The Winnipeg Jets will look to carry the momentum of a shootout win into the second night of a back-to-back when they travel to face the Boston Bruins on Thursday.The Jets enter off a 4-3 victory over the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Wednesday, in which Blake Wheeler netted the winner in the fourth round of an eventful shootout to seal the victory. The Jets have won three of their last five (3-1-1) and conclude a four-game road trip at Boston before returning home for three straight beginning Sunday.The Bruins were idle Wednesday after a 6-2 win over the Predators in Nashville on Tuesday that saw them snap a three-game skid (0-1-2). Boston's stop home is short as it will embark on a three-game road trip starting Saturday at the New York Islanders.The meeting is the first of two between the Bruins and Jets this season as they will play in Winnipeg on Jan. 31. Winnipeg has won the last three matchups between the two clubs.The Jets have been one of the best teams on the road this season, where their 14 wins are tied for the most in the Western Conference. Winnipeg added to that total Wednesday night by scoring three goals to Toronto's two in the shootout.The victory salvaged what could have a been a gut-punch loss after the Jets saw a 3-2 lead with 14 seconds left in regulation disappear after Auston Matthews scored his second goal of the contest. But Connor Hellebuyck (25 saves) held firm in overtime to aid in the victory.Hellebuyck will get the night off Thursday as rarely used backup Laurent Brossoit gets the call. Brossoit (4-4-0, 3.50 goals-against average) hasn't started since Dec. 23."The nature of the business," Brossoit told reporters of his limited playing time. "If you want to earn more opportunities, then you have to deal with the circumstances and still perform and learn how to cope with that. It doesn't really bother me." Winnipeg could receive a boost on defense as Dmitry Kulikov (upper body) was available against the Maple Leafs but not used. Kulikov, who was averaging 19:42 of ice time before his injury, has been sidelined since Nov. 29.After a wave of injuries late last month, the Bruins are playing mostly full strength of late. It showed in Tuesday's win over the Predators, in which six different players scored goals."I don't think we've ever considered ourselves a one-line team," coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We've always felt like we're a group of 20 guys that have to pull their weight every night and if not, we're not gonna win every night." Still, Boston's No. 1 line was responsible for two of the scores and remains lethal as ever. David Pastrnak leads the way with his league-leading 32 goals as he rides an 11-game point streak (six goals, 10 assists) into Thursday's game."We're a team that needs and relies on everyone to play their game and bring it every night," said top center Patrice Bergeron, who also scored in Tuesday's rout. "I thought tonight was a perfect example of how we want to play and compete." --Field Level Media
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