GDT: Winnipeg Jets vs Colorado Avalanche

Time: 7:30 CST

TV: TSN 3

Radio: TSN 1290

Introduction:

A refreshed Winnipeg Jets team starts off a three game road trip tonight against the surging Colorado Avalanche. Dustin Byfuglien did not travel with the team on this trip due to injury, and Sami Niku steps into the line up in his place. Connor Hellebuyck will get the start in net tonight facing Semyon Varlamov who is coming off of a shut out against Vegas.

Colorado coach Jared Bednar broke up the top line of Nathan MacKinnon- Gabriel Landeskog - Mikko Rantanen on Monday against the Golden Knights hoping to spark some secondary scoring, and looks like he’s going to continue that tonight against the Jets. Perhaps he was reading the comments sections on some team blogs. Wonder if it gets Paul Maurice thinking a bit. We’re less than a week away from the trade deadline and heading into the final phase of the regular season. This would a great time for a statement road win for the Jets.

Random Prediction:

Big night for the Jets top line tonight. Goals from Scheifele and Connor.

WINNIPEG JETS

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 - Sami Niku

Dmitry Kulikov - Tyler Myers

Goalies

Connor Hellebuyck

Laurent Brossoit

Injuries

D Dustin Byfuglien (ankle, day-to-day), D Joe Morrow (lower body, week-to-week), LW Nikolaj Ehlers (upper body, IR)

COLORADO AVALANCHE

Forwards

Alexander Kerfoot - Nathan MacKinnon - Sven Andrighetto

Matt Nieto - Carl Soderberg-Mikko Rantanen

Gabriel Landeskog - Tyson Jost -Matt Calvert

A.J. Greer - Andrew Agozzino - J.T. Compher

Defence

Samuel Girard - Erik Johnson

Patrik Nemeth - Tyson Barrie

Ryan Graves -Nikita Zadorov

Goalies

Semyon Varlamov

Philipp Grubauer

Injuries

D Ian Cole (broken orbital bone, IR), LW Colin Wilson (undisclosed, day-to-day), C Vladislav Kamenev (shoulder, IR)