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Jets visit Stars aiming to keep offense going

Jan 15, 2015 - 4:04 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Mathieu Perreault and the Winnipeg Jets will try to build off a stellar offensive showing when they visit the Dallas Stars for Thursday's clash at AmericanAirlines Center.

The Jets slammed the visiting Florida Panthers by an 8-2 score on Tuesday with Perreault scoring four goals to tie a franchise record.

Perreault's first two goals gave the Jets a 2-0 lead in the first period, and his next two were scored barely a minute apart late in the second period. His second career hat trick gives Perreault 15 goals on the season, one less than Andrew Ladd and Bryan Little for tops on the team.

"The bounces were going my way," said Perreault. "It was one of those night and obviously a lot of fun."

Perreault tied the club record for goals in a game, matching Ilya Kovalchuk, who scored four times back on Nov. 11, 2005 when the franchise was still known as the Atlanta Thrashers.

Winnipeg got a pair of goals and an assist from Dustin Byfuglien. Jay Harrison and Evander Kane also lit the lamp for the Jets, while Michael Hutchinson made 25 saves to help his club win for the second time in three games.

Ladd notched an assist and now has four goals and five assists during a seven- game point streak. Jets head coach Paul Maurice also won his 500th NHL game thanks to the rout.

The eight goals beat Winnipeg's previous season high of six and the margin of victory also was the largest of 2014-15 for the Jets.

Winnipeg is playing two straight and four of its next six on the road, where it is 12-5-5 this season. The Jets wrap a two-game swing tomorrow night in Chicago.

Hutchinson and Ondrej Pavelec are expected to split starts over the next two days. The former player's only career appearance against the Stars came in a 5-2 win at Dallas on Dec. 9, as Hutchinson stopped 26-of-28 shots for the win.

Pavelec is 3-3-0 with a 4.12 goals against average in his career versus the Stars.

Winnipeg's December victory in Big D was the club's second in its last three trips to Dallas. The Jets have claimed four of seven overall in this matchup.

Tonight's battle has playoff implications out West, where the Jets are currently holding onto the first of two wild card spots. The Stars are four points out of a postseason berth and sit seven points in back of Winnipeg.

The Stars are hoping to pick up another win tonight after halting an 0-2-2 slide with Tuesday's 5-4 regulation win over Ottawa. Dallas trailed 3-1 after the first period, but took control of the game with four goals in the second.

John Klingberg scored twice during the second-period outburst, while Erik Cole and Ales Hemsky each tallied a goal and an assist in the win.

"I thought it was a really hard battle to stay in there and come back with that second period," Stars head coach Lindy Ruff said. "Everybody dug in and found a way to win."

Trevor Daley also lit the lamp for the Stars, who are 9-3-2 over the last 14 games. Anders Lindback stopped 34-of-36 shots after Kari Lehtonen gave up two goals on five shots early in the game.

Lehtonen owns excellent career numbers against his former franchise and could start tonight. The former Thrashers netminder is 4-1-1 with a 1.95 goals against average in six career games versus Atlanta/Winnipeg.

Vernon Fiddler is questionable for tonight after missing Tuesday with a lower- body injury. The Stars forward has four goals and nine assists in 41 games this season.

Dallas is 10-8-5 at home this season and will complete a three-game homestand when it hosts Washington on Saturday.