PREDICTION: Jets 4, Predators 3