Boston @ Winnipeg preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 29, 2019 ) Winnipeg 4, Boston 3

After gaining at least one point in 19 consecutive games, the Boston Bruins have suffered consecutive regulation losses and look to reverse that trend while ending a three-game road trip on a high note Thursday at the Winnipeg Jets. The Bruins cut a four-goal deficit to one Tuesday at Columbus before falling 7-4, a game that emphasized Boston has to play with the same edge as teams fighting for playoff positioning with three weeks remaining in the regular season.

“We’ve been behind too many teams too many times, and now we’ve been bitten twice by it,” Bruins forward David Backes told reporters following the loss, two days after Boston trailed throughout in a 4-2 defeat at Pittsburgh that snapped the point streak. “We’re playing desperate teams playing for their lives. We need to realize that and get in that mode.” The Jets mode right now is frustration, as the Central Division leaders fell to 6-9-2 in their past 17 games after Tuesday’s 5-4 home loss to San Jose, a game in which the Sharks scored the game winner with five seconds left in regulation. “We were a little slow to our check in the defensive zone,” Jets forward Andrew Copp told the media afterward. “We needed a little bit more of a sense of urgency at the other end of the ice.” Winnipeg is struggling on the defensive end, surrendering four goals or more eight times in a 17-game span.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE BRUINS (42-19-9): Forward Brad Marchand fueled the second-period surge Tuesday with two goals, giving him 14 points (six goals) during an eight-game point streak. Center Patrice Bergeron has nine points (five goals) in his past eight games after finishing with a goal and an assist Tuesday, moving within one point of 800 for his career. Boston ranks third in the NHL in goals allowed per game (2.53), but struggled Tuesday as Tuukka Rask gave up five goals on 24 shots before being pulled.

ABOUT THE JETS (40-25-4): Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has allowed 30 goals in his past eight games, going 2-5-0 in that span with an .894 save percentage, and the Jets remain without injured defensemen Dustin Byfuglien and Josh Morrissey. Forward Patrik Laine has 10 points (four goals) in his past 10 games, after recording just six points (two goals) in his previous 26 contests. The Jets are in the midst of a difficult schedule, facing Calgary (second in the Western Conference in points) Saturday.

OVERTIME

1. Winnipeg F Kyle Connor scored his 27th goal of the season Tuesday after leading all rookies in 20187-18 with 31.

2. Bergeron has scored three shorthanded goals in the past five games, including his first-period tally Tuesday.

3. Connor scored twice and Hellebuyck stopped Marchand in the final round of a shootout as the Jets beat the Bruins 4-3 on Jan. 29 in Boston.

PREDICTION: Jets 4, Bruins 3