Game Day Preview: Jets @ Senators

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When: Thursday, October 20, 2011

Where: Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, Ontario

Time: 6:30 p.m. CST

Records: Winnipeg (1-3-1), Ottawa (1-5-0)

Television/Radio: TSN-JETS,SNET-OTT,TVA/TSN Radio 1290

The Story: The bad news is that the Jets left Toronto last night with only one point, the good news is that the Jets play the lowly Ottawa Senators tonight.

The Jets lost to the Maple Leafs 4-3 in a shootout Wednesday night after leading for significant parts of the game. The Jets outshot the Leafs 29-23 and had a two goal lead in the third period but the Leafs scored two goals in 27 seconds and took the extra point in the shootout on goals by Joffrey Lupul and Matt Frattin.

Coach Claude Noel might not be happy that the Jets didn’t get the extra point in the shootout but he must be happy that the Jets finally scored on the power-play. Going into Wednesday night’s game the Jets were 0-for-17 on the man advantage, so the two power play goals scored by Tobias Enstrom and Mark Scheifele were fairly significant to say the least.

In Ottawa, there are lots of problems. The Sens have yet to win in regulation this season and were shellacked by the Philadelphia Flyers 7-2 Tuesday night. The Senators are giving up an average of five goals a game and are not getting offensive production from enough players on their roster.

There have a been a few bright spots for the Sens however. 2nd year defenseman Erik Karlsson has been one of the team’s best players and leads the league in assists with seven. Also, the Senators power play has been decent, clicking at a 24% success rate.

Coach Noel will still be looking for more production from his top line in the nation’s capital. The top line of Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler did have sustained pressure in Toronto at times, but the line continues to have trouble producing on the scoreboard. Jets third year forward Evander Kane is in the same boat and still has not registered a point in four games.

After tonight’s game, the Jets will return to Winnipeg for home games against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday and the New York Rangers on Monday.

Tonight’s lineups come from TSN Radio 1290’s Brian Munz:

Expected Jets lineup:

Pavelec (will start * courtesy of Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press)

Byfuglien – Enstrom
Stuart – Bogosian
Meech – Oduya

Ladd – Little – Wheeler
Burmistrov – Antropov – Wellwood
Kane – Scheifele – Maclean
Glass – Stapleton – Thorburn

Expected Senators lineup:

Anderson

Phillips – Rundblad
Kuba – Karlsson
Cowen – Gonchar

Foligno – Regin – Alfredsson
Greening – Spezza – Michalek
Winchester – DaCosta – Condra
Smith – Zibanejad – Neil

Injury Note: Dennis Beyak of TSN/TSN Radio 1290 has reported that Jets defenseman Ron Hainsey will be out two weeks with an upper-body injury…..