Game Day Set-Up: Ducks @ Jets

When: Sunday, December 7, 2014

Time: 2:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (14-9-4, 32 points, 8th in West), Anaheim Ducks (17-6-5, 39 points, 1st in West)

Television/Radio: PRIME, TSN3/ TSN 1290 Radio

On the Horizon: Tuesday, December 9th on the road against the Dallas Stars (7:30 p.m. CST).

Last Game: 6-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche

Top Scorers:

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (9 goals, 10 assists, 19 points), Blake Wheeler (8 goals, 11 assists, 19 points), Bryan Little (11 goals, 8 assists, 19 points), Dustin Byfuglien (6 goals, 6 assists, 12 points), Michael Frolik (5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points)

Anaheim Ducks: Ryan Getzlaf (8 goals, 18 assists, 26 points), Corey Perry (14 goals, 8 assists, 22 points), Ryan Kesler (8 goals, 13 assists, 21 points), Sami Vatanen (7 goals, 14 assists, 21 points), Matt Beleskey (13 goals, 2 assists, 15 points)

Game Day Notes:

– The Jets have a record of 1-3 against teams in the Pacific Division this year.

– This is the first of three meetings between the Jets and Ducks this year. The Jets play the Ducks again at home next Saturday, December 13th.

– With his hat trick on Friday night, Bryan Little now has 11 goals on the season, Tied for 7th most in the NHL.

– Ondrej Pavelec will start in net for the Jets tonight. In 21 games this year, Pavelec has a record of 9-8-2 with a .919 Save Percentage and 2.21 Goals Against Average.

– According to Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register, Frederik Andersen will get the start in net for the Ducks tonight. 13-4-4 with a 2.50 Goals Against Average and .912 Save Percentage.

– According to Eric Stephens, Dauphin, Manitoba native Colby Robak will make his Ducks debut tonight. The Ducks acquired Robak from the Florida Panthers earlier in  the week in exchange for defenseman Jesse Blacker and a future conditional draft pick. Robak had played in seven games for the Panthers (no points). Mark Fistric will draw out of the line-up.

– On Saturday, the Ducks announced that Corey Perry has a knee injury and will not play today versus the Jets. Perry will be reevaluated when the team returns to Anaheim. Perry injured his knee on Friday night

– On Saturday, Anaheim recalled Rickard Rackell form the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League. Rackell has three assists in 17 games with the Ducks this year. Today will be Andersen’s 15th straight start in net.

– Chris Thorburn is two points shy of 100 career points.

– Surging: Dustin Byfuglien has three goals and two assists in his last five games.

– Slumping: Jets forward Mark Scheifele has no goals over the last seven games (two assists).

– Defenseman Hampus Lindholm leads all active Ducks in ice time, averaging 22:41 of ice time per game, ranked 47th in the NHL.

– Ducks Top Face-off Guy: Ryan Kesler (55.0%)

– Jets Top Face-off Guy: Jim Slater (56.6%)

– Who’s Under the Microscope for Anaheim: Rickard Rackell. Rackell has been called up from the AHL due to various injuries and he will get a chance to prove to Bruce Boudreau that he deserves to stay in the line-up.

– Who’s Under the Microscope for Winnipeg: Mark Scheifele. Scheifele has been struggling offensively with no goals in his last seven games. Scheifele will most likely go up against Ryan Kesler’s line this afternoon which will be a big test.

Special Teams Breakdown:

– Anaheim PP (16.3%, 21st in NHL), Anaheim PK (82.4%, 13th in NHL)

– Winnipeg PP (11.6%, 28th in NHL), Winnipeg PK (85.2%, 6th in NHL)

Projected Winnipeg Jets Line Combinations:

Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Blake Wheeler
Evander Kane- Mathieu Perreault- Michael Frolik
Adam Lowry- Mark Scheifele-Matt Halischuk
Chris Thorburn- Jim Slater- Anthony Peluso

Mark Stuart- Jacob Trouba
Ben Chiarot- Dustin Byfuglien
Adam Pardy- Paul Postma

Ondrej Pavelec
Michael Hutchinson

Healthy Scratches: TJ Galiardi, Julien Brouillette

Projected Anaheim Ducks Line Combinations:

Rene Bourque- Ryan Getzlaf- Devante Smith-Pelly
Matt Beleskey- Ryan Kesler- Kyle Palmieri
Andrew Cogliano- Rickard Rackell- Jakob Silfverberg
Patrick Maroon- Nate Thompson- Tim Jackman

Cam Fowler- Josh Manson
Hampus Lindholm -Colby Robak
Sami Vatanen- Clayton Stoner

Frederik Andersen
Igor Bobkov

Healthy Scratches: Chris Wagner, Mark Fistric

Injury Report:

Anaheim Ducks: Corey Perry (knee), Eric Brewer (foot), Jason LaBarbera (upper body), Francois Beauchemin (upper body), Dany Heatley (groin), John Gibson (groin), Ben Lovejoy (finger)

Winnipeg Jets:  Tobias Enstrom (lower body, Injured Reserve), Grant Clistome (undisclosed), Zach Bogosian (lower body)