Game 61: Jets vs. Blues pre-game report

After a strong ten-game home stand (6-3-1) at Bell MTS Place the Jets are on the road for a back-to-back set beginning with division rival St. Louis.  Tonight is the first of three straight games against the division (Blues, Stars & Preds).  The Blues are sitting seven points back of Winnipeg.

Coach Maurice confirmed that Michael Hutchinson would backup Connor Hellebuyck, who will be making his tenth straight start for the Jets.

Morning skate notes:

According to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun it looks like Connor Hellebuyck has resumed not skating during morning skates to “stay fresh”.  Ken reports that he is joined this morning for maintenance by Dustin Byfuglien.

Jets lines, D pairs and goalies:

Connor – Scheifele – Wheeler
Perreault – Little – Roslovic
Ehlers – Copp – Laine
Petan – Hendricks – Armia

Morrissey – Myers
Enstrom – Byfuglien
Chiarot – Kulikov

Hellebuyck
Hutchinson

Extras:  Dano & Poolman
Injured:  Mason, Tanev, Matthias, Lowry and Trouba.

Audio:

Matt Hendricks

Ben Chiarot

Nic Petan

Coach Maurice:  How does he approach this weekend?  Is the central even crazier this year?  Does seeding matter much in the central?  Feeling the pressure as the post-season approaches.  Will he be relieved to get past Trade Deadline day?

All audio courtesy of TSN 1290 Winnipeg.

Blues lines, D pairs and starting goalie:

Steen-Stastny-Tarasenko
Schwartz-Schenn-Berglund
Barbashev-Sobotka-Jaskin
Upshall-Brodziak-Thorburn

Gunnarsson-Pietrangelo
Bouwmeester-Parayko
Dunn-Butler

Allen
Hutton

Via Jeremy Rutherford of the Athletic St. Louis.