Game Day Set-Up: Jets @ Predators

When: Thursday, October 24, 2013

Time: 7:00 p.m. CST

Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN

Records: Winnipeg (4-5-1, 12th in the Western Conference), Nashville (5-4-1, 9th in the Western Conference)

Television/Radio: TSN-Jets/ TSN 1290 Radio

On the Horizon:  The Jets continue their four-game road trip with a game against the Dallas Stars on Saturday, October 26th (6:00 p.m. CST, CBC) followed by a game the next day on Sunday, October 27th against the Colorado Avalanche (7:00 p.m. CST). The Jets end their road trip on Tuesday, October 29th against the St. Louis Blues (7:00 p.m. CST).

Last Game: 5-4 shootout loss to the Washington Capitals

Breaking News:

The Predators broke the news that goalie Pekka Rinne will be out one month.  Hear from GM David Poile speak about the development.

GM David Poile

Audio courtesy of TSN 1290 Winnipeg.

Top Scorers:

Winnipeg Jets: Bryan Little (5 goals, 3 assists, 8 points), Evander Kane (5 goals, 3 assists, 8 points), Tobias Enstrom (1 goal, 6 assists, 7 points), Dustin Byfuglien (0 goals, 7 assists, 7 points)

Nashville Predators: Craig Smith (1 goal, 5 assists, 6 points), David Legwand (1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points), Mike Fisher (2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points), Patric Hornqvist (3 goals, 2 assists, 5 points)

Game Notes:

– Good Friend of Illegal Curve Josh Cooper of The Tennessean newspaper reported this morning that Predators Goaltender Pekka Rinne will be out a minimum of four weeks with a hip scope. Nashville has recalled Magnus Hellberg from the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) to replace Rinne.

– Mark Stuart (hip, day-to-day) and Jim Slater (undisclosed, day-to-day) are travelling with Jets on the current road trip. Claude Noel said early Thursday that Mark Stuart is good to go and will be a game-time decision which means he could go into the line-up tonight in place of Adam Pardy. Jim Slater will not play tonight.

– Winnipeg is ranked 26th overall in the NHL in Face-off Percentage (46.3%), Nashville is ranked 1st in the NHL in Face-Off Percentage (55.8%).

– Andrew Ladd and Evander Kane are tied for the Best Plus/Minus rating on the Jets at Plus-4. Matt Halischuk has the worst Plus/Minus Rating at Minus-4.

Starting Goalies:

– Ondrej Pavelec (3-5-1, 3.09 GAA, .901 Save Percentage)

– Carter Hutton (1-0-0, 1.09 GAA, .967 Save Percentage)

Projected Winnipeg Jets Line Combinations:

Evander Kane-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler
Andrew Ladd-Bryan Little-Devin Setoguchi
Eric Tangradi-Olli Jokinen-Michael Frolik
Matt Halischuk-James Wright-Anthony Peluso

Tobias Enstrom-Zach Bogosian
Grant Clitsome-Dustin Byfuglien
Paul Postma-Mark Stuart/Adam Pardy

Ondrej Pavelec
Al Montoya

Healthy Scratches: Patrice Cormier

Projected Nashville Predators Line Combinations:

Colin Wilson-David Legwand-Patric Hornqvist
Gabriel Bourque-Matt Cullen-Craig Smith
Eric Nystrom-Nick Spaling-Filip Forsberg
Viktor Stalberg-Paul Gaustad-Matt Hendricks

Seth Jones-Shea Weber
Mattias Ekholm- Kevin Klein
Victor Bartley-Ryan Ellis

Carter Hutton
Magnus Hellberg

Healthy Scratches: Rich Clune

Injury Report:

Nashville Predators: Roman Josi (concussion), Mike Fisher (undisclosed), Pekka Rinne (hip scope)

Winnipeg Jets: Chris Thorburn (lower body, IR), Jacob Trouba (LTIR), Jim Slater (undisclosed, day-to-day), Mark Stuart (hip, day-to-day)