The Winnipeg Jets are flying high.
They’ve won five straight, are 9-0-2 in their past 11 games and are 13-1-2 since Dec. 2 entering their matchup against the Arizona Coyotes in Tempe, Ariz., on Sunday.
Winnipeg has outscored its opponents 16-8 during its current winning streak and has only allowed more than two goals once in its past 15 games, in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 18.
In each of their past four outings, the Jets have given up the first goal before ultimately rallying for the win.
“We know how we can play,” Winnipeg forward Nikolaj Ehlers said. “And I think (Thursday against the San Jose Sharks), we weren’t good. We weren’t playing completely as a team and in the beginning of the game (against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday) it was the same thing. But we know we have a chance.
“We get behind by one and we have that feeling of we’re still going to win this game. That’s a pretty good feeling to have, which is something we haven’t had for a while.”
The Jets have been getting plenty of support from their penalty killers as of late. After allowing six goals on 16 man-advantage opportunities over a five-game stretch, Winnipeg has conceded just four power-play goals on 19 chances over the past eight games.
“That’s back-to-back games that our specialty teams have won us the game, because the penalty kill was outstanding,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said after the 3-1 win against the Ducks.
Ehlers has been on a roll since Dec. 2, amassing 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) over 16 games in that stretch. He has two goals and an assist during his current three-game point streak.
The Coyotes, meanwhile, are looking to get back on track after two straight losses to the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders earlier this week, getting outscored 9-2 between those outings.
The defeats came after Arizona had gone 6-1-0 in its previous seven games.
“I think all of us need to take a look in the mirror and I don’t think it’s time for panic or anything like that,” Coyotes defenseman Juuso Valimaki said. “But the last two games, we haven’t been our best at all. I think we got to come together as a group and remember to stay positive and together as a group and not turn on each other.”
The third period hasn’t been kind to Arizona in its past two losses. The Islanders scored twice in the first 5 1/2 minutes of the final frame to pull away on Thursday, and the Panthers scored three times in 10 minutes of the third on Tuesday. And while they’ve only allowed 34 goals in the third period this season, the Coyotes haven’t been able to put the puck in the opposing net during that frame, with just 30 goals — tied for fourth fewest in the NHL entering Saturday’s schedule.
Arizona recalled top prospect Dylan Guenther on an emergency basis from Tucson of the American Hockey League on Saturday. The 20-year-old, who had 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 33 games with the Coyotes last season, leads Arizona’s AHL affiliate with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 29 games this season.
“He proved he can play at our level, he has a lot of success in the AHL right now,” Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said of Guenther. “We’re really excited about him.”
–Field Level Media
