Jets Aim to Fly High in Battle vs. Bruins

The Winnipeg Jets, leaders of the Western Conference, continue their three-game road trip against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night, looking to secure their fifth straight win and complete a season series sweep.

Jets Rolling with Simple, Effective Play

Winnipeg (35-12-5) has been dominant of late, winning four straight games, including a 4-1 victory over Montreal on Tuesday. Their success has come from sticking to the basics, according to alternate captain Mark Scheifele.

“We’ve just played simple, we haven’t tried to overcomplicate the game,” Scheifele said. “We get pucks deep, we hold onto pucks, we make the other team defend, and (Tuesday) was a prime example of that.”

The top line continues to produce, with:

• Kyle Connor (2 goals vs. Montreal) – 29 goals this season
• Mark Scheifele (1 goal) – Also at 29 goals, two away from franchise history
• Gabriel Vilardi (2 assists) – Points in four straight games

Scheifele Nearing Franchise Record

With 328 career goals, Scheifele is just two goals away from tying Ilya Kovalchuk for the most in franchise history (Jets/Thrashers).

However, the center is focused on setting up teammates more:
“I’d like for (Connor) to have more (goals) than me. I pride myself on my passing. I’ve got to set him up more in the future.”

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Bruins Reeling After Blowout Loss

Boston (30-13-9) suffered a 7-2 road loss to Buffalo on Tuesday, undoing much of the progress from their 5-1-1 stretch in the previous seven games.

Interim coach Joe Sacco pointed to poor game management as a key issue:
“You’re going to make mistakes … but it’s how we respond after those mistakes. A couple of goals that we scored, they responded right away.”

With the Eastern Conference playoff race tightening, captain Brad Marchand emphasized the urgency:
“We can’t afford to have games where we’re not prepared. We need every point. Buffalo is better than their record shows … you need to come prepared to play and compete harder than that.”

Bruins’ Defense Shorthanded, But Reinforcements Coming

Boston was without its top three defensemen against Buffalo:

• Brandon Carlo (illness)
• Charlie McAvoy (undisclosed injury)
• Hampus Lindholm (lower body injury)

McAvoy and Lindholm returned to full practice, and Carlo also skated in an optional practice Wednesday, meaning all three could return Thursday.

“I’m excited to get back,” McAvoy said. “Whatever we can do to help the team—we’re in a spot where every game matters.”

Will Winnipeg Complete the Sweep?

The Jets crushed the Bruins 8-1 back on Dec. 10, and they’ll be looking to sweep the season series in Boston.

With Winnipeg surging and Boston fighting for playoff positioning, expect a high-intensity battle.

Puck drop in Boston is set for 7:00 PM ET.