Game Day Preview: Jets @ Bruins

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When: Saturday, November 26, 2011

Time: 6:00 p.m. CST

Where: TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

Records: Winnipeg (9-9-4), Boston (13-7-1)

Television/Radio: CBC, NESN (HD)/ TSN 1290 Radio, 98.5 The Sports Hub

The Story:  It was a successful Black Friday for the Winnipeg Jets yesterday in Raleigh, North Carolina and the team is hoping the good times continue tonight in Boston. The Jets defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 Friday on the biggest shopping day of the year and enter tonight’s game against the red-hot Bruins having already having earned three out of four points on their current three game road trip.

The Jets got an outstanding performance from Captain Andrew Ladd on Friday, as Ladd scored the game-winning goal (his 8th of the season) early in the second period on a rebound that was representative of the hard-working road effort the Jets displayed all night. The Jets outshot the ‘Canes by a 30-21 margin and received stellar goaltending from Chris Mason, who got the win in his first game action in nearly a month (October 27th versus Philadelphia).

The Hurricanes didn’t muster much offensively against the Jets, as Jiri Tlusty’s second period goal (4th of the season) was unfortunately the lone highlight of the night for the hometown Carolina crowd. The ‘Canes power play failed to score on four chances and superstar Eric Staal was once again a non-factor (10 points in 22 games).

The Boston Bruins could present a much tougher challenge for the Jets tonight as they are 9-0-1 in their last 10 games and dominating teams across the National Hockey League. The Bruins lost 3-2 to the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night in a shootout but it was a minor setback because the Bruins are a big, well oiled machine who are tough to play against and are strong in every area of the game.

The Jets will play the Bruins twice in the next 10 days (Tuesday, December 6th in Winnipeg) and anything less than a excellent effort will not be enough to beat last year’s Stanley Cup Champions.

Ondrej Pavelec will be back between the pipes tonight for the Jets. Chris Mason earned the victory for the Jets on Friday in his first game back from injury but Pavelec will get the start after he was in net for a remarkable 13 consecutive starts in a row before Friday’s game.

The offensive leaders for the Boston Bruins are Tyler Seguin (12 goals, 11 assists, 23 points), Patrice Bergeron (five goals, 12 assists, 17 points) and Brad Marchand (seven goals, 9 assists, 16 points).

The offensive leaders for the Winnipeg Jets are Kyle Wellwood (seven goals, 10 assists, 17 points), Nikolai Antropov (four goals, 11 assists, 15 points) and Evander Kane (nine goals, six assists, 15 points).

After tonight’s game against the Bruins, the Jets head back home for a five-game homestand starting on Tuesday, November 29th against the Ottawa Senators.

NOTES….. Ron Hainsey did not play for the Jets on Friday against the Hurricanes (lower-body injury)….. Arturs Kulda took Hainsey’s spot in the line-up…..according to the Boston Herald Tim Thomas will get the start tonight in goal as the B’s look to start a new winning streak.