Game 23: Jets vs. Penguins pre-game report

The Jets are back at Bell MTS Place for some game action after a four game road trip.  With news that Andrew Copp was still dealing with a concussion and with the Manitoba Moose heading to California the team needed a forward and they recalled second year pro Mason Appleton who has been the offensive leading with the farm club since he debuted in 2017-18.  While we have no indication from coach Maurice that he intends on doing so as I indicated yesterday the line of Petan-Roslovic-Appleton helped lead the Moose to a 10-0-0-1 record when they played together.

AM skate:

According to Jamie Thomas of Jets TV still missing from skate are Jacob Trouba and Andrew Copp while Dustin Byfuglien has rejoined the group after missing practice on Monday.  Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun adds that Copp and Kulikov skated before the main group while Mason Appleton skates as the extra.

Projected Jets lines, D pairs and goalie:

Ehlers-Scheifele-Wheeler
Connor-Little-Laine
Perreault-Lowry-Tanev
Lemieux-Roslovic-Petan

Morrissey-Trouba
Chiarot-Byfuglien
Morrow-Myers

Hellebuyck
Brossoit

Audio:

Blake Wheeler

Bryan Little

Coach Maurice:  Copp/Kulikov skating before the main group.  Was this the first skate for both?  What have the reports been like on Appleton?  Is Trouba playing tonight?  Thoughts on the Penguins.  What does Perreault bring to the Tanev/Lowry line?  On Crosby.  What has Kyle Connor meant for Laine’s production and his line overall?  Is there a part of Connor’s game that maybe fly’s under the radar?  Does he have a Crosby story?  On Wheeler’s first period against the Penguins last season.

All audio courtesy of TSN 1290 Winnipeg.

Health news:

Coach Maurice began his scrum talking about Copp and Kulikov being on the ice before the Jets main skate and was asked for an update “They skated before and that’s a positive sign.  So we’ve got Andrew back on the ice, off the bike and on the ice and then we’ll see how he comes back in tomorrow.”  Asked if this was the first skate for both players he indicated “Not for Dmitry but for Andrew.”  When asked how long Kulikov has been skating he said “Few days. We were on the road so just without pucks and passing.  So nothing significant.  Nothing’s changed with him.  Were still at that four week before we talk about him coming back.”.

Up next:

Puck drop is at 7:00 PM.  Be sure to head over to illegalcurve.com following the game for a recap of the action which includes post-game audio from the Jets room as well as from coach Maurice.