Winnipeg Jets Morning Papers (Tuesday, Mar 20th)

Jets news:

Winnipeg Free Press:  Road trips taking a toll.  What has been established pretty firmly this season?  That the Jets 11-19-4 road record shows they have been a terrible team away from the MTS Centre.  However the reason games are played is because we do not have all the answers.  There is nothing to say (well perhaps the Vegas gambling books) that the Jets cannot turn things around, win the majority of their 7 remaining road games and propel themselves to the playoffs.  As coach Noel would say, we will see if the players step up and seize the opportunity before them.

Winnipeg Sun:  Road to ruin.  The road has been less than kind to these non road warriors and it is going to take a total team effort to get wins in Pittsburgh, Washington and Nashville this week.

Winnipeg Sun:  No margin for error.  Sunday’s disastrous loss to the Hurricanes really removed any wiggle room the Jets may have given themselves.  If you were scoreboard watching last night you know that both the Capitals and Sabres won to move further ahead of Winnipeg as the Jets slipped to 10th spot in the East.

Winnipeg Sun:  Dreaming of decent pillows.  The road is quite a bit less forgiving for routines.  The Jets need to figure out the magic formula if they even want to consider the post season.

Winnipeg Sun:  Bogosian gets a break.  I really didn’t think the hit merited anything more than a 2 minute charging penalty but the ref, having time to watch the replay during the TV timeout, decided otherwise.  Nodl being laid out clearly didn’t help Bogosian’s cause.

News and Observer:  Canes miffed by lack of punishment for Bogosian.  Just as Jets fans don’t have a problem with the lack of suspension, the team who lost the player, is not surprisingly aggravated for what they see as a lack of punishment for a questionable hit.

Globe and Mail:  Jets-Sens playoffs – how sweet would it be.  Jets fans would be happy to see their team in the post-season and I don’t think they are going to be too choosy over who their team faces.  Of course if they could face off against former Jets 1.0 forward Paul MacLean and his Sens squad, it would be quite the playoff series.

Winnipeg Free Press:  All for a good cause.  Part of the fun we have at the MTS Centre during games is seeing how high the Jets 50/50 jackpot can reach.  IC has created our own version of a 50/50 contest by having our twitter followers at tweet us (@illegalcurve) guessing the eventual take home amount the winner will receive with the prize being IC merchandise.  Good to know that in addition to having fun, the 50/50 proceeds end up helping the less fortunate.

Affiliate news – St. John’s IceCaps:

Note: IceCaps recalled Ben Chiarot from ECHL Colorado Eagles, signed Danny Dries to amateur tryout contact and signed Josh Lunden to a professional tryout contract.

The Telegram:  Another player lost, but there’s positive news, too.  Despite sitting 2nd in the Eastern conference the IceCaps infirmary is fuller than their bench.  Good news is the prognosis on Postma’s injury is better than originally thought.  Due to the injury to Nik Antropov, the Caps lose another player to the parent club as Ben Maxwell is getting called up.

Next opponent news – Pittsburgh Penguins:

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:  Thiessen enjoying a front-row seat as Fleury’s backup.  Good news for the Jets is they are not expected to be facing Marc Andre-Fleury between the pipes in tonight’s must-win game.  Bad news is the guy they are facing is playing some pretty good hockey.

Pittsburgh Tribune:  Pens fighting to the finish in Atlantic.  The Penguins are a downright scary team.  Well coached, ridiculous talent and solid goaltending had many considering them as Cup contenders and that was before Sidney Crosby’s return.  If Sid the Kid can stay healthy they have to be among the favorites to challenge for Lord Stanley’s Cup.