Time: 7:00 PM CST
Channel: TSN3
Radio: CJOB680/Power 97
While I doubt that an NHL defenseman ever feels true fear about facing a particular opponent, they probably don’t look forward to trying to stop a player as talented as Connor McDavid. The Edmonton Oilers’ star center appears to be at the top of his game right now, coming off 12 points in his last 3 games. I’d say it’s possible that Rick Bowness’ defensive systems will be put to a real test this evening in trying to stop a hot & desperate Oilers squad.
That being said, the Winnipeg Jets are playing solidly on the defensive side of things this season and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is hitting his stride at the right time. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff activated forward Gabe Vilardi earlier today and the right winger will get into his 5th game of the season, being eased into things on the fourth line. Vilardi was rightly pissed off about the way he was injured, but hopefully he will quickly get used to the now required knee brace.
Both of today’s starters, Stuart Skinner & Hellebuyck, have been playing well lately, putting up save percentages of .920 and .954 respectively over the past three games.
Winnipeg Jets Lineup
Forwards
Connor – Scheifele – Ehlers
Perfetti – Namestnikov – Iafallo
Niederreiter – Lowry – Appleton
Jonsson-Fjallby – Barron — Vilardi
Defense
Morrissey – DeMelo
Dillon – Pionk
Samberg – Schmidt
Goalies
Hellebuyck
Brossoit
Injuries: D – Heinola & F – Kupari
Edmonton Oilers Lineup
Forwards
Nugent-Hopkins — McDavid– Hyman
Kane — Draisaitl — Brown
Foegele — McLeod — Ryan
Janmark — Hamblin — Erne
Defense
Nurse — Ceci
Ekholm — Bouchard
Kulak — Desharnais
Goalies
Skinner
Pickard
Injuries: F – Holloway
We should probably start getting used to hearing the name Connor, because there are four of them playing tonight (McDavid, Brown, Hellebuyck, Kyle Connor). With the Oilers’ Dylan Holloway injured, the “Dillon/Dylan’s” were left with only Winnipeg’s three (Dillon, Samberg, DeMelo).
Tonight’s match also marks the return of Sam Gagner to the Canada Life Centre, after he donned the Jets’ uniform last season. Can Winnipeg contain the deadly duo of McDavid & Draisaitl? Or will Connor & Scheifele get the last laugh?
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