The Jets are in Boston today to face a Bruins team that sits third in the Atlantic and who have been very solid at TD Garden (10-5-3) this season. Boston is coming off a 3-0 shutout of the Sabres in Buffalo on Tuesday and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games.
Will coach Maurice continue to roll with Connor Hellebuyck who is now 18-4-0-4 on the season or will he give Steve Mason a shot after having a very solid game in a loss to the Blues last weekend?
Morning skate notes:
Via Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports Boston the Bruins are having some health issues. He tweeted from Boston morning skate: “David Krejci out again tonight. Brad Marchand, Riley Nash and Ryan Spooner all sent home sick prior to Bruins morning skate. All three are question marks tonight vs Winnipeg.”.
According to Ted Wyman of the Winnipeg Sun the Jets will continue to ride the hot hand of Connor Hellebuyck, who gets the start in net. Ted also indicated that coach Maurice wouldn’t indicate whether he would continue with Ehlers on the top line with Connor on the second line or if he’d flip it back. Meaning we will have to wait until pre-game warm up skate.
Jets projected lines, D Pairs:
Ehlers – Scheifele – Wheeler
Connor – Little – Laine
Copp – Lowry – Tanev
Perreault – Hendricks – Armia
Morrissey – Trouba
Kulikov – Myers
Chiarot – Poolman
Hellebuyck
Mason
Extras: Matthias, Dano and Melchiori.
Pre-game audio:
Blake Wheeler
Patrik Laine
Coach Maurice: On his expectations from the Bruins. Importance of speed. Thoughts on going with Hellebuyck tonight. Do guys ever ask to play in specific games? Will he use Ehlers on 1st line and Connor on 2nd line or flip them back? On Wheeler’s growth as a leader.
Audio courtesy of TSN 1290 Winnipeg.