San Jose @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 5, 2019 ) San Jose 3, Winnipeg 2

The Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets return after a 2-2-0 road trip to face a three-game stretch at home against NHL heavyweights, starting with a visit from the surging San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night. The Jets, who also face Calgary and Boston on the homestand, had a chance to finish with a winning trip before suffering a 3-1 loss at reigning Stanley Cup champion Washington on Sunday despite a 34-18 edge in shots.

“We played a heck of a road game here,” Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice told reporters after the setback. “You don’t like losing when you play well. Their guy (Pheonix Copley) made some good saves, they got some good breaks around the net, but our compete was good. You know what? We had five opportunities to score on the power play. That doesn’t go. That hurts you.” The Jets, who lead Nashville by one point in the Central, split a pair of games with the Pacific Division-leading Sharks this season and San Jose took the most recent showdown 3-2 in overtime on Feb. 5. The Sharks have won five straight games to lead Calgary by one point in the Pacific after blanking Minnesota 3-0 on Monday without receiving a point from their top two scorers - defenseman Brent Burns (team-leading 73 points) and captain Joe Pavelski (team-best 36 goals). San Jose scored 20 goals in the past five contests and goalie Martin Jones has won every game during the streak, allowing nine tallies, but coach Peter DeBoer reportedly said he is is leaning toward starting backup Aaron Dell on Tuesday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS California (San Jose), TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE SHARKS (42-19-8): Tomas Hertl recorded his career-best 31st goal and fellow forward Logan Couture also scored Monday to move within one point of 500 for his career. Timo Meier owns five goals in his last five contests and notched an assist Monday for his 100th career point while fellow forward Barclay Goodrow scored for the first time in 35 games to give him six on the season - one away from his career high. Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic had an assist Monday and boasts a plus-5 rating during the winning streak after coming into the month with a minus-12 on the season.

ABOUT THE JETS (40-24-4): Mathieu Perreault registered the only goal for Winnipeg on Sunday and Blake Wheeler’s eight-game point streak came to an end, but the Jets’ captain has scored seven times and set up eight in his last nine contests. Wheeler leads the team with 83 points - eight more than center Mark Scheifele, who has been kept off the scoresheet in three straight contests with five total shots. Right wing Patrik Laine has three assists in five games this month, but remains at 29 goals, while center Bryan Little has managed only one point in the past seven contests.

OVERTIME

1. San Jose F Joe Thornton was kept off the scoresheet Monday and remains tied with Hall of Famer Stan Mikita for 14th in NHL history with 1,467 points.

2. Winnipeg C Kevin Hayes has two goals and three assists with a plus-1 rating in six games since being acquired.

3. The Sharks are tied for second in the league in scoring (3.61) and the Jets sit sixth (3.40).

PREDICTION: Jets 4, Sharks 3