Game 79: Jets vs. Senators pre-game report

The Jets are in Ottawa to play the third game of this four game roadtrip.  With the recall of Sami Niku and Tucker Poolman in the pressbox there is some thought that the team may give some of their veteran D some time off and give the young guns an opportunity to get some NHL game action.  We will have to wait to see what happens at morning skate.

Morning skate notes:

Via Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun: “morning skate about to get going here. Three goalies on the ice, Connor Hellebuyck is taking early shots like he does when he is normally starting. Look for him between pipes vs #Sens tonight. Sami Niku is on the ice. All healthy players present and accounted for”.

Coach Maurice confirms that the only lineup change will be Tucker Poolman being inserted into the lineup for Dustin Byfuglien.  The debut of Sami Niku will have to wait until tomorrow.

Projected Jets lines, D pairs and goalies:

Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler
Ehlers-Stastny-Laine
Perreault-Little-Armia
Copp-Lowry-Tanev

Morrissey-Trouba
Chiarot-Myers
Morrow-Poolman

Hellebuyck
Comrie

Scratches:  Dano, Matthias, Niku, Byfuglien and Roslovic.
Injured:  Enstrom, Kulikov, Hendricks and Mason.

Audio:

Blake Wheeler

Tyler Myers

Patrik Laine

Coach Maurice:  Lineup talk.  Status of Sami Niku.  Report on Niku from the AHL?  Where does he stand on guys who want to play 82 vs resting?  Is he anxious getting through the final four games and wanting to bubble wrap his players?  On getting Jack Roslovic back into the lineup?  Update on the goaltending?  Keeping Hellebuyck in a rhythm.  What are the goals for the last four games?  Does he see any parallel between where the Jets were and where the Senators are now?  Any concerns about Trouba back to back?  Expectation Byfuglien return tomorrow?  On Perreault’s rough stretch.

Audio courtesy of TSN 1290 Winnipeg.

Health news:

When asked if goalie Steve Mason is an option for tomorrow’s game against the Habs the Jets bench boss indicated “Yes.  He’ll get a good work today.  We want to make sure when he comes back to the rink tomorrow that he feels sharp, but ya you’ll see him soon.”