JETS (37-35-7) at BLUES (43-28-7)
8 p.m. ET; FS-MW+, TSN3, NHL.TV
Jets team scope
The Winnipeg Jets will try for their fifth straight victory. They are 7-2-0 in their past nine games, and while they'll miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight season, they are hoping for a strong finish. "We want to win these last three games that we have," rookie right wing Patrik Laine said. "We want to improve our game to every game and hopefully I can help my team with my specialties. I just want to win." The Jets have beaten the St. Louis Blues in their four previous games this season and outscored them 16-8. "This team has brought out the best of us in the last number of years," forward Blake Wheeler said. "We haven't had the opportunity to close out some of those games against these guys, but every time we come to this building or they come to our building, we know what to expect. I think they know what to expect out of us. We have a great amount of respect for the players on their team and what they bring to the table. I think we always get our best effort and best game when we play these guys." Goalie Michael Hutchinson will start.
Blues team scope
The Blues can clinch third place in the Central Division with a win and a regulation loss by the Nashville Predators to the New York Islanders. They also have a chance to climb as high as second in the division if they go 3-0-1 in their final four games and the Minnesota Wild lose their three final games in regulation. The Blues have points in nine straight (7-0-2), and in their past 15 games are 12-1-2 and have allowed 20 goals. Forward Jori Lehtera will play after missing the past 12 games because of concussion-like symptoms. "Every time when you're not playing it feels way longer than it is," Lehtera said. "Even though I haven't had a single full practice with the team I think I'm ready. A couple short shifts at the start." Coach Mike Yeo said it's vital for Lehtera to play some games before the Western Conference First Round starts next week. "This is a team that went to the Western Conference Final last year and he was a big part of that," Yeo said. "He's got the experience of playing in the [Stanley Cup] Playoffs, he's got a big body (6-foot-2, 212 pounds) that can hang onto the puck, can make plays, can play on special teams. Certainly excited to get him in and see how quickly we can get him up to speed here." Goalie Jake Allen will start; he's 9-1-2 with 16 goals allowed and two shutouts in his past 12 games.
Jets projected lineup
Nikolaj Ehlers -- Mark Scheifele -- Blake Wheeler
Mathieu Perreault -- Bryan Little -- Patrik Laine
Andrew Copp -- Adam Lowry -- Joel Armia
Brandon Tanev -- Nic Petan -- Chris Thorburn
Josh Morrissey -- Jacob Trouba
Julian Melchiori -- Dustin Byfuglien
Michael Hutchinson
Scratched: Marko Dano, Brian Strait, Jack Roslovic
Injured: Toby Enstrom (concussion), Tyler Myers (lower body), Ondrej Pavelec (lower body), Shawn Matthias (upper body), Paul Postma (lower body), Ben Chiarot (upper body)
Blues projected lineup
Jaden Schwartz -- Alexander Steen -- Vladimir Tarasenko
Magnus Paajarvi -- Patrik Berglund -- David Perron
Jori Lehtera -- Ivan Barbashev -- Zach Sanford
Scottie Upshall -- Kyle Brodziak -- Ryan Reaves
Jay Bouwmeester -- Alex Pietrangelo
Joel Edmundson -- Colton Parayko
Petteri Lindbohm -- Jordan Schmaltz
Jake Allen
Scratched: Nail Yakupov, Dmitrij Jaskin
Injured: Paul Stastny (foot), Robby Fabbri (knee), Carl Gunnarsson (lower body), Robert Bortuzzo (upper body)
Status report
Myers took part in the morning skate but will not play. He's been out since Nov. 11. ... With Lehtera returning, Jaskin becomes a healthy scratch. Gunnarsson will miss his fourth straight game. Bortuzzo did not skate Tuesday and will miss a second straight game.
Who's hot
Wheeler has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) the past 10 games. Perreault has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) the past nine games. Scheifele has 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) the past 18 games. ... Tarasenko has 14 points (nine goals, five assists) the past 14 games. Schwartz has eight points (four goals, four assists) the past seven games.
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