Game Day Preview: Bruins @ Jets

When: Friday, February 17, 2012

Time: 7:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (27-26-6), Boston Bruins (35-18-2)

Television/Radio: TSN,NESN (HD)/ TSN 1290 Radio

The Story:  The Winnipeg Jets earned a delicious 4-3 shootout victory over the Minnesota Wild Thursday night and tonight the Jets are hoping the Boston Bruins can be dessert.

With last night’s win, the Jets improved to 60 points on the season, good for 10th place in the Eastern Conference. The Jets are four points back of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 8th and final playoff spot and five points behind the Florida Panthers for the Southeast Division lead. The Panthers have played three less games than the Jets and have the season series advantage so far (3-1-0).

The Jets and Bruins have played three times already this year with the Bruins holding the season series advantage at two games to one. The Bruins defeated the Jets 5-3 back on January 10th which began a tough stretch for the Jets in which they lost four out of five games.

With 23 games remaining, the Jets will probably have to win a minimum of 14 games to have a good chance at making the playoffs.

The clock is ticking on the Jets season but with eight straight games coming up at at home, the time may be just right for a late-seaon playoff push.

Ondrej Pavelec is expected to start in goal for the Jets tonight.

Projected Jets line combinations:

Goalie:

Ondrej Pavelec

Forwards:

1st: Andrew Ladd-Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler

2nd:  Evander Kane- Alexander Burmistrov- Kyle Wellwood

3rd:  Tanner Glass- Jim Slater- Chris Thorburn

4th:  Tim Stapleton- Nikolai Antropov -Antti Miettinen

Defence:

Dustin Byfuglien- Tobias Enstrom

Randy Jones-Mark Stuart

Johnny Oduya-Ron Hainsey

Offensive Leaders:

Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron (17 goals, 31 assists, 48 points), Tyler Seguin (20 goals, 25 assists, 45 points), Milan Lucic (20 goals, 21 assists, 41 points)

Winnipeg Jets: Blake Wheeler (10 goals, 29 assists, 39 points), Evander Kane (21 goals, 14 assists, 35 points), Kyle Wellwood (11 goals, 22 assists, 33 points)

Injury Report:

Boston Bruins: Nathan Horton (mild concussion), Rich Peverley (knee), Marc Savard (post- concussion syndrome)

Winnipeg Jets:  Zach Bogosian (day-to-day)

Who’s Next: The Jets next game is on Sunday, February 19th, at home, against the Colorado Avalanche (7:30 p.m. CST).

QUICKIES…..Illegal Curve New Era 5950 Fitted Hat, available online or at City Haul on 823 Corydon Avenue…..