The Winnipeg Jets have defeated the Ottawa Senators four times in as many meetings this season.
But to hear the Jets tell it, they'll have to be at their best when the teams wrap up a two-game series Saturday afternoon in Winnipeg.
The Jets won the opener 5-1 on Thursday as Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves and Paul Stastny and Nikolaj Ehlers each had a goal and an assist. Captain Blake Wheeler, Mathieu Perreault and defenseman Neal Pionk also scored for Winnipeg and Mark Scheifele had two assists.
"You need to watch Ottawa play regularly to fully appreciate their game," Jets coach Paul Maurice said. "They play real hard, real fast and they're a good team, they're a tough out. So you have to stay in the game, you have to stay in the fight. Our goaltender was outstanding in the first period and we weren't, and then we got better."
Hellebuyck made 18 saves in the first period to keep it scoreless.
"I got into a rhythm, I got into it early," Hellebuyck said. "The guys were keeping them to the outside allowing me to see a lot of the shots, which is great for my position.
"They got a lot of shots, but I thought we controlled where they were coming from and we handled the rebounds. ... So, yeah, they got a big number there, but I felt like our team kind of controlled it well."
The Jets tallied three times in the second, including Stastny's goal just eight seconds in -- one second shy of the franchise record to start a period.
Wheeler's power-play goal with 27 seconds left in the second was his 218th with the franchise, putting him second behind Ilya Kovalchuk's 328.
"We just got more engaged," Stastny said. "The message was about being more engaged. Whether it's offensively, whether it's defensively, getting a stick on the puck, or finishing a check, it could be anywhere on the ice.
"If you're more engaged, all of a sudden all five guys on the ice play a lot better and play a lot tighter together. That's when we're more successful."
Josh Norris scored the lone goal for Ottawa, which lost its fourth game in a row.
"We got a lot of really good chances," Norris said. "It's one of the best goalies in the world over there. He made some really good saves and unfortunately we couldn't sneak a couple more by him."
Senators goalie Matt Murray departed after the second period after being involved in a collision with teammate Nikita Zaitsev.
"It was more precautionary," Senators coach D.J. Smith said of removing Murray. "They're doing some tests and we'll see (Friday morning) how he is."
Marcus Hogberg replaced Murray in the third and allowed two goals on 11 shots.
"It's difficult. We haven't heard anything yet (on Murray's status)," Senators defenseman Erik Gudbranson said. "He's your No. 1 goaltender, he's found his game and he's been outstanding for us over the last (10 days). We just hope he's healthy as soon as possible and it's not that bad."
Jets defenseman Dylan DeMelo also praised the last-place Senators.
"They gave us a tough game," DeMelo said. "They beat Montreal and Toronto. They gave those guys hard games. They're no pushover in this division. We're in for a tough one again Saturday."
--Field Level Media