After a bit of a wild ride on Sunday the Jets added two points to their standings bank courtesy of a Kyle Connor game-winning goal. They left Nevada with the W and made their way to Arizona where they will be looking for a measure of revenge against their division rival after the Coyotes defeated the Jets in Winnipeg at the end of November despite being outshot 46 to 15.
With David Gustafsson having left the game after the 1st intermission yesterday with what the team called a lower-body injury, we will have to see if there is an update on his status. As well what might the lines look like with Evgeny Svechnikov having shed the non-contact uniform on Saturday. The Jets have CJ Suess as an extra forward as well and 2020 1st rounder Cole Perfetti, who is on the taxi squad. Both players can play centre.
Skate news:
As per Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press a few players are absent including David Gustafsson, Paul Stastny or Connor Hellebuyck. He adds that Eric Comrie and Arvid Holm are the two goalies at practice as well as 13 forwards and seven defencemen configured as follows:
White: Scheifele, Ehlers, Dubois, Connor, Harkins
Blue: Lowry, Copp, Reichel, Toninato, Vesalainen, Svechnikov, Suess, Perfetti (taxi)
Red: Morrissey, DeMelo, Pionk, Dillon, Schmidt, Stanley, Beaulieu
Health update:
Interim head coach Dave Lowry spoke following practice he indicated that David Gustafsson is being evaluated and that he will not be a player tomorrow night against the Coyotes.
Player media availability:
Coach media availability:
Topics:
1) Status of David Gustafsson and update on Hellebuyck/Stastny who were missing?
2) Any insight into how he might fill Gustafsson’s spot? (:41)
3) Guys like Harkins/Reichel stepping up to the opportunity (1:20)
4) Was he surprised by how many guys chose to skate in today’s optional? (2:09)
5) Reflections on yesterday’s game in Vegas (2:42)
6) Game against Coyotes (3:41)
7) Thoughts on the D pairings he used vs Vegas (4:29)
8) Does approach change in January with all these road games? (5:42)
Up next:
The road trip continues tomorrow night against the Coyotes. Be sure to start your morning with the Morning Papers which go live on illegalcurve.com at 7 AM and we want you to join us after the game on the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show.
