After what seems like an eternity travelling the universe, the Winnipeg Jets returned home early Friday morning, coming 1-0-1 on their mini weather cancelling road trip. A overtime loss the Nashville Predators started the trip, while a postponed game against the New Jersey Devils created a change in plans. Not to be deterred, the team used their new found day off for rest, while using the following day for practice and travel. On Thursday evening, the Jets took on the New York Islanders at the Barclay’s Center, and while the team looked very shaky early on, they rebounded and managed to squeak out a 4-2 win before jetting back to Peg City.
Tonight’s opponents are the Minnesota Wild, who are enduring a 4 game winless streak, thanks in part to the New York Rangers, who beat the Wild on their own turf last night 3-2.
Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Who: Winnipeg Jets (31-33-7 for 69 pts) vs Minnesota Wild (43-21-6 for 92 pts)
When: 4:00 pm CST
How: TSN3, TSN 1290, FS-N, FS-WI, KFAN 100.3
Projected Lineups:
Winnipeg Jets:
Mathieu Perreault – Mark Scheifele – Blake Wheeler
Nikolaj Ehlers – Bryan Little- Patrik Laine
Marko Dano – Adam Lowry – Joel Armia
Andrew Copp – Nic Petan – Chris Thorburn
Julian Melchiori- Dustin Byfuglien
Brian Strait – Josh Morrissey
Mark Stuart – Ben Chariot
Connor Hellebuyck
Micheal Hutchinson
*Strait has been recalled.
*Enstrom (UBI), Myers (LBI), Pavelec (LBI), Trouba (LBI) Postma (LBI), Matthias (UBI) – Myers is skating with the team on alternate days. Postma is day to day. Trouba out a week. Enstrom’s return depends upon the concussion protocol. Matthias is done for the season with a shoulder injury.
Minnesota Wild:
Mikael Granlund – Mikko Koivu – Jason Zucker
Nino Niederreiter – Eric Staal – Charlie Coyle
Zach Parise – Martin Hanzal – Jason Pominville
Chris Stewart – Erik Haula – Ryan White
Ryan Suter – Jared Spurgeon
Marco Scandella – Matt Dumba
Jonas Brodin – Nate Prosser
Devan Dubnyk
Darcy Kuemper
Keys to the game:
Winnipeg Jets: The Jets overcame the glitches in the matrix to pull out a win against the Islanders and a overtime loss against the Predators. This new found determination needs to be tapped, bottled and used liberally thru out the season.
Minnesota Wild: Concentrate on gaining 2 points in order to maintain the playoff standings.
3 Questions:
- Has Hellebuyck finally solidified the #1 goaltender position? Just when we are on the cusp of being satisfied, a squeaker gets by that makes fans in the arena and watching on television at home, close their eyes and wring their hands in wretched anxiety.
- Can the Winnipeg Jets manage to stay out of the penalty box? I say the next player who takes a 2 minute minor, has to donate $2500 to a charity, preferably “The Human Fund, Andy Rolfe Chapter”. Seinfeld fans will get that one…
- What more can the Jets do? Stay healthy. What the H-E- double hockey sticks! Someone get these guys a bottle of tylenol, a tube of smelly muscle stuff, and a ice pack.
Players to watch:
Winnipeg Jets: Byfuglien. Oh thee defence lord!. Your peoples need you, oh brave, heroic cruncher of foe!
Minnesota Wild: Staal the stalwart, oh yee mighty kin of Thunder Bay folk!
Participants worthy of your rejection and unclean wordplay: Dubnyk, the other quicker picker upper.
Prediction: Jets 3-2
