Game Day Set-Up: Blackhawks @ Jets

When: Friday, February 6th, 2015

Time: 7:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (26-18-9, 61 points, 6th in West), Chicago Blackhawks (31-18-2, 64 points, 4th in West)

Television/Radio: TSN3, NHLN-US, CSN-CH/ TSN 1290 Radio

On the Horizon: Sunday, February 8th at home against the Colorado Avalanche (5:00 p.m. CST)

Last Game: 3-2 loss (overtime) to the Vancouver Canucks

Top Scorers:

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (18 goals, 27 assists, 45 points), Bryan Little (20 goals, 22 assists, 42 points), Blake Wheeler (15 goals, 25 assists, 40 points), Dustin Byfuglien (12 goals, 21 assists, 33 points), Mathieu Perreault (17 goals, 14 assists, 31 points)

Chicago Blackhawks: Patrick Kane (25 goals, 31 assists, 56 points), Jonathan Toews (15 goals, 27 assists, 42 points), Marian Hossa (10 goals, 24 assists, 34 points), Brandon Saad (15 goals, 17 assists, 32 points), Duncan Keith (7 goals, 23 assists, 30 points)

Game Day Notes:

– Tonight is the first game of a three game home stand for Winnipeg. The Jets have lost five games in a row and are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games.

– Jets Home Record: 12-10-3

– The Jets have a record of 9-5-2 against teams in the Central Division this year.

– The Jets are 19-8-5 this season when they score the first goal of a game.

– Since the All-Star Break, the Jets have allowed 8 Power Play Goals on 24 opportunities. The Jets killed off all 6 Power Plays in Tuesday night’s game against Vancouver.

– The Jets are the most penalized team in the NHL, averaging 14.4 penalty minutes/game.

– Chicago has lost two games in a row and are 4-6-0 in their last 10 games.

– This is the fourth of five meetings between the Jets and Blackhawks this year but the first in Winnipeg. The Jets have won all three meetings between the two clubs this year (1-0, 5-1, 4-2). The final regular season meeting between the two teams will be in Winnipeg on Sunday, March 29th.

– Michael Hutchinson is expected to start in goal for the Jets tonight. Hutchinson has been in net for all three victories versus the Blackhawks this year.

– As per Scott Powers of ESPNChicago.com, Corey Crawford is expected to start in net for the Hawks tonight. In 33 games this season, Crawford has a record of 19-12-2 with a 2.30 Goals Against Average and .920 Save Percentage and one shutout.

– According to Scott Powers, forward Kris Versteeg (hand) is getting close to returning to the Hawks line-up. Versteeg is travelling with the team and has been practising in a non-contact jersey. Versteeg has been out of the Chicago line-up since early January. Versteeg has 27 points (9 goals, 18 assists) in 34 games this season.

– Evander Kane will not play for the Jets tonight and will be out for the rest of the regular season as it was announced on Friday that he requires shoulder surgery. There was a whirlwind of controversy surrounding Kane being a healthy scratch during the Jets last game against Vancouver as it was first reported that Kane violated the team’s dress code followed by news that he may have scratched because he got into an altercation with teammate Dustin Byfuglien. On Thursday, the Jets announced that Kane was placed on Injured Reserve retroactive to February 2nd.

– On Thursday the Jets re-called forward Patrice Cormier from the St.John’s IceCaps of the American Hockey League. Cormier has 10 points in 24 games with the IceCaps this year. Cormier will play tonight for the Jets on the team’s fourth line.

– According to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune, Hawks forward Daniel Carcillo will play for the Blackhawks tonight. Carcillo has not played since January 16th, the game in which he illegally cross-checked Jets forward Mathieu Perreault and was subsequently suspended six games for.

– Red Hot: Jets Captain Andrew Ladd has 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) over the last 16 games.

– Ice Cold: Mark Scheifele has not scored a goal since January 12th against Anaheim (10 games without a goal)

– The Blackhawks average 2.92 goals for/game, 9th in the NHL. The Jets average 2.68 goals for/game, 19th in the NHL.

– The Blackhawks average 2.29 goals against/game, 2nd in the NHL. The Jets average 2.57 goals against/game, 13th in the NHL.

– Defenseman Duncan Keith leads all Blackhawks in ice time, averaging 25:41 of ice time per game.

– Blackhawks Top Face-off Guys: Marcus Kruger (55.8%, Jonathan Toews (55.6%)

– Jets Top Face-off Guy: Jim Slater (56.8%)

Special Teams Breakdown:

– Chicago PP (18.4%, 13th in NHL), Chicago PK (87.9%, 1st in NHL)

– Winnipeg PP (17.1%, 21st in NHL), Winnipeg PK (81.7%, 14th in NHL)

Projected Winnipeg Jets Line Combinations:

Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler
Mathieu Perreault- Mark Scheifele- Dustin Byfuglien
Chris Thorburn- Adam Lowry- Michael Frolik
TJ Galiardi- Jim Slater- Anthony Peluso

Tobias Enstrom- Zach Bogosian
Mark Stuart- Jacob Trouba
Ben Chiarot- Adam Pardy

Michael Hutchinson
Ondrej Pavelec

Healthy Scratches: Paul Postma, Patrice Cormier

Projected Chicago Blackhawks Line Combinations:

Brandon Saad- Jonathan Toews- Marian Hossa
Patrick Sharp- Brad Richards- Patrick Kane
Bryan Bickell- Andrew Shaw-  Teuvo Teravainen
Daniel Carcillo- Marcus Kruger- Ben Smith

Duncan Keith- David Rundblad
Niklas Hjalmarsson- Brent Seabrook
Johnny Oduya- Michal Rozsival

Corey Crawford
Antti Raanta

Healthy Scratches: Joakim Nordstrom

Injury Report:

Chicago Blackhawks: Trevor van Riemsdyk (knee), Kris Versteeg (hand)

Winnipeg Jets: Grant Clitsome (back surgery, indefinitely), Matt Halischuk (lower body, Injured Reserve), Jay Harrison (upper body), Evander Kane (Injured Reserve)