Winnipeg Jets trying for eight straight wins in rematch with Tampa Bay Lightning

For the first time this season, the Winnipeg Jets are facing an opponent that they have already seen.

They are on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team they were able to get a 7-4 win against just over a week ago.

The Lightning will be without one of their star players in Brayden Point, but Head Coach Scott Arniel knows that won't slow Tampa down.

"There's still a lot of veteran players over there that know how to win hockey games. They've had a week off here to kind of get themselves reset. We know (Nikita Kucherov) is going to see an awful lot of ice time, and they gave us a tough one in our building," said Arniel.

Jets d-man Dylan DeMelo said the main thing to be aware of with the Lightning is their top guys always find a way to make you pay if you make a mistake.

"They're a well-balanced team. No matter who we play, it's about us and our game, and our focus. We just got to keep doing what we're doing. Hopefully we can get a win tonight. It's going to be a good game. They've been off for some time here, so we expect them to start fast, or at least want to start fast. So, the first five, 10 minutes are going to be crucial," DeMelo said.

Structure has been one of the key factors in the top-notch performances by the Jets that have propelled them to the top of the NHL standings at 15-1.

"We have a certain style of play that we have to play all the time to have success, and it's been built into us the last couple of years, and obviously, the start of this year. When we get away from it, then games kind of get wide open; obviously, the opposition gets way more looks than we want. But these guys do a real good job of resetting, whether it's from game to game or shift to shift, period to period," said Arniel.

It has been Connor Hellebuyck's net for the majority of the season, but he is getting the night off Thursday, with Eric Comrie taking over the blue paint.

Arniel said it was important for him to get Comrie a start.

"It's just all that schedule that’s coming," said Arniel. "We know what the workload is looking like with the Four Nations and then probably Helly playing in there. So we're trying to get Coms in as many games as possible to get him up and running."

The Jets will look to make it eight straight wins and improve to 16-1 starting at 6 p.m.