Game Day Set-Up: Jets @ Avalanche

When: Monday, March 10, 2014

Time: 8:00 p.m. CST

Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado

Records: Winnipeg Jets (30-28-7, 11th in the Western Conference), Colorado Avalanche (41-18-5, 5th in the Western Conference)

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

On the Horizon: Wednesday, March 12th at home against the Vancouver Canucks (6:30 p.m. CST).

Last Game: 5-3 loss home loss to the Ottawa Senators

Top Scorers:

Winnipeg Jets: Blake Wheeler (23 goals, 27 assists, 50 points), Bryan Little (20 goals, 30 assists, 50 points), Andrew Ladd (17 goals, 29 assists, 46 points), Dustin Byfuglien (14 goals, 32 assists, 46 points), Olli Jokinen (15 goals, 20 assists, 35 points)

Colorado Avalanche: Matt Duchene (20 goals, 39 assists, 59 points), Gabriel Landeskog (19 goals, 33 assists, 52 points), Ryan O’Reilly (24 goals, 27 assists, 51 points),  Nathan MacKinnon (22 goals, 29 assists, 51 points), Paul Stastny (20 goals, 27 assists, 47 points)

Game Day Notes:

– Heading into tonight’s game, the Jets sit in 10th place in the Western Conference, five points behind the Dallas Stars for the 8th and final playoff spot. The Jets have played one more game than the Stars.

– The Avalanche lost their last game 2-1 to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. Colorado is 6-4 over their last 10 games.

– After tonight’s game, the Jets play four of their next six games at home.

– Jets goaltender Al Montoya will make his first start tonight since February 8th at St.Louis (3-2 overtime loss). Montoya played on Saturday afternoon against Ottawa in relief of Ondrej Pavelec, allowing no goals on 12 shots.

– Colorado rookie forward Nathan MacKinnon’s 13-game points streak ended on Saturday as he failed to register a point. MacKinnon set a new record which was previously held by Wayne Gretzky for longest point streak by an 18-year-old.

-The Avalanche average 10.5 penalty minutes/game which ranks 10th in the NHL. The Jets average 12.1 penalty minutes/game which is 23rd in the NHL.

– Who’s Hot: Avalanche forward Matt Duchene has three goals and eight assists in his last 7 games. Jets forward Andrew Ladd has five goals and five assists in his last 10 games.

– Jets record since Paul Maurice took over as Head Coach: 11-5-2.

Special Teams Breakdown:

– Colorado has the 9th Ranked Power Play in the NHL (20.5%) and the 21st Ranked Penalty Kill in the NHL (80.7%)

– Winnipeg has the 24th Ranked Power Play in the NHL (14.6%) and the 8th Ranked Penalty Kill in the NHL (83.9%)

Starting Goalies:

– Al Montoya (10-4-2, 2.12 GAA, .927 Save Percentage)

–  Semyon Varlamov (31-12-5, 2.47 GAA, .925 Save Percentage)  

Projected Winnipeg Jets Line Combinations:

Andrew Ladd-Bryan Little-Michael Frolik
Evander Kane- Olli Jokinen-Devon Setoguchi
Dustin Byfuglien- Jim Slater-Blake Wheeler
Eric Tangradi- John Albert-Anthony Peluso

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

Al Montoya
Ondrej Pavelec

Healthy Scratches: Matt Halischuk, Paul Postma

Projected Colorado Avalanche Line Combinations:

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

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

Semyon Varlamov
Jean-Sebastien Giguere

Healthy Scratches: Ryan Wilson

Injury Report:

Colorado Avalanche: Alex Tanguay (knee, out for season), Paul Stastny (back, day to day).

Winnipeg Jets:  Grant Clitsome (back, out for season), James Wright (ankle), Mark Scheifele (knee), Chris Thorburn (upper body)