Game Day Set-Up: Canucks @ Jets

When: Saturday, April 4, 2015

Time: 2:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (39-26-12, 90 points, 9th in West), Vancouver Canucks (45-28-5, 95 points, 6th in West)

Television/Radio: NHLN-US, SNP, TSN3/ TSN 1290 Radio

On the Horizon: Monday, April 6th on the road against the Minnesota Wild (7:00 p.m. CST)

Last Game: 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers

Top Scorers:

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (24 goals, 37 assists, 61 points), Blake Wheeler (25 goals, 34 assists, 59 points), Bryan Little (24 goals, 27 assists, 51 points), Mark Scheifele (14 goals, 32 assists, 46 points), Dustin Byfuglien (18 goals, 27 assists, 45 points)

Vancouver Canucks: Daniel Sedin (16 goals, 52 assists, 68 points), Henrik Sedin (17 goals, 49 assists, 66 points), Radim Vrbata (31 goals, 29 assists, 60 points), Nick Bonino (15 goals, 22 assists, 37 points), Chris Higgins (12 goals, 23 assists, 35 points)

Game Day Notes:

– Tonight is the final game of a four game home stand for Winnipeg. The Jets are 1-2 so far on the homestand and are 12-4-2 in their last 18 home games.

– The Jets are 5-4-1 in their last ten games.

– Jets Season Home Record: 21-13-5

– The Jets have a record of 8-8-3 against teams in the Pacific Division this year

– The Jets have a record of 27-3-6 when leading after two periods.

– The Jets have a record of 1-19-4 when trailing after two periods.

– The Jets have a record of 22-14-6 when they outshoot their opponent.

– The Jets have scored 10 shorthanded goals this year (1st in NHL)

– Vancouver’s Season Road Record: 24-13-3

– The Canucks lost their last game 3-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks and are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.

– The Canucks have scored a Power Play goal in five straight games.

– Radim Vrbata leads the Canucks with 31 goals, 12 power play goals and seven game-winning goals.

– This is the third and final of meeting of the season between the Jets and Canucks. The Canucks have won both contests this year.

– Ondrej Pavelec will start in goal for the Jets tonight. It will be Pavelec’s ninth start in 10 games. In 46 games this season, Pavelec has a record of 19-16-7 with a .916 save percentage, two shutouts and 2.41 Goals Against Average. Pavelec has won six of his last eight starts.

– On Friday the Jets announced that Pavelec is the team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy. From the Jets website: “The trophy is awarded to an NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The winner of the trophy is selected by all members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA) after the regular season. Pavelec was nominated by the PHWA Chapter of Winnipeg.”

– Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien will not play tonight as he will be serving the first game of a four game suspension that was handed to him by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. Byfuglien was suspended for cross-checking Rangers forward J.T. Miller in the back of head on Tuesday night.

– Eddie Lack is expected to start in goal for the Canucks tonight. In 38 games this season, Lack has a record of 16-12-4 with a 2.49 goals against average and .919 save percentage.

– Sven Baertschi will be in the line-up for the Canucks tonight. Baertschi, 22 was recalled from the Utica Comets (AHL) on Friday. This will be Baertschi’s first regular season game with the Canucks. He was acquired prior to the NHL Trade Deadline from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2015 2nd round pick. Baertschi had four assists in 15 games with Calgary this year.

– Streak Snapped: Drew Stafford’s 9 game points streak was snapped last game against the New York Rangers. Stafford had four goals and seven assists during the streak and has 17 points in 21 games since being acquired by the Jets.

– Red Hot for the Canucks: Nick Bonino has two goals and three assists in the last four games.

– Milestone Watch: Chris Thorburn will play in his 600th NHL regular season game tonight.

– The Canucks average 2.82 goals for/game, 10th in the NHL. The Jets average 2.73 goals for/game, 16th in the NHL.

– The Canucks average 2.68 goals against/game, 18th in the NHL. The Jets average 2.58 goals against/game, 14th in the NHL.

– Defenseman Tyler Myers leads all Jets in ice time, averaging 24:31 of ice time per game.

– Defenseman Alex Edler leads all Canucks in ice time, averaging 24:02 of ice time per game.

– Canucks Top Face-off Guy: Bo Horvat (52.0%)

– Jets Top Face-off Guy: Jim Slater (58.5%)

Special Teams Breakdown:

– Vancouver PP (18.7%, 14th in NHL), Vancouver PK (85.1%, 4th in NHL)

– Winnipeg PP (18.9%, 11th in NHL), Winnipeg PK (81.5%, 15th in NHL)

Projected Winnipeg Jets Line Combinations:

Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Michael Frolik
Blake Wheeler- Mark Scheifele- Drew Stafford
Mathieu Perreault- Adam Lowry- Lee Stempniak
Jiri Tlusty- Jim Slater- Chris Thorburn

Tobias Enstrom- Tyler Myers
Mark Stuart- Jacob Trouba
Adam Pardy- Jay Harrison

Ondrej Pavelec
Michael Hutchinson

Healthy Scratches: TJ Galiardi, Anthony Peluso, Eric O’Dell, Matt Halischuk

Projected Vancouver Canucks Line Combinations:

Daniel Sedin- Henrik Sedin- Alexandre Burrows
Chris Higgins- Nick Bonino- Radim Vrbata
Shawn Matthias- Linden Vey- Derek Dorsett
Sven Baertschi- Bo Horvat- Jannik Hansen

Alexander Edler- Chris Tanev
Dan Hamhuis- Yannick Weber
Kevin Bieksa- Luca Sbisa

Eddie Lack
Jacob Markstrom

Healthy Scratches:Ronalds Kenins

Injury Report:

Vancouver Canucks: Brad Richardson (ankle), Zack Kassian (back), Ryan Miller (knee), Andrew Alberts (concussion)

Winnipeg Jets: Grant Clitsome (back surgery, indefinitely),  Ben Chiarot (surgery, IR), Paul Postma (upper body)