Game 52: Winnipeg Jets vs Vancouver Canucks pre-game report

The Jets held a late practice in Vancouver on Friday where we learned courtesy of Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press that the coaching staff had flipped Nikolaj Ehlers and Gabriel Vilardi back. When asked Rick Bowness indicated in his availability that it was in part because they didn’t have last change so he broke the top line up although he did also say “they gave up a few more chances then we like to see in our last game” and felt with the way the Canucks can score they needed good balance in the lines. He also confirmed Connor Hellebuyck starts in net.

This is going to be a very tough test for the visitors. The home team have won three straight, are 7-1-2 in their last ten games and are 19-4-2 at Rogers Arena. While they’ve played four more games than Winnipeg they have 51 more goals this season although they’ve given up 25 more goals than the stingy Jets.

Should make for an exciting first meeting between these two teams.

Morning Skate:

As per Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press it was a heavily attended optional morning skate.

Jets projected lines & D pairs:

Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi
Perfetti-Monahan-Ehlers
Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton
Barron-Namestnikov-Iafallo
Kupari

Morrissey-DeMelo
Dillon-Pionk
Samberg-Schmidt

Hellebuyck
Brossoit

Coach media:

Tips:

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Up Next:

Puck drop is at 9 pm CST.  Be sure to head over to illegalcurve.com following the game for a recap of the action. You can also join us afterwards for the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show. (Please be sure to smash that like/subscribe button).