Game Day Set-Up: Rangers @ Jets

When: Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Time: 7:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (39-25-12, 90 points, 8th in West), New York Rangers (47-21-7, 101 points, 2nd in East)

Television/Radio: MSG, TSN3/ TSN 1290 Radio

On the Horizon: Saturday, April 4th at home against the Vancouver Canucks (2:00 p.m. CST)

Last Game: 4-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks

Top Scorers:

Winnipeg Jets: Andrew Ladd (24 goals, 37 assists, 61 points), Blake Wheeler (25 goals, 34 assists, 59 points), Bryan Little (24 goals, 27 assists, 51 points), Mark Scheifele (14 goals, 32 assists, 46 points), Dustin Byfuglien (18 goals, 27 assists, 45 points)

New York Rangers: Rick Nash (40 goals, 25 assists, 65 points), Derick Brassard (16 goals, 39 assists, 55 points), Derek Stepan (13 goals, 36 assists, 46 points), Martin St.Louis (20 goals, 27 assists, 47 points), Mats Zuccarello (14 goals, 33 assists, 47 points)

Game Day Notes:

– Tonight is the third game of a four game home stand for Winnipeg. The Jets are 12-3-2 in their last 17 home games.

– The Jets are 6-2-0 in their last eight games.

– Jets Season Home Record: 21-12-5

– The Jets have a record of 8-4-3 against teams in the Metropolitan Division this year

– The Jets have a record of 27-2-6 when leading after two periods.

– The Jets have a record of 1-19-4 when trailing after two periods.

– The Jets have a record of 22-13-6 when they outshoot their opponent.

– The Jets have scored 10 shorthanded goals this year (1st in NHL)

– New York’s Season Road Record: 24-11-2

– The Rangers lost their last game 5-2 to the Washington Capitals and have lost three of their last four games.

– The Rangers have just two power play goals in the last 15 games.

– Rick Nash leads the Rangers with 40 goals (2nd in NHL) and eight game-winning goals (3rd in NHL)

– Kevin Hayes is tied for 5th in rookie scoring (15 goals, 24 assists)

– This is the second and final of meeting of the season between the Jets and Rangers. The Jets won the only meeting 1-0 (SO) back on November 1st at Madison Square Garden.

– Ondrej Pavelec will start in goal for the Jets tonight. It will be Pavelec’s eighth start in nine games. In 45 games this season, Pavelec has a record of 19-15-7 with a .917 save percentage, two shutouts and 2.39 Goals Against Average. Pavelec has won six of his last seven starts.

– Jets forward Bryan Little (upper body) will return to the line-up tonight. Little has missed the last 11 games. Little will skate in his usual spot on the first line alongside Andrew Ladd and Michael Frolik.

– Henrik Lundqvist is expected to start in goal for the Rangers tonight. In 40 games this season, Lundqvist has a record of 25-12-3 with a 2.29 goals against average and .921 save percentage.

– Red Hot for the Jets: Drew Stafford is on a nine game points streak (four goals, seven assists)

– Red Hot for the Rangers: Derek Stepan has two goals and four assists in the last five games.

– Milestone Watch: Chris Thorburn is two games away from 600 career games played.

– The Rangers average 2.99 goals for/game, 3rd in the NHL. The Jets average 2.74 goals for/game, 15th in the NHL.

– The Rangers average 2.29 goals against/game, 3rd in the NHL. The Jets average 2.58 goals against/game, 13th in the NHL.

– Defenseman Tyler Myers leads all Jets in ice time, averaging 24:31 of ice time per game.

– Defenseman Ryan McDonagh leads all Rangers in ice time, averaging 23:03 of ice time per game.

– Rangers Top Face-off Guy: Dominic Moore (54.6%)

– Jets Top Face-off Guy: Jim Slater (58.6%)

Special Teams Breakdown:

– New York PP (17.0%, 21st in NHL), New York PK (84.0%, 8th in NHL)

– Winnipeg PP (19.0%, 11th in NHL), Winnipeg PK (81.6%, 15th in NHL)

Projected Winnipeg Jets Line Combinations:

Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little- Michael Frolik
Blake Wheeler- Mark Scheifele- Drew Stafford
Mathieu Perreault- Adam Lowry- Lee Stempniak
Jiri Tlusty- Jim Slater- Chris Thorburn

Tobias Enstrom- Tyler Myers
Mark Stuart- Jacob Trouba
Adam Pardy- Dustin Byfuglien

Ondrej Pavelec
Michael Hutchinson

Healthy Scratches: TJ Galiardi, Anthony Peluso, Jay Harrison, Eric O’Dell, Matt Halischuk

Projected New York Rangers Line Combinations:

Rick Nash- Derick Brassard- Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider- Derek Stepan- J.T Miller
Carl Hagelin- Kevin Hayes- Jesper Fast
Tanner Glass- Dominic Moore- James Sheppard

Ryan McDonagh- Dan Girardi
Marc Staal- Dan Boyle
Keith Yandle- Matt Hunwick

Henrik Lundqvist
Cam Talbot

Healthy Scratches:

Injury Report:

New York Rangers: Kevin Klein (arm), Matt Hunwick (upper body), Martin St.Louis (knee)

Winnipeg Jets: Grant Clitsome (back surgery, indefinitely),  Ben Chiarot (surgery, IR), Paul Postma (upper body)