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Jets host Oilers, aim to stay perfect under Maurice

Jan 18, 2014 - 3:52 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Winnipeg Jets will try to make it three straight wins with Paul Maurice behind the bench, as they welcome the lowly Edmonton Oilers for Saturday's matinee battle at MTS Centre.

The Jets are 2-0 since firing head coach Claude Noel and replacing him with Maurice. The club has outscored the opposition by a 10-3 score since the coaching change.

Maurice guided Winnipeg to a 5-1 home win over Phoenix on Monday and then posted a 5-2 win Thursday in Calgary. The Jets scored two goals in both the first and second periods to build a 4-0 cushion on Thursday and then held on for the victory over the Flames.

"First two periods we were good. Patience and hard working. And then they came on. They had nothing to lose. So there is still some learning for us on how to handle that," said Maurice. "At the end of the day we needed some good things to happen and one of them is your goalie senses that and made some good saves."

Olli Jokinen, Bryan Little and Mark Scheifele each posted a goal and an assist to lead the Jets in Calgary. Jacob Trouba and Dustin Byfuglien also tallied for the Jets, who last won three straight from Dec. 27-31.

Ondrej Pavelec was solid in net, making 20 saves to notch the win.

The Jets and Oilers have split a pair of meetings in 2013-14, but Saturday's tilt -- the season-series finale -- is the first encounter in Winnipeg.

Edmonton has taken three of four overall in the series and four of six all- time on the road against the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise. This is only the second meeting in Winnipeg since the Jets relocated from Atlanta prior to the 2011-12 season.

The Oilers are currently mired in a three-game losing streak and the Western Conference's basement-dwellers are just 4-12-2 over their past 18 games. Edmonton has lost all three tilts during its current slide in regulation and has yielded four or more goals in each of those setbacks.

Ben Scrivens made his debut in net for the Oilers in a 4-1 loss at Minnesota on Thursday. Scrivens, who was acquired from Los Angeles for a 2014 third- round draft choice on Wednesday, made 29 saves in his first game with the Oilers.

"I felt pretty good, but I need to find a way to make another save or two for the guys here. Every game at this point of my career is another chance for me to develop and get better," Scrivens said. "Every team is different, we did so many things well in our own zone, but we made a few mistakes."

Jordan Eberle produced Edmonton's lone highlight with a first-period goal.

Forward Matt Hendricks also debuted for Edmonton after coming over from Nashville in another trade on Wednesday. Hendricks, who was acquired for goaltender Devan Dubnyk, failed to register a shot on goal in Thursday's loss.

The Oilers will try to salvage a win today in the finale of a four-game road trip. The club has lost six straight as the guest and is 7-18-3 away from Edmonton this season.

Edmonton played Thursday without forward Ales Hemsky and he expects to miss a second straight game with a bruised ankle. Fellow forward Nail Yakupov suffered a head injury in the loss against the Wild and is doubtful for Saturday's tilt.

Meanwhile, Jets defenseman Grant Clitsome underwent season-ending back surgery Thursday at the Marina Spine Center in California. Clitsome scored two goals with 10 assists in 32 games this season, but hasn't played since Dec. 17.

Jets forward Evander Kane will miss a fourth straight game with a deep cut on his hand. Kane was placed on injured reserve on Thursday and Carl Klingberg was recalled from St. John's of the AHL to take his spot on the roster.