Game 73: Jets vs. Flyers pre-game report

All eyes were on the MTS Centre this morning as the Jets had some question marks with respect to their defence.  However the answers are lacking as according to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun today looks like an optional skate.   Those missing include: Dustin Byfuglien, Mathieu Perreault, Adam Lowry, Marko Dano, Ben Chiarot.  However on a positive note Jacob Trouba is practicing in a regular uniform.  Mark Stuart and Nelson Nogier are both skating.

Ken has the projected lines and D pairs as:

Ehlers-Little-Laine
Perreault-Scheifele-Wheeler
Copp-Lowry-Armia
Dano-Petan-Thorburn

Melchiori-Byfuglien
Strait-Morrissey
Stuart-Nogier

Hutchinson
Hellebuyck

Audio:

Josh Morrissey:  The challenge for the depleted defence.  Why has the season gone as well for him as it has?  Shifting to the right side, how did it go?  Is he starting to feel like a veteran?

Patrik Laine:  On his motivation at this point in the year.  With the Jets playoff chances dwindling does he turn his focus to the Calder?  What lessons can be learned at this time of year to help them next season?

Nikolaj Ehlers:  What is going well for the Jets right now and what is the team mindset?  On the feeling in the room post-game like they lost the Wild game.  On Nogier making his NHL debut.  Did he feel like overall (sans 10 minutes in the 2nd) the team played as a collective?  What is the challenge of the final 10 games?

Coach Maurice:  On Nogier making his debut and who will he play with? How does Nogier calm the nerves? What made this a good start for Michael Hutchinson? Health updates? On facing the Flyers. On why the Jets play better on the road than they do at home. How hard is it go get players “up” for these last ten games? On Josh Morrissey’s versatility. What is the biggest improvement he has seen in Morrissey?

All audio courtesy of TSN 1290 Winnipeg.

Flyers lines, D pairs and starting goalie are:

Weal-Giroux-Simmonds
Konecny-Filppula-Voracek
Wiese-Couturier-Schenn
Vandevelde-Bellemare-Read

Provorov-Macdonald
Del Zotto-Gudas
Schultz-Gostisbehere

Mason
Neuvirth