Much like global warming, it will probably be years before we’d be a real threat to penguins. Doesn’t mean we can’t steal one tonight, but let’s be realistic here: the Jets need work. I don’t know what’s not clicking, but I’m pretty sure it starts with Randy Jones and Dustin Byfuglien being put together. The irony was that Jones was replacing Oduya because Oduya had made too many mistakes back there the previous two games.
Obviously, one defensive pair does not an atrocious team make. The defence overall was porous, the powerplay looked like we were playing 5-on-5, and the entire offence seemed to have no idea how to set up in the opponent's half of the rink. On the upshot, we finally were playing a team that skated at our speed, but the Penguins are not going to be that kind of team.
Lineups and predictions after the jump.
Jets
Forwards
#16 Andrew Ladd — #18 Bryan Little — #26 Blake Wheeler
#8 Alexander Burmistrov — #80 Nik Antropov — #13 Kyle Wellwood
#25 Brett MacLean — #55 Mark Scheifele — #14 Tim Stapleton
#15 Tanner Glass — #19 Jim Slater — #22 Chris Thorburn
Defencemen
#39 Tobias Enstrom — #33 Dustin Byfuglien
#29 Johnny Oduya — #6 Ron Hainsey
#5 Mark Stuart — #4 Zach Bogosian
Goaltender
#31 Ondrej Pavelec
Notes: No Kaner today, and no Randy Jones Massacre.
Birds
Forwards
#14 Chris Kunitz — #11 Jordan Staal — #9 Pascal Dupuis
#26 Steve Sullivan — #12 Richard Park — #18 James Neal
#24 Matt Cooke — #10 Mark Letestu — #45 Arron Asham
#33 Steve MacIntyre — #46 Joe Vitale — #27 Craig Adams
Defencemen
#5 Deryk Engelland — #58 Kris Letang
#7 Paul Martin — #4 Zbynek Michalek
#6 Ben Lovejoy — #2 Matt Niskanen
Goaltender
New Player Nickname: Bustin’ Dufflin
What You Should Do if You’re Going to the Game: In every sentence you say, include the lyrics of a popular song. Even when you’re ordering food. (examples: “I’d like two hot dogs, and come sail away with me,” or “I’ll take that shirt in a large, you must be a football coach the way you got me playin’ the field.”)
Prediction: As much as I’d like to shock the Penguins, I don’t think it’s happening today. Penguins 3 to 1. At some point in the evening Zbynek Michalek’s name will be pronounced correctly, but no one will notice.
Be sure to join us tonight in the game thread!
