Winnipeg @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 14, 2018 ) Winnipeg 4, Chicago 3

The Winnipeg Jets failed to take care of business at home, losing three straight in regulation for the first time in two seasons to find themselves tied atop the Central Division. The Jets look to refuel on the road as they begin a regular season-ending four-game trek against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night.

"Ever since we've clinched (a playoff spot), it seems like we're taking it a little bit more lightly, which we shouldn't," Winnipeg forward Mathieu Perrault told reporters after scoring a goal in Saturday's 3-1 setback to Montreal. "I don't really know how to explain that, it's just maybe human nature, you know." The Jets' losing skid has them tied with Nashville atop the division heading into a tilt versus Central cellar-dwelling Chicago, which has lost all three meetings this season against Winnipeg. A recent five-game winning streak helped the Blackhawks crawl within earshot of a postseason spot before the club dropped five of its next seven (2-3-2) to fall six points behind eighth-place Colorado in the Western Conference. "We've played well for a long stretch that allowed us to be in the race, but it's still pretty disappointing when, obviously, that's as far as it gets right now," Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton told reporters after Saturday's 3-2 overtime setback to Los Angeles.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), WGN (Chicago)

ABOUT THE JETS (45-29-4): Mark Scheifele (club-best 36 goals) may be mired in an offensive funk with just five points (four goals, two assists) in his last 13 games, but the 26-year-old has gotten healthy against Chicago this season. Scheifele has gashed the club for eight points (three goals, five assists), highlighted by his goal 50 seconds into overtime of a 4-3 win on Dec. 14. Captain Blake Wheeler (team-leading 69 assists, 89 points) can echo a similar sentiment with just one assist for his lone point in his last six games overall, although he has set up seven goals in three contests against the Blackhawks.

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (34-33-11): Alex DeBrincat has answered a six-game goal drought with three in his last two contests to match Patrick Kane for the team lead with 41 tallies. Kane, who will play in his 900th NHL game Monday, had just one goal to go along with 10 assists in March to move within one point of his career high of 106, set in the 2015-16 season. The former Hart Trophy recipient has set up three goals in the season series with Winnipeg while captain Jonathan Toews also has recorded three points (two goals, one assist).

OVERTIME

1. Winnipeg RW Patrik Laine has collected three goals and an assist against Chicago this season.

2. Blackhawks G Corey Crawford has turned aside 65 of 75 shots in a pair of losses (0-1-1) versus the Jets in 2018-19.

3. Winnipeg's burly D Dustin Byfuglien, who began his career with Chicago, returned after a 19-game absence with a lower-body injury to log 24:24 of ice time on Saturday.

PREDICTION: Jets 4, Blackhawks 3