2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Jets vs Canadiens pre-game 3 report

The Jets are gonna have to dig deep today in Montreal as they look to get back into this series with the Habs.  After the Canadiens took both games in Winnipeg to start things off tonight is a critical third game as Montreal looks to take a stranglehold on it.  Biggest question mark for the Jets remains the status of Paul Stastny.

Morning skate:

According to Kyle Bukauskas of Sportsnet veteran centre Paul Stastny is taking morning skate although it is worth noting he also did skated in the morning skate before game 2. Unless we receive further confirmation the projected lineup will simply be based on how the last game ended.

Lineup news:

Head coach Paul Maurice says that they will make a decision game-time on whether Paul Stastny plays tonight. He indicated he did get through the skate well.

Warm up news:

As per game Jamie Thomas of Jets game 3 will see the return of Paul Stastny. Kristian Vesalainen remains in for Winnipeg and Jansen Harkins is out.

Jets projected lines & D pairs:

Connor-Dubois-Wheeler
Stastny-Copp-Ehlers
Perreaul-Lowry-Appleton
Vesalainen-Thompson-Lewis

Morrissey-Pionk
Forbort-Poolman
Stanley-Benn

Hellebuyck
Brossoit

Players media availability:

Coach media availability:

Topics:

1) Status of Paul Stastny
2) Activating the defence.
3) Playing in front of a bigger crowd.
4) Playing with urgency/desperation.
5) Keys to making passes/shots through given Montreal’s play.
6) What stood out about Kristian Vesalainen’s game?
7) Getting to Carey Price.
8) Running his top 4 more heavily in playoffs.
9) On in-game changes to lines.

Up Next:

Puck drop is at 5 pm CDT.  Be sure to head over to illegalcurve.com following the game for a recap of the action which includes post-game interviews from Jets players as well as from head coach Paul Maurice.  You can also join us afterwards on the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show here (be sure to smash that like/subscribe button).