Game 35: Jets vs. Sharks pre-game report

Despite the loss to the Kings on Tuesday the Jets come into tonight’s action with the Sharks as one of the hottest teams in the NHL.  San Jose is also red-hot having won five straight games coming into the action with Winnipeg.

The projected Jets lines are simply based on the last game.  Biggest question mark is which goalie the Jets bench boss chooses to start the contest.

AM Skate:

According to Mitchell Clinton of Jets TV forward Andrew Copp was on the ice 15 minutes before the AM skate got underway in a regular uniform.  Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun adds that Connor Hellebuyck is taking shots from the D so he is your starter for tonight’s contest.

Lineup:

Ken added that Adam Lowry stayed out later than usual while the only two players doing a conditioning skate were Joe Morrow and Andrew Copp.

During his availability Coach Maurice confirmed that Nic Petan will draw in to play centre on the 4th line and that Jack Roslovic is in playing centre as well.  However he wouldn’t confirm which of his players are coming out of the top 9 but the conventional wisdom based on Ken’s tweet is that it will be Lowry.  Of course warm up skate at SAP Center will clear up any confusion.

Lineup Update:

As Ken suspected it is Adam Lowry who is missing from warm up skate.

Projected Jets lines and D pairs:

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

Morrissey-Trouba
Chiarot-Byfuglien
Kulikov-Myers

Hellebuyck
Brossoit

Audio:

Dustin Byfuglien

Patrik Laine

Nic Petan

Coach Maurice:  What does he like about Mathieu Perreault’s overall game?  How much of a role is Byfuglien having mentoring Morrissey/Chiarot’s game?  On the uniqueness of the Jets/Sharks D men (Karlsson, Burns, Byfuglien).  On Byfuglien embracing the role as a penalty killer.  On how Byfuglien is still a point a game player despite a bigger commitment to D.  Who is Petan in for and what is he expecting from him?  On his recommendation of Evander Kane to Pete DeBoer back when the Sharks acquired him.  How does Kane change the dynamic to the Sharks?  Petan is coming in for an injury situation?

All audio courtesy of TSN 1290 Winnipeg.

Up Next:

Puck drop is at 9:30 pm CT.  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.