If there was ever to be a game that came to a story book ending, this one was it. Facing the team that knocked the Jets out of the playoffs two years ago in the Anaheim Ducks, the Winnipeg Jets came back from 2 goals down at the start of the 3rd period to tie the game and send it to overtime. From there, Mark Schiefele solidified his status as #1 center on the team and rising league allstar and threat, as he scored what was an electrifying goal, his 30th of the season, giving the Winnipeg Jets the win on a very fittingly Mark Scheifele bobblehead give away night. To set up the win, great goals provided by Joel Armia (his career high 10th and 4th shortie of the year!), Blake Wheeler, and Dustin Byfuglien, who scored with 12 seconds left to tie the game, helped to bring the Jets to victory and the sold out crowd to their collective feet.
Today’s opponents are the Ottawa Senators, who are coming off a disappointing 5-1 loss against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night, and are suffering a few injury problems too.
Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Who: Winnipeg Jets (36-35-7) vs Ottawa Senators (41-26-9)
When: 6:00 pm CST
How: SN, TSN 1290, TSN1200
Projected Lineups:
Winnipeg Jets:
Mathieu Perreault – Mark Scheifele – Blake Wheeler
Nikolaj Ehlers – Bryan Little- Patrik Laine
Andrew Copp – Adam Lowry – Joel Armia
Brandon Tanev – Nic Petan – Chris Thorburn
Julian Melchiori- Dustin Byfuglien
Jacob Trouba – Josh Morrissey
Mark Stuart – Nelson Nogier
Jacob Trouba
Connor Hellebuyck
Micheal Hutchinson
*Enstrom (UBI), Pavelec (LBI), Postma (LBI), and Matthias (UBI) are all done for the year.
*Chariot (UBI) and Myers (LBI) are both skating and will be back in the lineup in one of the last remaining games. Marko Dano was the only scratch against the Ducks, but with no practice or media availability on Friday, we’ll have to wait until pregame skate to see the line combos and scratches for tonight’s matchup.
Ottawa Senators:
Zack Smith – Derick Brassard – Mark Stone
Ryan Dzingel – Kyle Turris – Bobby Ryan
Mike Hoffman- Jean Gabriel Pageau – Tom Pyatt
Viktor Stalberg – Chris Kelly – Tommy Wingels
Fredrik Claesson – *Erik Karlsson
Dion Phaneuf – Cody Ceci
Mark Borowiecki – Chris Wideman
Craig Anderson
Mike Condon
*In the article linked above, the Sens will be without Karlsson as he’s returned to Ottawa. Alex Burrows may suit up, and we’ll know more at the pregame skate.
For more info on today’s Jets opponent, please visit Silversevensens.com
Keys to the game:
Winnipeg Jets: The game starts at 00:00 and ends at 60:00.
Ottawa Senators: Are you ready to get the playoff groove on?
3 Questions:
- What’s more important for the Jets right now, wins or assessments? To finish the season on a high note is one thing, but to allow for some of the young ones (Connor, Roslovic, etc.) to gain some NHL minutes to see how they’ve progressed, is another.
- Who hasn’t liked Nogier’s game? Nelson Nogier has played a surprising game since being called up, considering he’s matched up with Stuart. Hell, the kid stood up for his defensive partner against one of the tougher dudes in the NHL, in the Duck’s Boll. Nogier dropped the gloves first, and Boll, who seemed surprised, tossed his and granted, Nogier took a fist off the helmet which caused him to fall, but he didn’t turtle when he hit the ice. Good on him! Give him a few cheeseburgers to stack on the weight, and in time he’ll certainly be an option for the Jets down the road…for defense, that is, not goonery! Add some fries too.
- Why Thorburn and Tanev over Dano? I don’t have an answer. Maybe someone out there does.
Players to watch:
Winnipeg Jets: Petan, AKA Anchor Man (See Thorburn and Tanev above)
Ottawa Senators: Dion and Codi, the D boys.
Participants worthy of your rejection and unclean wordplay: Ryan, Kyle and Bobby, the second liners.
Prediction: Jets 3-2
