Trouba played his first six NHL seasons with Winnipeg before being traded to the Rangers on June 17 for defenseman Neal Pionk and a first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. The Rangers are 4-2-0 in their past six games following a 4-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday but are 11 points out of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Connor Hellebuyck will start for the Jets, who look to extend their winning streak to a season-long four games and their point streak to six. Winnipeg is 4-0-1 in its past five games following a five-game losing streak. The Jets are tied with the Arizona Coyotes for the second wild card in the Western Conference.
Players to watch
Rangers forward Artemi Panarin has 28 points (eight goals, 20 assists) in his past 17 games. Jets forward Kyle Connor has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past three games.
They said it
"The strength of our team is speed, and we've got some skill. But it's figuring out the right time to use it and knowing the time that there's nothing there and you've just got to live to fight another day. That I think (is) when we're at our best. When we're skating and we're fast and we're all over the puck." -- Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba "I think they'll be desperate. They're kind of like us in a sense that we're both fighting for a playoff spot still. I know they might be a little ways out but I think we're both in the same boat… It's not over until it's over. I expect an intense game tonight." -- Jets defenseman Neal Pionk
Defensemen Poolman and Sbisa each skated with the Jets Tuesday, but neither will play, according to coach Paul Maurice.
Stat pack
Laine has six points (five goals, one assist) in a three-game goal streak and 10 points (nine goals, one assist) in his past nine games. ... Trouba had three points (one goal, two assists) against the Jets in New York in each team's season-opening game. … Copp has five points (three goals, two assists) in his past five games.
