Pens welcome in Jets, try to extend win streak to 14

JETS (18-14-2) at PENGUINS (26-8-0)

TV: TSN-JETS, ROOT

Last 10: Winnipeg 6-3-1; Pittsburgh 10-0-0

Season series: This is the rubber match of the three-game season series between the Pittsburgh and Winnipeg and the first game at Consol Energy Center. The Jets won the first meeting, 4-2, on Jan. 25; the Penguins won the second meeting, 3-1, on Feb. 15.

Big story: The Penguins have won 13 straight, four shy of the NHL record set by Mario Lemieux and Co. in 1992-93. Pittsburgh defenseman Douglas Murray, who was acquired on Monday in a trade from the San Jose Sharks, will make his debut for the team.

Team Scope:

Jets: They've won two straight since losing back-to-back games to the Washington Capitals by a combined 10-1 score.

Winnipeg has taken a six-point lead in the Southeast Division and is on its way to securing at least the third seed in the Eastern Conference.

"We're trying to forget about that Washington mini-series as much as possible," Evander Kane told reporters following the Jets 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. "I think we've responded here in these last two games real well. We knew we couldn't dwell on what happened with Washington and we needed to move on and move forward."

Kane broke a three-game pointless drought with a goal and three assists to pace the Jets in Carolina. Nik Antropov, Tobias Enstrom and Olli Jokinen also scored for the Jets against the Hurricanes. Enstrom has goals in back-to-back games.

Penguins: Pittsburgh has won 13 straight while dealing with key injuries to Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin. Marc-Andre Fleury is on that list now, too.

Fleury was injured in a 1-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday and had to leave the game. He's still being evaluated, but he likely will not start Thursday night.

Letang returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing three games, but he's out again, back on injured reserve because of a broken toe. The Penguins recalled Simon Despres to fill Letang's spot on the roster.

Malkin, who hasn't played since March 9 because of an upper-body injury, is still considered day-to-day. He's been skating with the team and it's possible he gets back in the lineup Thursday against the Jets.

Regardless of all the injuries, Pittsburgh will welcome a new addition to the lineup Thursday as Murray is expected to make his Penguins' debut. He arrived in Pittsburgh on Tuesday after being traded to the Penguins on Monday.

"He's going to bring a lot," captain Sidney Crosby said.

Who's hot: Kane will look to build on his four-point night in Carolina, where Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec stopped 38 of 39 shots. He has allowed only three goals against 64 shots in the past two games. … Crosby continues to pace the Penguins. He scored the lone goal in the win over the Canadiens and has nine points over a five-game point-scoring streak. He leads Steven Stamkos by 11 points in the NHL's scoring race.

Injury report: Jets defensemen Mark Stuart (undisclosed) and Zach Redmond (thigh) as well as forwards Jim Slater (upper body) and Anthony Peluso (hand) have been out of the lineup. … The Penguins will be without Letang (broken toe). Fleury (sore neck) and Malkin are questionable.