Game 25: Jets vs. Devils pre-game report

The Devils played and lost 6-3 last night at home to the Washington Capitals.  It has not been a great season for New Jersey who find themselves tied for last in the Eastern Conference.  The Jets are coming off a 6-5 win at home and will now kick off three straight away from home as they look to improve their road record (currently 5-5-0).

AM skate:

As per Jason Bell of the Winnipeg Free Press “#NHLJets out for morning skate as they prepare to battle #Devils tonight in first game of a 3- game trip to the NYC area. D Joe Morrow on trip but not skating. F Andrew Copp full participant. D Dmitry Kulikov pin yellow no-contact jersey.”

Projected Jets lines, D pairs and goalie:

Ehlers-Scheifele-Wheeler
Connor-Little-Laine
Copp-Lowry-Tanev
Perreault-Roslovic-Appleton

Morrissey-Trouba
Chiarot-Niku
Schilling-Myers

Brossoit
Hellebuyck

Recall:

Nelson Nogier has been recalled from the Moose.  Nogier played 10 games with the Jets a few years back when the parent club was decimated by injuries on the back end.  He himself missed most of last season after he was injured in the first pre-season game for the Moose.  Has looked good of late and was the player I expected would be recalled.

Health news:

Coach had this to say about Joe Morrow who was a question mark following practice yesterday.  “Joe Morrow went on IR yesterday.  Lower-body, week-to-week maybe but not leading into months we don’t believe.  Just week-to-week.”

Audio:

Mason Appleton

Nikolaj Ehlers

Patrik Laine

Coach Maurice:  Mason Appleton making his NHL debut.  Who will he start with?  What does he like about that trio?  Copp back with Lowry and Tanev?  Will Mason need to be talked to on the bench?  On the speech he gave Appleton on making his NHL debut.  Same D today?  Update on Morrow.  Who is in net?  On the month that Patrik Laine had in November.  Where is Lemieux in his development?

Audio courtesy of TSN 1290 Winnipeg.

Up next:

Puck drop is at 6:00 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.