WINNIPEG -- The final push to what the Phoenix Coyotes and Winnipeg Jets hope is a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in April begins Thursday when the teams meet at MTS Centre.

The Coyotes own a two-point lead on the Jets in the Western Conference postseason chase and remain one point behind the Vancouver Canucks for a wild-card spot. Coach Dave Tippett's Coyotes, who will play Friday at the Colorado Avalanche, also hold two games in hand on the Jets.

"Anybody that is in the race, they're talking about the same things," Tippett said after the Coyotes' morning skate. "A short season is coming, and everybody has to play [in] a playoff mode. The teams that do it successfully are going to get in."

EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers may not admit to showcasing Sam Gagner and Ales Hemsky, but the two will be on display Thursday against the Minnesota Wild.

Hemsky will move up to play left wing on the Oilers' second line alongside Gagner and Jordan Eberle. It's the first time this season Hemsky has played left wing.

"We've been able to develop some chemistry and feed off each other," Gagner said. "He's a guy that likes the puck on the fly. The left wing is going to be a little different for him. When he gets that speed going, though, he's an amazing player. It should be a fun night."

Both Gagner and Hemsky have been rumored to be on the move as the March 5 NHL Trade Deadline approaches.

CALGARY -- Sleep, Joni Ortio admitted, wasn't a problem.

Set to make his first career NHL start against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, the Calgary Flames goaltender admitted he had no problem getting in a good snooze on the eve of the game.

"Good (sleep)," Ortio said. "Excited. I can't wait for tonight."

If the 22-year-old is nervous about marking his debut against Los Angeles, he's doing an exceptional job of masking it.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Washington Capitals will have defenseman Mike Green and center Mikhail Grabovski back in the lineup Thursday night when they try to pick up where they left off before the Olympic break, but the status of center Marcus Johansson was still up in the air after the morning skate.

Johansson skated with his teammates Thursday morning after arriving at the team hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. After competing in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Johansson had to fly to Sweden to resolve a visa issue and spent 20 hours traveling Wednesday to Miami after making a stop in London.

"I don't feel great right now," Johansson said. "Obviously when you travel like that for 20 hours or whatever it was, it takes a little toll on your body, but you get a good nap in and a good meal, I think it'll help me a lot."

DALLAS -- Before a 19-day break for the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the Dallas Stars were on a good run, going 6-1-2 over their final nine games. Dallas returns to the ice Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes at American Airlines Center and Lindy Ruff's club is looking to continue that run in their final game of February.

"Yeah, I said the only disappointment this morning is we've got to wait until tonight to play," Ruff said after the morning skate. "It's great to be back. The guys sense the importance of these coming games and they've worked hard the past seven, eight days to be ready."

Ruff is keeping his forward lines and defensive pairings the same from a 2-1 win against the Phoenix Coyotes on Feb. 8 in Dallas' final game before the break. Kari Lehtonen will start his fourth consecutive game in goal for the Stars.

NASHVILLE -- Some of the Tampa Bay Lightning's best players are traveling with the team during this four-game road trip and are close to returning from injury, but remain out.

Forwards Steven Stamkos and Valtteri Filppula each participated in the Lightning's morning skate Thursday for their game against the Nashville Predators, but coach Jon Cooper said Filppula (ankle), the closer of the two to returning, would not dress.

"Val's out," Cooper said. "This is probably a day-to-day thing."

OTTAWA -- Daniel Alfredsson caught up once more with Erik Karlsson at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday. With the Detroit Red Wings facing the Ottawa Senators for the fourth time since Alfredsson left Karlsson and the Canadian capital behind to play in Motown, it's all business this time around.

"We always have a good time together, but this is a division game with playoff implications," Alfredsson said about seeing Karlsson, his former Senators protégé and teammate on Sweden's silver medal-winning team at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, prior to his second game back in Ottawa. "I think everybody knows it's going to be a tight race all the way until the end, and you play teams that are right around you; it's important games, so I'm not looking to go out there and have fun, it's just go out there, get the job done and get the two points."

Alfredsson was welcomed back by Senators fans in Detroit's first game in Ottawa on Dec. 1. He was given a huge ovation during a pregame video tribute, and then went out and scored an empty-net goal to seal a 4-2 win for the Red Wings.

NEW YORK -- If the Chicago Blackhawks' 10 Olympians are looking for a sense of normalcy in their lives, they better look to the future because it's not coming until next week at the earliest.

Days after Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith helped Canada win the gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the Blackhawks are opening their post-Olympic schedule Thursday with a game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m. ET, NHLN-US).

Roughly 48 hours later, they'll be competing outside at Soldier Field against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, NBC).

The Blackhawks had their first full post-Olympic team practice Wednesday before traveling to New York. Their next practice will be Friday night at Soldier Field.

"Off to the races right away," Keith said Thursday morning. "That's a good thing; get back into the swing of things hard and fast."

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins will welcome a few players back to their lineup while adjusting to the loss of defenseman Paul Martin when they face the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.

Forwards Joe Vitale (upper body) and Taylor Pyatt (lower body) will return after missing 12 and two games respectively. Their presence will strengthen Pittsburgh's bottom-six, which had featured defenseman Deryk Engelland at right wing on the fourth line in recent games.

Forward Pascal Dupuis spoke for the first time since tearing his ACL on Dec. 23. Brian Gibbons will continue to fill Dupuis' role as the top-line right wing for the time being. Dupuis is expected to fully recover in 6-8 months, but said he is attempting to recover in closer to six.

"I'm feeling good, surgery went well," Dupuis said. "I know my season is over this year. It definitely looks and sounds long, but I guess you can't rush anything."

Life without John Tavares begins for the New York Islanders on Thursday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first game for both teams following the Olympic break. New York has lost six straight games at Nassau Coliseum, while Toronto has won two straight and 11 of 14.

The Islanders may soon be looking at life without forward Thomas Vanek and defenseman Andrew MacDonald. Each player is rumored to be headed elsewhere by the NHL Trade Deadline on March 5 at 3 p.m.

"Is it in the back of your mind? I'm sure it is. If [I said it wasn't] I'd be lying," Vanek told reporters. "I know what's ahead and what could happen, but once you come to the rink you block it out."

Islanders coach Jack Capuano has no intention on sitting Vanek to protect him from injury.

"We need to go about our business," Capuano said.