WINNIPEG JETS NOTES:
Scene Setter
Following the four-day Christmas Break, the Winnipeg Jets resume their schedule by travelling to the Windy City to play the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. The Jets entered the break with a 5-1 win against the Boston Bruins at Canada Life Centre, which gave them a 3-0-1 record during their four-game homestand. After Wednesday’s game, the Jets tangle with the Minnesota Wild in a home-and-home on Saturday and Sunday.
Among the Best
The Jets entered the break with a .672 points percentage, which is sixth in the NHL… Winnipeg has points in five consecutive games for the third time this season… The Jets are 16-5-1 in their past 22 games, which includes winning streaks of three, four and five games… Since Nov. 4, the Jets have a .750 points percentage, which is tops in the NHL… The Jets have lost consecutive games in regulation just three times this season.
Stingy
The Jets are third in the NHL this season by allowing only 2.53 goals against per game… Since Nov. 4, the Jets are second in the NHL with just 46 goals against in 22 games for an average of 2.09… Winnipeg has not allowed more than three goals against in each of those 22 games, which is a franchise record streak… The Jets are first in the league this season with 28 games of holding their opponent to three goals or less and have a 20-7-1 record in those games… Winnipeg has allowed two goals or less in nine of their past 10 games.
Goals, Goals, Goals
The Jets have scored four goals or more in six of their past eight games… Winnipeg is averaging 3.70 goals per game in December, which is seventh in the NHL… The Jets have scored five goals in each of their past two games, one short of their three-game streak Nov. 4-9 (16G).
20 Ws
For the second consecutive season, the Jets have 20 wins in their first 32 games of a season… The Jets also had 20 wins in their first 32 games of the 2018-19 season.
Central Rivals
The Jets are 8-3-0 against the Central Division this season after going 18-8-0 against their Central Division counterparts last season… Winnipeg has won 21 of its past 30 games against Central Division teams dating back to last season… Winnipeg has a winning record against the Central in each of the past six seasons in which the Jets have been in the Central Division… Mark Scheifele leads the Jets in scoring against the Central Division with 16 points (3G, 13A) in 11 games this season.
Road Record
The Jets are 9-4-1 on the road this season, including winning seven of their past nine road contests… Josh Morrissey has a team-leading 14 points (4G, 10A) in 14 road games… Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Nino Niederreiter have a team best seven goals on the road… The Jets went 20-20-1 on the road last season.
The Great Gabe
Gabriel Vilardi has 12 points (6G, 6A) in his past five games… He’s on a five-game goal scoring streak, which is the longest of his career… Since returning from injury on Nov. 30, Vilardi has 14 points (7G, 7A) in 11 games… He’s averaging 1.07 points per game this season, which is a career high… He’s also playing a career high 16:37 per game.
December Breakout
Nikolaj Ehlers had an assist on Friday as he continues to put up points at a torrid pace in December… He has 15 points (5G, 10A) in 10 games in December to lead the Jets in scoring and has found the scoresheet in nine of the 10 games… He had 11 points combined in 22 games in October and November.
More From Mo
Defenceman Josh Morrissey is averaging a point per game in December with 10 points (2G, 8A) in 10 games and is on a four-game point streak (1G, 4A)… Morrissey is tied for sixth among NHL defencemen this season with 29 points (6G, 23A) in 32 games and ranks tied for third among league rearguards with a plus-21 rating… Morrissey is a plus-16 in his past eight games.
Tender
After allowing 13 goals in his first three starts of the season, goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is 15-4-2 with a 2.09 goals-against average and .928 save percentage in his past 21 starts… He’s allowed two goals or less in 15 of his past 21 starts… Hellebuyck is 6-0-1 in December with a 1.86 goals-against average and .934 save percentage.
Team Leader
Mark Scheifele leads the Jets in scoring this season with 36 points (12G, 24A) in 32 games… He’s on pace to break the 90-point mark for the first time in his career… Scheifele has four multi-point games in December, including three of his past five games.
OT
The Jets are 2-3 in overtime and shootouts this season, including 2-2 in games decided in overtime… The Jets went 10-3 in overtime (9-2) and shootouts (1-1) last season, which led the NHL with an .769 winning percentage… Six of Winnipeg’s nine OT winners came in the first two minutes of the extra session… Mark Scheifele holds the franchise record with 13 OT winning goals… During the past four seasons, Winnipeg is 22-11 in games decided in overtime.
Jets vs. CHI Notes
Season Series
The Jets and Blackhawks square off four times this season… The Jets won the first meeting 3-1 in Winnipeg on Dec. 2… Winnipeg also hosts Chicago on Jan. 11, while the Jets travel to Chicago on Feb. 23 in the final game.
Recent History
Dating back to 2015, the Jets are 16-4-0 in their past 20 games against the Blackhawks, including winning nine of the past 10 meetings and six consecutive games… Winnipeg is 20-for-22 (90.9%) on the penalty kill in the past 11 games against Chicago.
In Chicago
The Jets are 6-1-0 in their past seven games in Chicago… The Jets have scored 16 goals in their past three games in Chicago and are 4-for10 on the power play.
Player Notes
Nino Niederreiter (15G, 14A) and Mark Scheifele (14G, 15A) have a team-leading 29 points in 39 career games against the Blackhawks… Defenceman Nate Schmidt has 14 points (2G, 12A) in 18 games against Chicago… It’s his largest point total against any NHL opponent during his career… Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is 16-7-0 in 22 starts against the Blackhawks with a 2.27 goals-against average and .924 save percentage.
CHICGAO BLACKHAWKS NOTES:
The Blackhawks take on the Winnipeg Jets for the second time this season on Wednesday and the first meeting at the United Center … Connor Bedard scored the lone goal for the Blackhawks in a 3-1 loss to the Jets on Dec. 2 in Winnipeg … Philipp Kurashev tallied an assist … Anthony Beauvillier made his Blackhawks debut on Dec. 2 … He has six points (2G, 4A) over his last eight games against Winnipeg, including two multi-point efforts … Nick Foligno has 13 points (5G, 8A) over his last 15 games against the Jets … Taylor Raddysh has points in four of seven career games against Winnipeg (3G, 2A) … Kurashev has five points over his last six games against the Jets and four assists over his last four against them.
BLACKHAWKS RECORD ON…
One-Day Rest: 5-5-1
Two-Days Rest: 1-7-0
Three+ Days Rest: 1-1-0
First Game of a B2B: 3-3-0
Second Game of a B2B: 0-6-0
BLACKHAWKS RECORD BY DAY
Monday: 1-1-0
Tuesday: 3-2-1
Wednesday: 0-2-0
Thursday: 2-4-0
Friday: 2-1-0
Saturday: 2-5-0
Sunday: 0-7-0
