Game Day Set-Up: Avalanche @ Jets

When: Thursday, December 12, 2013

Time: 7:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (14-14-4, 11th in the Western Conference), Colorado Avalanche (20-9-0, 8th in the Western Conference)

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

On the Horizon: Saturday, December 14th at home against the Dallas Stars (2:00 p.m. CST).

Last Game: 2-1 loss at home to the St.Louis Blues

Top Scorers:

Winnipeg Jets: Bryan Little (13 goals, 15 assists, 28 points), Dustin Byfuglien (6 goals, 16 assists, 22 points), Andrew Ladd (8 goals, 14 assists, 21 points), Blake Wheeler (7 goals, 14 assists, 21 points), Olli Jokinen (7 goals, 12 assists, 19 points)

Colorado Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog (9 goals, 13 assists, 22 points), Matt Duchene (12 goals, 9 assists, 21 points), PA Parenteau (9 goals, 9 assists, 18 points), Paul Stastny (8 goals, 9 assists, 17 points), Ryan O’Reilly (9 goals, 8 assists, 17 points)

Game Day Notes:

– The Avalanche have lost three of their last four games, including their last game (Tuesday), a  3-1 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes

– Colorado averages 2.34 goals against/game (7th in the NHL). Winnipeg ranks 17th in the NHL (2.72 goals against/game)

– The Jets are 3-10-2 against Central Division opponents this year.

– Centre Matt Duchene has not scored a goal in seven straight games since returning from an oblique injury

– Jets left winger Evander Kane (26 Games Played, 7 goals, 7 assists, 14 points) will not play tonight and will miss his fifth consecutive game with a lower body injury

Special Teams Breakdown:

– Colorado has the 23rd Ranked Power Play in the NHL (15.3%) and the 22nd Ranked Penalty Kill in the NHL (80.9%)

– Winnipeg has the 28th Ranked Power Play in the NHL (11.3%) and the 11th Ranked Penalty Kill in the NHL (83.3%)

Starting Goalies:

– Ondrej Pavelec (10-12-3, 2.73 GAA, .913 Save Percentage)

–  Semyon Varlamov (13-8-0, 2.46 GAA, .922 Save Percentage)  

Projected Winnipeg Jets Line Combinations:

Andrew Ladd-Bryan Little-Blake Wheeler
Chris Thorburn-Olli Jokinen-Devin Setoguchi
Matt Halischuk-Mark Scheifele-Michael Frolik
James Wright-John Albert-Anthony Peluso

Dustin Byfuglien- Tobias Enstrom
Jacob Trouba – Grant Clitsome
Mark Stuart- Keaton Ellerby

Ondrej Pavelec
Al Montoya

Healthy Scratches: Eric Tangradi, Adam Pardy

Projected Colorado Avalanche Line Combinations:

Gabriel Landeskog- Matt Duchene- Ryan O’Reilly
Max Talbot-Paul Stastny-PA Parenteau
Jamie McGinn-Nathan Mackinnon-John Mitchell
Patrick Bordeleau- Marc-Andre Cliche-Cody McLeod

Nate Guenin -Erik Johnson
Andre Benoit-Cory Sarich
Tyson Barrie- Nick Holden

Semyon Varlamov
Jean-Sebastien Giguere

Healthy Scratches: Brad Malone

Injury Report:

Colorado Avalanche: Jan Hejda (knee), Alex Tanguay (knee, indefinitely), Ryan Wilson (back)

Winnipeg Jets:  Paul Postma (leg, indefinitely), Jim Slater (sports hernia surgery, indefinitely), Zach Bogosian (lower body, Injured Reserve), Evander Kane (lower body, day-to-day)