Time: 7:00 PM CDT
Channel: TSN3, FS-W
Radio: TSN1290
Eric Comrie will get the start in net tonight for the Winnipeg Jets (43-19-10) as they take on the Los Angeles Kings (40-27-6). Jets head coach Paul Maurice said last week that he wanted to put Comrie in for a few starts as the season wound down, and it now seems this will be the first of those starts.
This will be Comrie’s third career start, with his numbers to this point sitting at 1-1-0, a 4.54 GAA and a .878 save percentage. He had a stellar start to the AHL season, like all of his Manitoba Moose teammates, before things started to taper off as the season wore along. Losing the likes of Jack Roslovic didn’t help the Moose, but early on it was terrific goaltending from Comrie and (moreso) Michael Hutchinson that carried the team.
The Jets last played on Sunday, as they finished off the season sweep of the Dallas Stars via a 4-2 win. Patrik Laine notched a pair of goals in the game to bring his season total to 43, which ties him for the league lead. Laine is also riding a 15 point streak, an NHL record for players in their teens. He now has 13 more career points than Auston Matthews, not that anybody is keeping track or comparing the two.
Los Angeles played in Minnesota last night, in a game that went to overtime, with the Kings coming away victorious by a 4-3 score. Will this mean that L.A. is tired tonight and the Jets will destroy them? One can dream. The Kings are lead in scoring by Anze Kopitar, who is quietly having a terrific season, sitting eighth in the league with 81 points, one ahead of Blake Wheeler.
In an unfortunate bit of timing, tonight is Jacob Trouba bobblehead night at Bell MTS Place. Trouba left Sunday’s game extremely “bobbly” after a hit/collision with Dallas’ Jamie Benn. While the Jets’ haven’t officially said it’s a concussion yet, I went on WebMD and they think it is, so it’s a concussion and he’s out indefinitely.
Adam Lowry and Mark Scheifele each notched assists in their return to game action on Tuesday. In other injury news, Dmitry Kulikov opted against surgery that would have kept him out eight weeks, and his timeline for recovery now has him possibly returning to the lineup in early April. Just in time for playoffs!
Winnipeg Jets: 43-19-10
Stat Leaders:
Goals: Patrik Laine (43)
Assists: Blake Wheeler (61)
Points: Wheeler (80)
Goalie Stat Leaders:
Wins: Connor Hellebuyck (36)
Goals Against Average: Hellebuyck (2.34)
Save Percentage: Hellebuyck (.925)
Minutes: Hellebuyck (3,533)
Special Teams: PP 23.7% (3rd), PK 83.0% (5th)
Los Angeles Kings: 40-27-6
Stat Leaders:
Goals: Anze Kopitar (29)
Assists: Kopitar (52)
Points: Kopitar (81)
Goalie Stat Leaders:
Wins: Jonathan Quick (29)
Goals Against Average: Quick (2.43)
Save Percentage: Quick (.921)
Minutes: Crawford (3,256)
Special Teams: PP 20.0% (18th), PK 84.2% (2nd)
PREDICTION: JETS 4 KINGS 3
OPPONENT’S BLOG: JEWELS FROM THE CROWN
