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Jets need to beat Stars to cling onto playoff hopes

Valeri Nichushkin, Ondrej Pavelec, Matt Halischuk

Dallas Stars’ Valeri Nichushkin (43) scores on Winnipeg Jets’ goaltender Ondrej Pavelec (31) and Matt Halischuk (15) during first period of an NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Woods)

AP

The Winnipeg Jets chances of making the playoffs are slim, but they will look insurmountable if they don’t beat the second Wild Card seeded Dallas Stars tonight.

Six points separate these two teams, but Winnipeg has played in two more games and has just 14 contests remaining.

“This is our chance to get back into the fight here,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice, per the Winnipeg Sun. “We did something exceptionally special to close the gap and I don’t think any team in NHL history has closed that gap.”

Maurice obviously isn’t referring to the Jets’ very recent history. They went on a 11-3-1 run that put them back in the postseason picture, but those efforts have been muted by their current six-game losing streak.

The Jets haven’t made the playoffs since 2007 when they were still the Atlanta Thrashers. Dallas has missed the postseason for five consecutive campaigns, so there’s plenty at stake for both franchises.

Or at least there is today. The importance of the Jets’ last 13 games largely hangs on their efforts tonight.

Follow @RyanDadoun