The Jets are 7-2-1 in their past 10 games and have a one-point lead on the Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. Winnipeg last won four straight March 14-20, 2019. Connor Hellebuyck will start in goal after Laurent Brossoit made 29 saves in a 5-1 win against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday. Cody Eakin, traded to the Jets from the Vegas Golden Knights for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft on Friday, will not play Saturday. The forward could make his Jets debut at the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday. The Flyers, who are one point ahead of the New York Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division, are 11-4-1 in their past 16 games, including a 4-3 overtime win against the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Thursday. Carter Hart is expected to start in goal. He is 11-1-0 with a 1.58 goals-against average and .945 save percentage in his past 12 home games.
Players to watch
Jets forward Patrik Laine has five points (one goal, four assists) during a three-game point streak. Flyers forward Claude Giroux has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) during a seven-game point streak.
They said it
"I think we're still trying to find our game. We've had some really good shifts, a couple good periods last game. I like playing with those two. Hopefully we can build some chemistry together and have a good rest of the season." -- Jets forward Patrik Laine on playing with Kyle Connor and Andrew Copp "This group prepares itself well to go on the ice and compete and execute and that's how we've got ourselves in this playoff race. We prepare, we've got a plan, we try to execute that plan. But this group works extremely hard every time it's on the ice and that's what we need to continue to do." -- Flyers coach Alain Vigneault
After acquiring Eakin, the Jets sent forward Andrei Chibisov to Manitoba of the American Hockey League. ... Braun will return to the lineup after missing the win against the Blue Jackets on Thursday because of the flu. .. The Flyers returned defenseman Mark Friedman to Lehigh Valley of the AHL.
Stat pack
Wheeler has six points (three goals, three assists) in his past four games. … Scheifele has six points (three goals, three assists) in his past two games. ... Couturier has five points (three goals, two assists) during a five-game point streak. … Konecny has seven points (two goals, five assists) during a three-game point streak.
