t Norfolk. Pirates: Shortstop Clint Barmes was given a night off in Triple-A Indianapolis as he

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Winnipeg Jets will try to continue their success under new head coach Paul Maurice when they visit the struggling Washington Capitals for Thursdays meeting at Verizon Center. You catch all of the action live on TSN Jets at 6pm ct. The Jets boast a 9-2-0 record since Maurice took over behind the bench for the fired Claude Noel in mid-January. The club has won its last three games and Winnipeg can post its second four-game winning streak of the Maurice era with another victory tonight. The surge has helped move Winnipeg within two points of a playoff spot in the West. Washington, meanwhile, has damaged its playoff chances in recent weeks, although it does enter Thursdays tilt only three points out of a postseason spot in the East. The Capitals have lost three of their last four games and are just 3-7-3 over their past 13 outings. The Caps, who until this season were in the same division as the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise, have won five straight in this series against their former Southeast Division rivals. That run includes a 5-4 shootout win in Winnipeg on Oct. 22 when Alex Ovechkin recorded two goals and an assist for Washington. The Jets had a three-game winning streak in D.C. snapped when the Capitals posted a 5-3 home win on April 23 of last season. Ovechkin had one goal and an assist in that victory and the Russian sniper has amassed 81 points (40 goals, 41 assists) in 54 career games against the Thrashers/Jets. Winnipeg has won all three of its games during its current winning streak by one-goal margins and each of the victories came in regulation. The Jets picked up their second straight win by a 2-1 score Tuesday in Carolina, as Chris Thorburn scored the winner with 1:03 to play to down the Hurricanes. The winning goal came as Jacob Trouba skated behind the net and came around the left side in an attempt on a wraparound. It missed the goaltender, but came to the right side and Thorburn slammed it in with 63 seconds left. Andrew Ladd had the other goal and Ondrej Pavelec stopped 28 shots for the win. "It wasnt our best game because I dont think we played to our strengths," said Maurice. "But the structure was deep and our defense was good so thats what pulled us through." The Jets have won the first two games of a four-game swing to improve their road record to 14-14-1. Winnipeg will close the trip this Saturday in St. Louis on the final day of NHL action before the league goes on hiatus for the Winter Olympics. The Capitals were shut out 1-0 in their last outing, as they dropped a home decision to the New York Islanders. Andrew MacDonald scored the only goal of the game early in the third period to account for the decisive goal. Michal Neuvirth made 27 saves for the Capitals, who went 0-for-6 on the power play in the loss. "Every point right now is big," said Washington forward Martin Erat. "It doesnt matter if you are playing the Islanders or if you are playing Boston. You have to play the same way all the time, and we have to get the points from every single game." Washington is 1-1-0 on a four-game homestand that will carry the club into the Olympic break. The residency ends with Saturdays tilt against the New Jersey Devils, who are currently tied with the Caps in the East standings. The Capitals. who are 15-10-4 as the host this season, will play Thursday without defenseman Mike Green (concussion) and forwards Mikhail Grabovski (sprained ankle) and Aaron Volpatti (upper body). Granit Xhaka Jersey . Pierre last November, only to watch St. Pierre leave the UFC octagon with his welterweight title belt and a split-decision victory. 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Stephan Lichtsteiner Jersey . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April.PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Fredi Gonzalez has seen this before. Every summer it seems. There will come a time during the season when something clicks in Justin Upton and all the rest of the Atlanta Braves have to do is hop on and enjoy the ride. Like now, for example. Upton went 2 for 4 with five RBI in Atlantas 11-3 thrashing over reeling Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. The Braves have won five straight and are 7-3 during Uptons current 10-game hitting streak. "He gets hot and he can carry us," Gonzalez said. "Hes done that a few months so its nice to have that big bat right behind (Freddie) Freeman, who is starting to roll the pole a little bit also." Uptons 24th homer — a three-run shot off Francisco Liriano (3-10) in the third — broke things open early. He added a two-run single off reliever Brandon Cumpton in the fifth as the Braves extended Pittsburghs losing streak to a season-high seven games. Jason Heyward went 2 for 5 with three RBI for the Braves while Evan Gattis hit his 19th homer on a tape-measure shot that landed halfway up the rotunda behind left field. "That was a joke," Upton said of Gattis shot. Aaron Harang (10-7) struck out four without a walk in 8 1-3 innings, his only misstep coming in the ninth when he couldnt quite nail down his first complete game in 14 months. "I was locating, getting ahead early, not deep into counts a lot," Harang said. "They were being really aggressive and swinging at pitches out of the zone. Guys were there to make plays for them." Harang even added his first RBI in two seasons, a single up the middle in the second that put the Braves up 1-0. Upton did most of the rest as the Braves ruined Andrew McCutchens return to the lineup for Pittsburgh. McCutchen went 0 for 4 in his first game back after missing two weeks with fractured cartilage in his ribs. The reigning National League MVP left the game after grounding into a double play in the bottom of the eighth. He reported no discomfort but allowed it may take a bit for his timing to come back. "This is definitely something Im trying to do, get back in the rhythm oof things, get back in the swing of things," he said.dddddddddddd "That will come sooner rather than later." Travis Snider, Starling Marte and Russell Martin had two hits apiece for the Pirates, whose current losing streak is their longest since dropping seven straight Sept. 7-14, 2012. Lirianos real problems began in the third. He allowed singles by Phil Gosselin and Freddie Freeman to start the inning. Upton sent a lined shot over the wall in left to make it 4-0 and the Braves kept piling on. Liriano gave up nine runs, seven earned, in four-plus innings. He walked three and struck out four while his ERA rose from 3.78 to 4.18. "One of those nights anything you throw is gonna get hit," Liriano said. "Theyve been pretty hot last couple games. Ive got to put it behind me, got to move forward." TRAINERS ROOM Braves: After failing to retire a single batter against Charlotte in an International League game on Wednesday night, rehabbing right-handed reliever Shae Simmons will make a third appearance for Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday. Simmons, who has been on the disabled list since July 27 with a strained right shoulder, pitched one scoreless inning in his first outing last Saturday against Norfolk. Pirates: Shortstop Clint Barmes was given a night off in Triple-A Indianapolis as he recovers from a strained left groin that has sidelined him since late June. The 35-year-old Barmes went 0 for 3 in his first game with the Indians on Monday night. UP NEXT Braves: Alex Wood (9-9, 3.07 ERA) goes for his third straight victory on Wednesday for Atlanta. The 23-year-old has a 1.45 ERA over his last six starts but remains at .500 on the season because he receives the second-lowest run support in the majors. Pirates: Ace-in-training Gerrit Cole (7-4, 3.78 ERA) returns from his second stint on the disabled list on Wednesday. Cole hasnt pitched in the majors since being sidelined by right lat soreness on July 9. He pitches seven scoreless innings for Triple-A Indianapolis last Friday. Cole is 4-1 in his last five decisions. He will be making his first career start against Atlanta. ' ' '