Game 33: Jets vs. Lightning pre-game report

As hot as the Jets are coming into tonight’s contest (8-2-0 in last 10) the Lightning are really streaking having gone 9-1-0 in the previous 10 contests.  The Bolts average over four goals per game, currently hold the best goal differential in the NHL at +42 and are fresh off a 4-1 win over the Leafs this past Thursday.

Standings:

The Jets are 21-9-2 on the season which was briefly good enough for top spot in the Central Division until the Preds leapfrogged them last night.  They remain just one point back of 1st place Nashville (with one game in hand) and two points up on Colorado who are in 3rd (Wpg also had a game in hand on the Avs).

AM skate:

As per Scott Billeck (writer for Winnipeg Sun and NHL .com) forward Andrew Copp has joined his teammates for morning skate but is in a non-contact uniform.  He also confirmed that Connor Hellebuyck will start in net.

Updated Jets lines and D pairs:

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

Morrissey-Trouba
Chiarot-Byfuglien
Kulikov-Myers

Hellebuyck
Brossoit

Audio:

Adam Lowry

Mark Scheifele

Brandon Tanev

Coach Maurice:  Update on Andrew Copp.  Does the mindset for tonight’s game change based on who they are facing?  On the elevation of Scheifele’s game to elite.  On Scheifele becoming more of a shooter.  On how Byfuglien’s game has changed and Morrissey’s development.  On the play of Mathieu Perreault.  What has he seen from Brendan Lemieux’s game?  On Scheifele’s ice time.  On the roster tnt.

All audio courtesy of TSN 1290 Winnipeg.

Health Update:

Andrew Copp continues to inch closer to a return and coach Maurice indicated that the Jets forward is “Skating, feeling better.  So the next phase for him, if he comes back feeling good, is to get him into a contact and go from there.”.

Up Next:

Puck drop is at 6 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.