The upstart Winnipeg Jets closed the first half of their season with a flurry of offense, resulting in one of their best stretches in years.

Following the All-Star break, the Jets can match their longest winning streak in four seasons Tuesday night when they face off with the banged-up Pittsburgh Penguins.

Viewers in the Jets region can catch all of the action LIVE on TSN3 at 6pm ct, while listeners can tune in at 5pm ct on TSN 1290.

Winnipeg (26-14-8) rattled off five straight wins, beating Columbus 4-0 on Wednesday to claim just its fourth win streak of five or more games since 2009.

The Jets have averaged 4.20 goals over the streak and have an NHL-high seven players with at least 10 goals. All-Star Dustin Byfuglien has nine points in the last seven games, a 6-0-1 stretch, and is on pace for his second consecutive 20-goal season.

"We've definitely turned a corner up there," Byfuglien said. "Our game has come a long way. Our locker room is better. We've handled things a lot better. ... It's definitely changed. It's a good thing, and it's fun to be a part of."

Perhaps even more impressive than the scoring surge has been the play of rookie Michael Hutchinson, who has been stellar since taking the starting job from Ondrej Pavelec and ranks second in the NHL with a 1.90 goals-against average.

A victory Tuesday would mark the franchise's longest winning streak since Nov. 19-30, 2010, when the Atlanta Thrashers won six straight.

"That was a well-timed break for us," coach Paul Maurice said. "I think there's an excitement here, I feel, to get back on this big push. There's no more breaks and the hockey changes gears now. It's the hardest plate of the regular season."

Mathieu Perreault will return for Winnipeg tonight after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury. Perreault, who scored four times in an 8-2 win over Florida on Jan. 13, is three goals shy of matching his career high.

Pittsburgh (26-12-8) looks to avoid a season-worst five-game losing streak as it deals with a host of injuries. The Penguins figure to be without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin after both missed the All-Star game with lower-body injuries.

The Penguins, however, could see the return of Kris Letang after he missed a 3-2 shootout loss to Chicago on Wednesday. Letang, who skated with the team and passed concussion tests Monday, had seven points in four games before suffering the injury in a 3-2 overtime loss at Philadelphia last Tuesday.

"With concussions you have to go through the protocol," coach Mike Johnston said. "Each step along the way is checked. He's moving along in the process. ... We'll see what our doctors think for tomorrow."

Should Letang also miss Tuesday's game, the Penguins would be without their top three scorers. Crosby and Malkin have 51 points apiece, while Letang has 32.

Marc-Andre Fleury figures to start Tuesday, looking to snap a three-game losing streak. He is 22-9-5 with a career-best 2.31 GAA.

The Penguins have dominated the Jets in recent years, winning each of the last five matchups and 20 of the last 23. They downed Winnipeg 4-3 in a shootout Nov. 6 behind a 34-save effort from Fleury and shootout goals from Crosby and Malkin.

Jets Projected Lines



Ladd - Little - Wheeler

Perreault - Scheifele - Frolik

Kane - Lowry - Thorburn

Halischuk - Slater - Peluso



Chiarot - Byfuglien

Enstrom - Bogosian

Harrison - Trouba



Pavelec

Hutchinson



Penguins Projected Lines



Hornqvist - Sutter - Bennett

Perron - Spaling - Kunitz

Arcobello - Goc - Downie

Sill - Ebbett - Adams



Martin - Letang

Bortuzzo - Ehrhoff

Despres - Scuderi/Harrington



Greiss

Fleury

Game Notes:

PIT is 1-0-0 vs WPG this season, SOW in WPG

PIT has won 5 straight vs WPG

Pittsburgh:

0-2-2 past 4 games, 9GF, 3/13 on PP

Malkin (2G, 6A) has a PT in 5 of the past 6 games

Winnipeg:

won 5 straight, outscored opponent 21-8, 19/20 on PK

Ladd (1G, 3A) 3 game PT streak, 2PTS shy of 400 for his career