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Preview: Winnipeg Jets vs Chicago Blackhawks

Time: 7:30 PM CST
Channel: TSN3

Radio: TSN1290

The Winnipeg Jets are playing their sworn enemy: the Chicago Blackhawks. They will be facing the Blackhawks for the second time this week and while they want to start the game off like they did in the first period, they need to continue that play throughout the game and not be lulled into a false sense of security like they were last time.

The Blackhawks are a team that has fallen far from where they were not even five years ago. Although they were a really good team, bad contracts and failure to integrate young players into their lineup is one of the reasons they have fallen so far. The other reason is they have aged and have more overpaid players than before.

The Jets are coming off of an uneven win against the Edmonton Oilers where they manage to beat the Oilers back in overtime. They are able to move into first in the West tonight with a win and that win should happen considering their competition. However, this is the Jets and they can always surprise with how they play. That say, I think they should be able to win this one.

Goalies (guesses):

Winnipeg Jets: Laurent Brossoit

Chicago Blackhawks: Corey Crawford

Enemy Territory

Chicago Blackhawks Coverage: Second City Hockey

Last Jets Game:

Winnipeg Jets 5-4 (OT) Edmonton Oilers

A two goal Jets lead turned into an Oilers lead going into the third period, but a tying goal by Mark Scheifele and a Josh Morrissey OT winner saw the Jets come out on top, and Derek win Timbits from his boss.

Last Blackhawks Game:

Chicago Blackhawks 6-3 Pittsburgh Penguins

Winnipeg boy Jonathan Toews crossed the 700 career point plateau and the ‘Hawks won for the first time in nine tries.

Players to watch:

Winnipeg Jets

His super duper early season numbers are coming back down to earth, but Laurent Brossoit is still proving to be a capable backup for the Jets, and might be key in a game in which the Jets are playing their second game of a back to back, and following up a game that went to overtime to boot. Luckily, that OT didn’t last very long. Thanks Josh Morrissey!

Chicago Blackhawks

First of all, I love this photo by Gary A. Vasquez. Second of all, Corey Crawford needs to step up if the Blackhawks are going to avoid allowing six goals to the Jets for the third time this season (the Jets won 6-5 on november 29 and 6-3 on December 11). Crawford’s .903 save percentage this year is well below his career average. But he stopped 40 of 43 against the always dangerous Penguins, so maybe those eight straight losses immediately before that game are behind him now.

Check in later today for our Game Day Thread.

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