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Jets try to aid postseason quest in Edmonton

Mar 23, 2015 - 3:03 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Winnipeg Jets have been close to making the postseason since moving from Atlanta but have yet to seal the deal.

The Jets are hoping to surge into the playoffs this spring and they'll shoot for a fifth straight victory on Monday when they visit the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place.

Winnipeg is in its fourth season since leaving Atlanta and the Thrashers moniker behind following the 2010-11 campaign. The Jets finished four points out of a postseason spot in the East two years ago and were seven points behind the West's last wild card spot last spring.

The Jets currently hold a four-point lead over Los Angeles for the second wild card and are eight points in front of a trio of teams behind the Kings. L.A. also has a more immediate avenue into the playoffs via the Pacific Division race, as it is only two points behind Calgary for the third automatic bid in the division. The Kings play this evening in New Jersey.

After winning its fourth straight game on Saturday, Winnipeg is just one point behind Minnesota for the first wild card spot and fourth place in the division. Both clubs have 10 games left in the regular season and the Wild are visiting Toronto on Monday.

Winnipeg wrapped a perfect three-game homestand with Saturday's 3-0 win over the Washington Capitals. Ondrej Pavelec stopped 28 shots for his second shutout of the season, while Mark Scheifele led the Jets' offense with a goal and an assist.

"I thought we did a really good job of 5-on-5 play tonight," said Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice. "We were able to control the puck real well and any time we did have a breakdown Ondrej was there for us."

Mark Stuart and Adam Lowry also scored for the Jets, who can match a season high for consecutive wins tonight. Winnipeg won five in a row from Jan. 13-21.

Forward Bryan Little (lower body) and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien (upper body) both missed their seventh consecutive games on Saturday. They are questionable for tonight.

The Jets also will play Tuesday in Vancouver to cap a quick two-game road trip. They are 17-12-7 as the host this season.

While the Jets are in the thick of the playoff race, Edmonton will miss the playoffs for a ninth consecutive season. The Oilers, however, are 2-0-1 at the start of a six-game homestand and are coming off Saturday's 5-4 overtime victory against Philadelphia.

Six of the nine goals scored Saturday came in the first period. Edmonton's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins started the scoring and also ended it.

After giving the Oilers a 1-0 lead just 51 seconds into the contest, Nugent- Hopkins scored the game-winning goal with 2:14 left in OT.

"Any time you get a chance to bury it, you have to capitalize and luckily we did tonight," said Nugent-Hopkins.

Nugent-Hopkins finished with two goals and an assist, Jordan Eberle scored and added a helper and Teddy Purcell and Matt Hendricks also lit the lamp for the Oilers, who have earned points in four straight games (2-0-2). Scrivens made 27 saves.

Edmonton is 12-20-3 as the host this season. They have lost the last three overall meetings versus the Jets, but are 5-2-1 with a tie in nine all-time encounters with Atlanta/Winnipeg at Rexall Place.