Game Day Preview: Bruins @ Jets

When: Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Time: 7:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (15-12-2 – 7th in East), Boston Bruins (19-5-3 – 4th in East)

Television/Radio: TSN-JETS, NESN/ TSN 1290

The Story: The Winnipeg Jets are back home for a four-game set and they will look to defeat the Boston Bruins tonight for the first time this season.

The Bruins have defeated the Jets twice already this season and have only lost five games in regulation total. Winnipeg, on the other hand, is coming off a tough 4-1 road loss to the Ottawa Senators and are looking to start their home stand off with a clean, two-point victory.

Despite Sunday’s loss, the Jets are 6-3-1 in their last ten games and are holding down 7th place in the Eastern Conference, two points up on the New York Rangers, who are in 9th place and behind the New Jersey Devils for the 8th and final playoff spot. This four game home stand is important for the Jets for a myriad of reasons: the East playoff race is so tight right now (only seven points separate 5th and 10th in the standings), the Jets play three of their next four games against Southeast Division opponents (two games against Washington and one game against Tampa Bay) and the Jets have two difficult road games coming up after this home stand (Tuesday, March 26th against Carolina, Thursday, March 28th against Pittsburgh).

One thing is certain. The Jets have a lot of home games coming up. 12 of the team’s 19 remaining games are at the friendly confines of the MTS Centre, including a six game stretch towards the end of the season (April 6th to 20th). The Jets have won their last two home games (against Toronto and New York) but are still only .500 (6-6) at home which will need to be significantly better if they hope to play meaningful games come May.

There will be one line-up change for the Winnipeg Jets tonight. Alexander Burmistrov will dress tonight after being a healthy scratch for four straight games. Patrice Cormier will be a healthy scratch for the Jets tonight.

This is the third and final meeting of the season between the Bruins and Jets this year. The Bruins defeated the Jets 2-1 in a shootout on January 21st and 3-2 in regulation time on February 17th.

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

Tuuka Rask is expected to get the start for the Boston Bruins.

Follow @IllegalCurve on Twitter leading up to today’s game.

Projected Jets line combinations (subject to change before game time):

Goalie:

Ondrej Pavelec

Forwards:

1st: Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler

2nd:  Evander Kane-Nikolai Antropov- Kyle Wellwood

3rd:  James Wright– Olli Jokinen- Antti Miettinen

4th:  Eric Tangradi- Alexander Burmistrov – Chris Thorburn

Defence:

Ron Hainsey- Zach Bogosian

Dustin Byfuglien- Grant Clitsome

Derek Meech- Mark Stuart

Offensive Leaders:

Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron (8 goals, 17 assists, 25 points), David Krejci (7 goals, 17 assists, 25 points), Brad Marchand (12 goals, 11 assists, 23 points)

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (14 goals, 15 assists, 29 points), Blake Wheeler (12 goals, 12 assists, 24 points) Evander Kane (11 goals, 9 assists, 20 points).

Injury Report:

Boston Bruins: Chris Kelly (leg), David Krejci (knee), Marc Savard (concussion)

Winnipeg Jets: Tobias Enstrom (shoulder, week to week), Zach Redmond (leg), Anthony Peluso (hand), Jim Slater (upper body)

Who’s Next:  The Jets play the Washington Capitlas in back-to-back home games on Thursday, March 21st  (7:00 p.m. CST) and Friday, March 22nd (6:00 p.m. CST). The Jets wrap up their homestand on Sunday, March 24th against Tampa Bay (7:00 p.m. CST).

QUICKIES…..Evander Kane leads the NHL in shots taken with 126…… Tyler Seguin leads the Bruins in shots taken with 90 (21st overall in the NHL)…..Ron Hainsey has blocked 73 shots this year (5th most in the NHL)…..Dennis Seidenberg has blocked 65 shots this year (13th most in the NHL)…..