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Surging Jets battle Avalanche

Dec 11, 2014 - 4:11 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche were heading in different directions when they met last Friday and things have changed nearly a week later.

The Jets try to extend their seven-game point streak and deal the Avs a fifth straight loss on Thursday night when the clubs clash at Pepsi Center.

Winnipeg has gone 5-0-2 since its last regulation loss on Nov. 23 to the St. Louis Blues. The Jets picked up a win over the Avalanche during this point streak, knocking off Colorado 6-2 at home on Dec. 5.

Bryan Little paced the Jets' third straight win over the Avalanche with a hat trick and an assist. Blake Wheeler added three helpers and Andrew Ladd finished with a goal and two assists.

The Jets lost in overtime to the Anaheim Ducks two days after beating the Avalanche, but got back in the win column on Tuesday with a 5-2 decision over the Dallas Stars.

Adam Lowry, a 21-year-old rookie, scored twice in the win, his third and fourth goals in 28 career games.

"It was great. He's been close all year," said Wheeler of Lowry. "I think when he's playing physical and he's playing fast he creates a lot of havoc out their for himself and his line. He's a big body with great instincts on the ice.

"It's great to see him get rewarded for all the good things he's done for our team this year."

Wheeler and Michael Frolik added a goal and an assist each, with Frolik lighting the lamp short-handed. Dustin Byfuglien had two assists, giving him four goals and three assists over a five-game point streak.

Netminder Michael Hutchinson came up with 26 saves to improve to 6-1-2 with a 1.67 goals against average and .941 save percentage in 10 games (8 starts) this season. His solid play could see him start to take time away in net from Ondrej Pavelec, and Hutchinson made 20 saves in last week's win over the Avalanche.

Pavelec, though, is a solid 4-1-1 in his career versus Colorado with a 1.78 goals against average and .936 save percentage.

The slumping Avalanche had a few days to collect themselves after the loss to the Jets, but it didn't help as they were shut out 3-0 by the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. Calvin Pickard made 33 saves on 34 shots faced as the Preds tallied twice into an empty net.

Pickard yielded his lone goal 2:23 into the game when he was beaten by Filip Forsberg on a breakaway.

"I played against him last year in the minors," said Pickard. "I know what he can do. That was a tough one to stop."

Colorado fell to 0-3-1 over a four-game slide that matches a season high.

Pickard was recalled from the minors on Monday when it was learned Semyon Varlamov is expected to miss at least two weeks with a nagging groin injury. Pickard is expected to start again tonight over Reto Berra and is 3-5-0 this season with a 2.29 GAA and .929 save percentage in eight games with five starts.

Jets forward Evander Kane will serve the second contest of his two-game suspension for a boarding penalty in the loss to the Ducks.