Game Day Set-Up: Coyotes @ Jets

When: Thursday, February 27, 2014

Time: 7:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (28-26-6, 11th in the Western Conference), Phoenix Coyotes (27-21-10, 9th in the Western Conference)

Television/Radio: TSN-JETS, FS-A/ TSN 1290 Radio

On the Horizon: Saturday, March 1st on the road against the Nashville Predators (2:00 p.m. CST).

Last Game: 2-1 road loss (OT) to the St. Louis Blues

Top Scorers:

Winnipeg Jets: Blake Wheeler (22 goals, 26 assists, 48 points), Bryan Little (18 goals, 29 assists, 47 points), Dustin Byfuglien (13 goals, 30 assists, 43 points), Andrew Ladd (14 goals, 28 assists, 42 points), Mark Scheifele (13 goals, 21 assists, 34 points)

Phoenix Coyotes: Mike Ribeiro (14 goals, 26 assists, 40 points), Radim Vrbata (15 goals, 24 assists, 39 points), Keith Yandle (7 goals, 31 assists, 38 points),  Mikkel Boedker (15 goals, 23 assists, 38 points), Antoine Vermette (21 goals, 16 assists, 37 points)

Game Day Notes:

– Starting tonight, the Jets play nine of their first 12 games after the Olympic Break at home.

– Jets left winger Evander Kane (hand infection) will return to the line-up for the Jets tonight. Kane has missed the last six games and has not played since January 26th at Chicago. Kane has 15 goals and 14 assists in 42 games for the Jets this season.

– Earlier this week, Jets forward Jim Slater (sports hernia) was medically cleared to play for the team. He had previously been on Injured Reserve. As per Sara Orlesky of TSN, Slater will play for the Jets tonight. He has been out of the line-up since October 18th recovering from sports hernia surgery. Slater has been limited to eight games this season (one assist).

– Phoenix averages 2.74 goals/game, 14th in the NHL. The Jets average 2.72 goals/game, 15th in the NHL. Phoenix averages 2.84 goals against/game, 21st in the NHL. The Jets average 2.83 goals/against, 20th in the NHL.

-The Coyotes average 10.7 penalty minutes/game which ranks 14th in the NHL.

– Who’s Hot: Phoenix forward Antoine Vermette has 8 goals and five assists in his last 10 games. Jets forward Blake Wheeler has five goals and five assists in his last 10 games.

– Who’s Cold: Jets forward Olli Jokinen has one assist in his last 11 games.

– Tonight marks Paul Maurice‘s 14th game as Head Coach of the Jets. Winnipeg is 9-3-1 under Maurice so far.

Special Teams Breakdown:

– Phoenix has the 8th Ranked Power Play in the NHL (20.4%) and the 24th Ranked Penalty Kill in the NHL (80.3%)

– Winnipeg has the 25th Ranked Power Play in the NHL (14.4%) and the 6th Ranked Penalty Kill in the NHL (84.3%)

Starting Goalies:

– Ondrej Pavelec (18-22-4, 2.97 GAA, .901 Save Percentage)

–  Mike Smith (20-17-9, 2.77 GAA, .933 Save Percentage)  

Projected Winnipeg Jets Line Combinations:

Andrew Ladd-Bryan Little-Michael Frolik
Evander Kane-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler
Devin Setoguchi-Olli Jokinen-Dustin Byfuglien
James Wright- Jim Slater-Chris Thorburn

Zach Bogosian – Tobias Enstrom
Mark Stuart – Jacob Trouba
Adam Pardy – Keaton Ellerby

Ondrej Pavelec
Al Montoya

Healthy Scratches: Eric Tangradi, Anthony Peluso, Paul Postma

Projected Phoenix Coyotes Line Combinations:

Lauri Korpikoski- Antoine Vermette-Mikkel Boedker
Rob Klinkhammer- Martin Hanzal- Radim Vrbata
Brandon McMillan- Mike Ribeiro- Shane Doan
Kyle Chipchura –  Jeff Halpern – David Moss

Oliver Ekman-Larsson- Zbynek Michalek
Keith Yandle- Derek Morris
David Schlemko- Michael Stone

Mike Smith
Thomas Greiss

Healthy Scratches:

Injury Report:

Phoenix Coyotes: None

Winnipeg Jets:  Grant Clitsome (back, out for season)