GAME DAY: Jets vs Blues

WINNIPEG -The last time the Winnipeg Jets faced off with the St. Louis Blues, Patrik Laine scored five goals to help the Jets to an 8-4 win.
Tonight, the two teams conclude the four-game season series against each other, and Laine has put that performance in the rear-view mirror.
"It was a tough loss for them. So obviously they want to be better tonight. That's what we're expecting from them," said Laine. "They're a good team and we've always had tough games against the Blues. That's what we're probably going to see tonight and we have to play good hockey to win."
Winnipeg's blue line will see some familiar faces return tonight as the team begins a four-game home stand.
Dustin Byfuglien (concussion) and Dmitry Kulikov (upper body) are both good to go and will play tonight. Josh Morrissey took part in the pregame skate, but will be held out one more game with a lower-body injury.

"The good thing about this team is we feel we have a lot of depth. To get some regulars back in, especially that many on the back end, it's a good feeling," said Tyler Myers, adding it feels odd to be wrapping up a season series against a Central Division opponent before the middle of December.
"It seems like in years prior we're playing them all year. They're going to want to end the season series off on a good note, and we'll try and do the same."
The Jets (17-8-4) didn't do full line rushes in this morning's skate, but based on yesterday's practice, the line-up could look like this:
Ehlers-Scheifele-Wheeler
Connor-Little-Laine
Tanev-Lowry-Perreault
Lemieux-Roslovic-Appleton
Niku-Trouba
Chiarot-Byfuglien
Kulikov-Myers
With Morrissey out, Sami Niku will be paired with Jacob Trouba. The 19:11 Niku played against the Islanders was not only a season-high, but head coach Paul Maurice felt it was Niku's best game in a Jets jersey.
"Guys that can skate like that and handle the puck like that, you're going to say there's enough offence there for him to be an NHL defenceman," said Maurice.
"We're pleased with where he's at, and we're hopeful for where he's going."

The Jets have won all three meetings against the Blues (9-13-4) this season, scoring 18 goals combined - including Jacob Trouba's overtime winner in the second meeting between the two teams.
Adam Lowry has one of those 18 goals, but expects a motivated Blues team at Bell MTS Place tonight, despite the fact St. Louis has two wins in their last nine games.
Lowry said there are certain themes from the first three match-ups against the Blues that led to the Jets' success.
"It's going to be important in the first 10 minutes that we try and establish what made us successful in that game. That's our speed, that's our forecheck," said Lowry. "They're a bigger team. When we got up a few goals they became a lot of more physical. I think we can expect that tonight."
With the Jets riding a four-game win streak - including three straight wins on a road trip through New York - Laine wants to see the team's commitment to defence continue.
"We can't just assume it's going to get easier because those guys are coming in," Laine said of Byfuglien and Kulikov. "Just try to play good defence. It doesn't matter who is playing D. We have to play the same way and hopefully win with the D-men we have."

That kind of talk is music to the ears of Maurice, especially from Laine who is tied for the league lead in goals with 21.
"What he's learning now is all the value in the game outside of scoring goals," said Maurice. "We'll always value goal scoring with Patty first. He's a goal scorer. I'll take that talent over his ability to get the puck out all day long.
"But if we can get him to move to a positive place with all the other parts of the game - it was the start of the process of why he played on Adam Lowry's line for a few games, that's what that line does, that's what they focus on. Those pucks have to get out every time.
"His last week of hockey, he's more physical, he's playing like a power forward, he's playing defence, and he's still getting his shots."
Connor Hellebuyck was the first goaltender off the ice and is expected to start for the Jets, while Jake Allen will counter for the Blues.
ICE CHIPS
Joe Morrow and Andrew Copp will not play tonight against the St. Louis Blues, but both skated prior to the team's morning skate and in the words of Maurice, are moving in the right direction.
To make room on the roster, Copp has been placed on injured reserve, while Byfuglien and Kulikov have both been activated.
-- Mitchell Clinton, WinnipegJets.com
GAME NOTES
Tonight's Game
The Winnipeg Jets begin a four-game homestand tonight against the St. Louis Blues...The Jets are coming off a perfect 3-for-3 road trip through the New York City area, which was finished off with a 3-1 win against the New York Islanders on Tuesday night...Winnipeg continues this homestand Sunday afternoon against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Back Home
Winnipeg is 9-3-2 at home this season, which is the tied for the fourth most wins and fifth most points in the NHL...The Jets lead the NHL in power play percentage at home this season at 36.1% (13-for-36), but are 1-for-6 on the power play in their last three home games...The Jets penalty kill is 15-for-16 (93.8%) in the last six home games.
Rollin'
The Jets have won four consecutive games for the first time this season...It's Winnipeg's longest winning streak since winning five games in a row to end the 2017-18 regular season.
Breaking the Deadlock
The Jets erased a 1-0 third period deficit on Tuesday against the Islanders to improve to 7-0-0 this season when the game is tied after the second period...The seven wins lead the NHL and match Winnipeg's seven wins from all of last season when tied after the second period (7-3-6).
Against the Central
The Jets are 5-3-0 against Central Division teams this season...Winnipeg has won two games in a row against Central Division rivals...Since the start of the 2016-17 season, the Jets are 39-20-4 against teams within their own division, which is second behind the Nashville Predators (40-19-4)...In that same time frame, Blake Wheeler leads all NHLers in scoring against the Central Division with 81 points (26G, 55A) in 63 games, while Mark Scheifele is second with 75 points (29G, 45A) in 55 games.
Another First Star
Mark Scheifele was named the NHL's First Star of the Week on Monday...He opened the week with a pair of goals in Winnipeg's 4-3 setback to Pittsburgh on Tuesday...On Thursday, the Kitchener, Ont. native matched a career high with three assists and a plus-five rating in the Jets' 6-5 win over the Chicago Blackhawks...Scheifele scored a pair of goals, including the overtime winner, as Winnipeg opened a three-game road trip on Saturday with a 4-3 victory over New Jersey...On Sunday, he scored on the power play and added the decisive marker in the shootout as the Jets came from 3-0 down to win 4-3 over the New York Rangers...In total last week, Scheifele tied for the league lead in goals with five and was second in points with eight (5G, 3A)...This is the second time this season (also Oct. 29 - Second Star) and the fifth time in his career that Scheifele has been selected in the NHL's Three Stars of the Week...Scheifele joins Patrik Laine (Nov. 26 - First Star) and Blake Wheeler (Nov. 12 - Second Star) as members of the Jets that have earned NHL Three Stars of the Week honours this season.
VIEW FULL GAME NOTES
Streakers
Blake Wheeler has a point and assist in six consecutive games (1G, 10A) after tallying to assists on Tuesday against the Islanders...It's Wheeler's second point streak of at least six games this season after he had an 11-game point streak from Oct. 18-Nov. 14 (2G, 18A)...Four of Wheeler's six games in the streak have been multi-point games...Mathieu Perreault is on a three-game point streak (3A), while Nikolaj Ehlers (1G, 1A) and Jacob Trouba (1G, 2A) have points in back-to-back games.
Moose Contribution
With Cam Schilling, Sami Niku and Nelson Nogier playing in Tuesday, half of Winnipeg's six defenceman started the season with the Manitoba Moose in the AHL...Of the 18 skaters that played for the Jets on Tuesday, seven have played for the Moose either this season or last.
Winner, Winner
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 27 of 28 shots in Tuesday's victory to earn his 12th win of the season, which is tied for third in the NHL...Hellebuyck has 56 wins during the last two seasons, which leads the NHL...Hellebuyck is five wins away from 100 for his NHL career.