Game Day Set-Up: Predators @ Jets

When: Friday, October 17, 2014

Time: 7:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (1-2-0), Nashville Predators (2-0-1)

Television/Radio: TSN3, FS-TN/ TSN 1290 Radio

On the Horizon: Sunday, October 19th at home against the Calgary Flames (6:00 p.m. CST).

Last Game: 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings

Top Scorers:

Winnipeg Jets: Blake Wheeler (2 goals, 1 assist, 3 points), Tobias Enstrom (0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points), Bryan Little (3 goals, 0 assists, 3 points), Zach Bogosian (0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points), Mark Stuart (1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point)

Nashville Predators: Paul Gaustad (1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points), Eric Nystrom (2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points), Filip Forsberg (1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points), Derek Roy (0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points), Shea Weber (2 goals, 1 assist, 3 points)

Game Day Notes:

– The Jets begin a five game home stand tonight which also includes games against the Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche. This will be the longest home stand of the season for the Jets.

– Since coming over from Atlanta back in 2011, the Jets are 1-2-0 in home openers.

– Jets forward Evander Kane will miss his third consecutive game for the Jets tonight. Kane suffered a knee injury during the Jets season opener against the Arizona Coyotes back on October 9th. On Tuesday, Jets Head Coach Paul Maurice told the media that the plan is still for Kane to be reevaluated next week.

– Predators foward Viktor Stalberg was activated off injured reserve on Friday and will make his season debut tonight against the Jets. Stalberg injured himself during a practice on September 22nd. Stalberg had 8 goals and 10 assists in 70 games for the Predators last year.

– Predators Top Face-off Guy: Paul Gaustad (60.4%, 11th in NHL)

– Jets Top Face-off Guy: Mathieu Perreault (55.3%, 27th in NHL)

– Who’s Under the Microscope for Nashville: Colin Wilson. The 24-year-old Winnipeg native is coming off a disappointing season in which he scored only 11 goals in 81 games. With all of the off-season acquisitions that were made by Nashville, Wilson finds himself playing on the team’s third line with rookie Calle Jarnkrok and former Jet Olli Jokinen.

– Who’s Under the Microscope for Winnipeg: Mark Scheifele. The 21-year-old sophomore centre has one point in three games, including no goals. Scheifele will be expected to start producing offensively for the Jets especially in the absence of Evander Kane due to injury.

Special Teams Breakdown:

– Nashville PP (12.5%, 22nd in NHL), Nashville PK (77.8%, 19th in NHL)

– Winnipeg PP (0.00%, 30th in NHL), Winnipeg PK (100%, Tied-1st in NHL)

Projected Winnipeg Jets Line Combinations:

Dustin Byfuglien- Mark Scheifele- Blake Wheeler
Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Michael Frolik
Adam Lowry- Matthieu Perreault -Chris Thorburn
TJ Galiardi- Jim Slater- Anthony Peluso

Tobias Enstrom- Zach Bogosian
Mark Stuart- Jacob Trouba
Adam Pardy- Paul Postma

Ondrej Pavelec
Michael Hutchinson

Healthy Scratches: Matt Halischuk, Grant Clitsome

Projected Nashville Predators Line Combinations:

Filip Forsberg- Mike Ribeiro- James Neal
Viktor Stalberg- Derek Roy- Craig Smith
Colin Wilson- Calle Jarnkrok – Olli Jokinen
Gabriel Bourque- Paul Gaustad-Eric Nystrom

Roman Josi- Shea Weber
Anton Volchenkov- Seth Jones
Mattias Ekholm- Ryan Ellis

Pekka Rinne
Carter Hutton

Healthy Scratches: Taylor Beck, Rich Clune, Victor Bartley

Injury Report:

Nashville Predators: Matt Cullen (lower body), Mike Fisher (achilles)

Winnipeg Jets:  Eric O’Dell (upper body), Evander Kane (knee)