Game 35: Jets vs Capitals pre-game report

The Jets are in the US capital to kick off the first of four games on the road as they look to return to normality after having so many games postponed.

A few questions remain including whether Paul Stastny, who is on the road trip, but didn’t practice yesterday will be ready to play. Captain Blake Wheeler was in non-contact yesterday and isn’t expected to play just yet. The team did assign to the taxi squad forwards Mikey Eyssimont and Austin Poganski, who played his first game for the Jets last Thursday in Detroit.

Morning skate:

According to Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press a few additional faces on the ice for morning skate as Paul Stastny and Evgeny Svechnikov are skating in normal jerseys. As is Jets captain Blake Wheeler who was in a non-contact yesterday but is in a regular jersey today. Mike provides the lines and D pairs below.

Jets projected lines & D pairs:

Copp-Scheifele-Ehlers
Connor-Dubois-Perfetti
Harkins-Lowry-Poganski
Vesalainen-Toninato-Reichel

Morrissey-DeMelo
Samberg-Pionk
Stanley-Schmidt

Hellebuyck
Berdin

Health updates:

Interim head coach Dave Lowry provided updates on some of his players.  With respect to Blake Wheeler he said the captain needs a few more practices to “get up to speed”. Then it becomes a medical decision. Regarding Paul Stastny he indicated the veteran forward hasn’t been skating (in five or six days) so he doesn’t feel “it is right to put him in tonight”.  Lastly with respect to Evgeny Svechnikov, who was listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, will be “ready to go in a game or two”.

He also indicated that Brenden Dillon and Eric Comrie aren’t ready (both are in covid protocol). Dillon is in Washington and could have been an option if he “tested right” and he “probably would have played” and added this about the backup netminder “Coms isn’t ready yet”.

Players media availability:

Coach media availability:

Topics:

1) Update on Blake Wheeler, Paul Stastny and Evgeny Svechnikov?
2) The benefits of internal competition and all the players available (1:01)
3) His thoughts on Austin Poganski’s game? (1:35)
4) Benefit of another game for Cole Perfetti playing with Dubois/Connor? (2:03)
5) Does he expect more of a “normal” game vs last game against Capitals (2:59)
6) What is he looking at to take advantage of in the game tnt (3:52)
7) What’s the latest with Brenden Dillon and Eric Comrie? (4:40)

Up Next:

Puck drop is at 6 pm CST.  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 interim head coach Dave Lowry.

You can also join us afterwards on the Illegal Curve Post-Game show here (be sure to smash that like/subscribe button).