Game Day Preview: Flyers @ Jets

When: Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Time: 6:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (29-26-6), Philadelphia Flyers (32-19-7)

Television/Radio: CSN-PH,TSN-JETS/ TSN 1290 Radio

The Story: Get your brooms ready Winnipeg because we might see a sweep tonight.

The only number that matters for the Winnipeg Jets tonight is four, as in the Jets will look to push their current winning streak to four games against the Philadelphia Flyers while also looking to defeat the Flyers for the fourth and final time this regular season.

The Jets have absolutely owned the Flyers so far this year, winning by scores of 9-8 OT (December 27th), 6-4 (November 19th), and 2-1 SO (January 31st). Even though the Jets have struggled to score goals all season (The Jets are ranked 22nd in the National Hockey League in goals scored; 149 goals, 2.44 goals/game average), the Jets have scored 16 goals in three games against the Flyers, good for an average of 5.33 goals/game.

Going into tonight’s game, the Jets have 64 points and are tied for 8th place in the Eastern Conference with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but are technically in 9th place as they would lose the tie-breaker with less regulation wins (Toronto has 26 regulation wins while Winnipeg has 25 regulation wins).

More importantly, The Jets are only one point behind the Florida Panthers for top spot in the Southeast Division and could move into 1st place temporarily with a win tonight against Philadelphia. It should again be noted that Florida has three games in hand on the Jets (Florida does not play again until Thursday night at home to the Minnesota Wild, 6:30 p.m. CST).

The Jets starting line-up should be unchanged from Sunday as defenseman Zach Bogosian is still on the injured list and will miss his fourth straight game with an upper-body injury. Randy Jones will remain in the Jets line-up in Bogosian’s place.

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 -Eric Fehr

Defence:

Dustin Byfuglien- Tobias Enstrom

Randy Jones-Mark Stuart

Johnny Oduya-Ron Hainsey

Offensive Leaders:

Philadelphia Flyers: Claude Giroux (22 goals, 44 assists, 68 points), Scott Hartnell (27 goals, 27 assists, 54 points), Jaromir Jagr (15 goals, 26 assists, 41 points)

Winnipeg Jets: Blake Wheeler (11 goals, 35 assists, 46 points), Evander Kane (22 goals, 16 assists, 38 points), Kyle Wellwood (12 goals, 24 assists, 36 points)

Injury Report:

Philadelphia Flyers: Tom Sestito (groin), Andrej Meszaros (upper-body), Chris Pronger (concussion), Ian Laperriere (concussion), Blair Betts (knee), Jakub Voracek (upper-body)

Winnipeg Jets:  Zach Bogosian (day-to-day, upper-body)

Who’s Next: The Jets next game is on Thursday, February 21st, at home, against the Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m. CST).

QUICKIES…..Following notes courtesy of Kalen Qually, Communications Coordinator, True North Sports & Entertainment Limited…….Ondrej Pavelec reached a new career-high for wins in a season with his 22nd win on Feb.19 vs. COL (5-1 W)…..In his past three starts, Pavelec has gone 2-1-0 stopping 84 of 89 shots against for a .944 SV% and 1.76 GAA…..Pavelec currently ranks sixth in the NHL with 1,477 shots against this season…..Evander Kane is one of six players in the NHL with over 20 goals and 120 hits this season.. The list is Kane (22, 125), Ryan Callahan (23,203), Alex Ovechkin (24, 146), Erik Cole (22, 146), Milan Lucic (20, 131) & David Clarkson (22, 129)…..Dustin Byfuglien has nine points (two goals, seven assists) over the past six games…..Tanner Glass leads the team and ranks 12th in the NHL with 178 hits…..The Jets don’t have a single defenseman with a minus-rating on home ice this season…..Antti Miettinen is one game away from 500 in his NHL career…..