The Winnipeg Jets entertain the Los Angeles Kings in the Jets' 2018-19 home opener...This is the Kings only trip to Winnipeg this season...The Jets are coming off a two-game, season-opening road trip that had a pair of 5-1 decisions - a victory over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday and a loss against the Dallas Stars on Saturday...The Jets are back on the road for another Central Division matchup on Thursday against the Nashville Predators before returning home for a six-game homestand.
Home Openers
The Jets have won three of seven home openers at Bell MTS Place, including three of the last five (Oct. 4/13 vs LAK - 5-3 W and Oct. 16/15 vs. CGY 3-1 W, Oct. 13/16 vs. CAR 5-4 OTW)...This is the second time the Jets have faced Los Angeles in a home opener, winning 5-3 in 2013...In Atlanta, the franchise went 5-4-2 in home openers for an all-time franchise mark of 8-8-2 in home openers.
Home, Sweet Home
The Jets posted their best home record in franchise history last season and ended the regular season on a franchise record nine-game home winning streak at Bell MTS Place...The Jets outscored their opponents 33-20 in the nine games and won six of the contests by one goal...Winnipeg's last loss in the regular season at Bell MTS Place was Feb. 27 to Nashville 6-5...Winnipeg led the NHL in points at home with 66 and wins at home with 32...Winnipeg scored a league-high 156 goals at home last season, while allowing just 101 goals...The Jets had a point in every game at home in four calendar months last season, going 5-0-1 at Bell MTS Place in November, 4-0-0 in January, 7-0-0 in March and 2-0-0 in April...This season, the Jets play seven of their first 10 games on home ice.
Party in the Pacific
The Jets went a dominant 17-4-2 against Pacific Division foes last season, including a 11-1-2 run in their last 14 games versus the Pacific...Winnipeg was 8-1-1 at Bell MTS Place against their Pacific Division foes with their lone regulation loss coming to Los Angeles on Feb. 20...Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck led the NHL with 15 wins against the Pacific, going 15-2-2...Nikolaj Ehlers (9G, 10A) and Blake Wheeler (3G, 16A) led the Jets in scoring against the Pacific with 19 points in 24 games.
Pre-Season Recap
The Jets went 4-3-0 during their seven-game pre-season slate, including 1-2-0 on the road...Two of Winnipeg's four wins came in overtime...Captain Blake Wheeler led the Jets in scoring in the pre-season with seven points (2G, 5A) in three games...Dustin Byfuglien (3G, 3A) and Mark Scheifele (2G, 4A) also had strong pre-seasons with six points each.
Two for KC
Kyle Connor is the only Jets player to have scored in both games this season after scoring the lone goal against the Stars on Saturday...He scored 31 goals as a rookie last season and has 11 goals in his last 15 games, dating back to last season...He leads the Jets in scoring this season with three points (2G, 1A) and also has a team-best plus-three rating.
Pacific Leaders
Nikolaj Ehlers (9G, 10A) and Blake Wheeler (3G, 16A) led the Jets in scoring against the Pacific Division last season with 19 points in 24 games...Ehlers had a four-point game against Edmonton on Oct. 9 (3G, 1A) and three-point game on Nov. 24 at Anaheim (2G, 1A)...Wheeler is on a four-game point streak against Pacific Division teams with six points (2G, 4A) in the quartet of games.
From the Backend
Josh Morrissey and Jacob Trouba each assisted Kyle Connor's goal on Saturday...Morrissey is coming off his best season offensively after setting career highs for goals (7), assists (19), and points (26)...Trouba is coming off back-to-back 20-plus assist seasons despite missing a significant number of games in both seasons.
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