Eurolanche

Jets visit Avs, can clinch playoff berth

Season series: The Winnipeg Jets have won three of four games against the Colorado Avalanche. In the first game at Pepsi Center, the Avalanche won 4-3 in a shootout Dec. 11. Jets center Bryan Little has five goals and two assists, including a hat track Dec. 5. Linemate Andrew Ladd has three goals and three assists.

Jets (42-26-12) team scope: Winnipeg can clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a win. It would be the franchise's first playoff appearance since 2007, when it played as the Atlanta Thrashers. The Jets lead the Los Angeles Kings by three points for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. Any combination of points earned by Winnipeg or missed by Los Angeles adding up to two puts the Jets in the postseason. Winnipeg is one point from tying the franchise record (97) set in 2006-07. One more win would tie the franchise record (43), also set in 2006-07. A 1-0 road shutout against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday gave the Jets their third consecutive win. Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec has two shutouts in a row; he has started 11 of the past 12 games, and is 9-2-0 with a 1.63 goals-against average and .945 save percentage. The Jets finish their season at home against the Calgary Flames on Saturday.

Avalanche (37-31-12) team scope: This is the second game of Colorado's season-ending homestand against Central Division opponents. Goalie Reto Berra is expected to start; coach Patrick Roy will finish the season with a goaltending rotation of Berra and Semyon Varlamov. The Avalanche defeated the Nashville Predators 3-2 on Tuesday to open the homestand. Forward Joey Hishon scored his first NHL goal. Forward Daniel Briere (foot) did not practice Wednesday, according to The Denver Post, which also reported forward Dennis Everberg, who sustained a shoulder injury against Nashville, will be out. In their past 26 games, the Avalanche penalty kill is 66 of 71. Colorado, which has now missed the playoffs in four of five seasons, will host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday in its season finale.

-- by Patrick Williams for NHL.com --