Game Day Set-Up: Rangers @ Jets

When: Friday, March 14, 2014

Time: 7:00 p.m. CST

Where: MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Records: Winnipeg Jets (30-28-9, 11th in the Western Conference), New York Rangers (35-28-4, 7th in the Eastern Conference)

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

On the Horizon: Sunday, March 16th at home against the Dallas Stars (7:00 p.m. CST).

Last Game: 3-2 home loss (SO) to the Vancouver Canucks

Top Scorers:

Winnipeg Jets: Bryan Little (20 goals, 33 assists, 53 points), Blake Wheeler (23 goals, 28 assists, 51 points), Dustin Byfuglien (16 goals, 32 assists, 48 points), Andrew Ladd (18 goals, 29 assists, 47 points), Olli Jokinen (15 goals, 21 assists, 36 points)

New York Rangers: Brad Richards (16 goals, 29 assists, 45 points), Derek Stepan (12 goals, 33 assists, 45 points), Mats Zuccarello (15 goals, 30 assists, 45 points),  Derick Brassard (13 goals, 23 assists, 36 points), Ryan McDonagh (11 goals, 25 assists, 36 points)

Game Day Notes:

– Heading into tonight’s game, the Jets sit in 11th place in the Western Conference, five points behind the Dallas Stars for the 8th and final playoff spot.

– The Rangers were defeated 2-1 by the Minnesota Wild last night and are 4-5-1 over their last 10 games.

– Including tonight, the Jets play four of their next five games at home.

– The Rangers have only scored 11 goals in their last five games

– Rangers forward Martin St. Louis has one assist in five games since being acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Ryan Callahan and two draft picks.

– Jets Captain Andrew Ladd will play in his 600th career NHL game tonight.

– Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi has 138 blocked shots so far this season, 12th most in the NHL. Jets defenseman Mark Stuart has blocked 131 shots so far this season, 17th most in the NHL.

-The Rangers average 10.2 penalty minutes/game which ranks 8th in the NHL. The Jets average 12.2 penalty minutes/game which is 23rd in the NHL.

– Who’s Hot: Rangers forward Derek Stepan has two goals and four assists in his last five games. Jets forward Andrew Ladd has three goals and one assist in his last five games.

– Who’s Cold for the Jets: Evander Kane has no goals in his last 10 games. Blake Wheeler has one goal in his last 10 games.

– Jets record since Paul Maurice took over as Head Coach: 11-5-4.

Special Teams Breakdown:

– New York has the 11th Ranked Power Play in the NHL (19.9%) and the 7th Ranked Penalty Kill in the NHL (84.3%)

– Winnipeg has the 24th Ranked Power Play in the NHL (14.8%) and the 5th Ranked Penalty Kill in the NHL (84.6%)

Starting Goalies:

– Ondrej Pavelec (20-24-6, 2.95 GAA, .903 Save Percentage)

–  Henrik Lundqvist (24-21-4, 2.51 GAA, .916 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
Anthony Peluso- Eric O’Dell-Chris Thorburn

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

Ondrej Pavelec
Al Montoya

Scratches: Paul Postma, Eric Tangradi, Matt Halischuk

Projected New York Rangers Line Combinations:

Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan- Rick Nash
Carl Hagelin- Brad Richards-Martin St.Louis
Benoit Pouliot- Derick Brassard- Mats Zuccarello
Brian Boyle- Dominic Moore- Dan Carcillo

Ryan McDonagh- Dan Girardi
Anton Stralman- Marc Staal
John Moore- Kevin Klein

Henrik Lundqvist
Cam Talbot

Healthy Scratches:

Injury Report:

New York Rangers: None

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