Time: 7:00 PM CST
TV: TSN 3
Radio: TSN 1290
Introduction:
The second half of the season starts tonight for the Jets against the Colorado Avalanche. There are not really any must win games at this point in the season, however, the start of the second half of the season means that contending teams need to start thinking about playoff seeding. Teams like the Jets need to win home games against inferior opponents, like tonight.
The Avalanche have one of the best lines in the NHL with Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. Scoring outside of that line has been difficult for the Avalanche this season. The Jets also have a top-heavy scoring line with Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and whomever is playing left wing, presently Kyle Connor, with Nikolaj Ehlers out with an upper body injury. This would be a great game for Patrick Laine to wake up from his scoring hibernation that started in December; Bryan Little to step up his offensive game to resemble that of a second line center; and Jack Rosolovic to show some of the offensive promise we’ve seen in glimpses.
Random Prediction:
Over/Under on Marko Dano mentions in the comments section of this article – three. I will take the over.
Winnipeg Jets Line Up:
Forwards
Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Blake Wheeler
Patrik Laine – Bryan Little – Jack Roslovic
Mathieu Perreault – Adam Lowry – Brandon Tanev
Brendan Lemieux – Andrew Copp – Mason Appleton
Defence
Josh Morrissey – Jacob Trouba
Ben Chiarot – Tyler Myers
Joe Morrow – Dmitry Kulikov
Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck
Laurent Brossoit
Injuries
F Nikolaj Ehlers, D Dustin Byfuglien
Colorado Avalanche Line Up:
Forwards
Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Mikko Rantanen
Tyson Jost – Alexander Kerfoot – JT Compher
Matthew Nieto – Carl Soderberg – Matt Calvert
Gabriel Bourque – Sheldon Dries – Logan O’Connor
Defence
Samuel Girard – Erik Johnson
Ian Cole – Tyson Barrie
Ryan Graves – Patrik Nemeth
Goalies
Philipp Grubauer
Pavel Francouz
Injuries:
G Semyon Varlamov, F Colin Wilson, F Vladislav Kamenev, D Nikita Zadorov, D Mark Barberio