Note: The Jets will hit the ice this morning for a skate at 10:30 am in advance of their final contest before their bye week begins. Just a bit of anticipation for today’s game between Patrik Laine and Auston Matthews, I mean the Jets and Leafs. With the two-game suspension handed down to Jacob Trouba it is going to be a tough one for the Jets in their zone. As always keep it locked to illegalcurve.com for pre and post game news and be sure to follow us on social media including Twitter | Facebook | Instagram.
Note II: The Moose are coming off a busy Monday and it won’t slow down today as they will have a morning skate at the MTS Centre at 10 AM with a 7 pm puck drop as they face the Rockford IceHogs.
Jets news:
Yahoo Sports (Puck Daddy): Patrik Laine over Auston Matthews in razor-thin Calder race. And by tomorrow morning this headline could be reversed but for now Greg offers up his Calder race thoughts.
TSN: Jets versus Leafs finally about more than the moment. I can be counted as one of the few who don’t mind the infrequency of this matchup. Gary offers up his thoughts on this rivalry.
Winnipeg Sun: Former referee Kerry Fraser says NHL blew call on Malkin hit. Believe this is why so many Jets fans are up in arms.
Winnipeg Sun: Jets hope to go into bye week on winning note. Despite all the suspension drama the team cannot lose focus on tonight’s critical two points, especially when you consider what has seemed to befallen teams coming off their bye weeks.
Winnipeg Sun: Five keys to Jets vs. Leafs. Ted’s list includes: 1) More of the same. 2) Hot line. 3) It works both ways. 4) And it gets worse. 5) Special times. And Ted’s big matchup is (not surprisingly) Patrik Laine vs. Auston Matthews.
Winnipeg Sun: Trouba suspended 2 games for head shot on Stone. I’m with Ted. I’m not really seeing Jets fans outraged that Trouba got a suspension, but there is plenty of outrage that Malkin didn’t even get a hearing. Seems to be some inconsistency in that, despite the explanation offered below.
Winnipeg Sun: NHL spokesman explains why league views Trouba and Malkin hits different. Ted did some work on finding out why the NHL sees these as two different types of hits.
Toronto Sun: It’s Matthews vs. Laine Round 2. A look at this game that seems to be anything but an ordinary contest between two teams desperate for two points. Terry gives you the Toronto side of the conversation.
Sportsnet: Maurice on the ins and outs of coaching Laine and Ehlers. (Video). Paul Maurice joins Hockey Central to discuss Jacob Trouba’s hit on Mark Stone and coaching Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers.
Toronto Star: Leafs’ Matthews, Jets’ Laine bring a little one-two punch to stretch drive. I’m trying to decide if I wish these teams played more often so as to water down this constant chatter or if I’m satisfied with the twice a year situation so it is more limited. Jury is still out.
Photo Credit: Rodney Braun
TSN: Why didn’t Trouba get more games? (Video). That’s Hockey 2Nite takes a closer look at Jacob Trouba’s hit to the head on Mark Stone and try to determine why he didn’t receive more than a two-game suspension.
TSN: All eyes on Matthews and Laine in Toronto. (Video). Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine will face off for the second time this season when the Jets visit the Leafs on Tuesday. That’s Hockey looks at what to expect after Laine put up a hat trick in their first meeting.
TSN: OverDrive weighs in on Trouba suspension. (Video). OverDrive hosts Bryan Hayes, Jamie McLennan & Jeff O’Neill react to the breaking news that Trouba has been suspended 2 games for hitting Mark Stone in the head.
Metro News: Jets showing signs of life in playoff hunt. Should be a fun race to the finish at least.
Metro News: Matthews or Laine? Sorting through the loaded Calder trophy race. Is anyone ready for this debate to be over? Something tells me it won’t be for awhile but here is another article that will add to the conversation.
The Hockey News: Patrik Laine unmasked – how he started out stopping them not shooting them. Just imagine if he would have been playing forward his entire life.
Moose news:
Illegal Curve: Nolan Zajac signed to a professional tryout agreement. The Moose signed the local defenceman yesterday.
Illegal Curve: Moose got loose at the Assiniboine Park Zoo. Lots of young fans had quite the opportunity to interact with the players on the Jets AHL squad.
Illegal Curve: Moose Practice Report. It was a quick skate at the IcePlex on Monday.
Winnipeg Free Press: Kichton expects to round into form. (Paywall). He came close to getting his chance with the Jets at the end of the season and an injury at the start of this season seemed to derail him but both he and his coach seem confident that he has turned it around.
