The Jets have had plenty of time to regroup since suffering their first regulation loss of the season at the hands of the Ducks on Friday night in Winnipeg. The coaching staff gave the team two straight days off the ice before returning to practice on Monday. Defenceman Josh Morrissey skated ahead of the main group yesterday, suggesting he may not be ready to return to the lineup just yet as he continues to deal with an injury that has been described as day-to-day.
Veteran forward Nino Niederreiter returned to the line combinations, adding some size to the second line. His insertion resulted in a reshuffling of the forward group, with changes to every line except the top unit and Brad Lambert skating as the 13th forward.
The Wild were in action last night in St. Paul as they hosted the Golden Knights. Minnesota built a 3-0 lead before ultimately skating away with a 4-2 victory, although the win came at a cost as they lost Nico Sturm after he was struck in the head by a puck. The Wild had recalled forward Tyler Pitlick from AHL Iowa earlier in the day, providing them with another option up front ahead of tonight’s game against Winnipeg. According to Minnesota beat writer Michael Russo, Calvin Pickard is expected to get the start in goal, setting up a matchup between the Winnipegger and his former Oilers teammate Stuart Skinner.
Skate news:
No Josh Morrissey this morning as the Jets get set to conclude their homestand against the Wild. Not surprisingly Elias Salomonsson not quite ready for prime time as he gets into some contact.
Jets projected lines & D pairs:
Connor-Scheifele-Perfetti
Niederrieter-Björck-Vilardi
Rosén-Lowry-Iafallo
Koepke-Barron-Namestnikov
Samberg-DeMelo
Ferraro-Pionk
Fleury-Bauer
Skinner
Wild projected lines & D pairs:
Kaprizov-Eriksson Ek-Boldy
Coleman-Hartman-Shabanov
Lorentz-Yurov-Brink
Pitlick-McCarron-Trenin
Hughes-Spurgeon
Maatta-Brodin
Hunt-Bogosian
Pickard
Players media availability:
Coach media availability:
Odds:
Winnipeg and Minnesota enter tonight’s Central Division matchup on even footing, with neither team holding a clear edge. The Jets will be looking to bounce back from their first regulation loss of the season, while the Wild aim to build on last night’s victory over Vegas. Staying disciplined, winning the special teams battle and taking advantage of a Minnesota team playing on consecutive nights could help Winnipeg get back in the win column. For the latest Winnipeg Jets hockey odds, visit NHL betting site Betway
Up Next:
Join us today at 3 PM CT for the debut of the Daily Dose of Illegal Curve Hockey Show as we kick off a new era of daily Jets coverage. We’ll get you set for tonight’s Central Division clash between Winnipeg and Minnesota, break down the latest lineup news and discuss all the storylines heading into the game. Be part of the conversation as we launch our new Monday to Friday show in partnership with Sick Media.
Puck drop is at 7:15 PM CT. Be sure to head over to illegalcurve.com following the game for a recap of the action. You can join us on our YouTube channel for the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show around 9:55 PM CT as we discuss and analyze the results of the game.
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