The calm before the storm: Vancouver Canucks @ Winnipeg Jets game day 82
8 days ago
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Well folks, here you are, getting ready for the final regular season game of the 2023-24 season for the Winnipeg Jets. The playoffs are just a few days away, but first, an opportunity to close the season off at home against the Vancouver Canucks. The Winnipeg Jets secured home ice advantage for their 1st round matchup against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday with a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Canucks clinched the Pacific division with a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. Both teams have an opportunity to finish 2nd overall in the Western conference with a win, ensuring a potential home ice advantage against any team in the West except for the Dallas Stars. The Jets hope to continue their current 7 game win streak.
Rick Bowness spoke with the media after their final regular season practice yesterday, and in terms of what differences he sees in the Jets going into the payoffs this year vs last year, he said that the
“Confidence level should be very high. We all know that we didn’t finish the year great last year and we were scrambling at the end to get in. That’s the bottom line.” This year we’re not scrambling, we get in early. I think we’re much better prepared going into this playoffs than we were last year. We’re a better team this year than we were at this time last year, there’s no question.”
It’s clear that the Winnipeg Jets are looking to enter the playoffs on the same confidence level that they sit at now on this 7 game winning streak. But what is the lineup going to look like tonight? It’s somewhat of a tradition to sit out some regulars in the final game or games of the season to get some extra rest before the playoffs begin.
Yesterday at practice, it was confirmed that Morgan Barron wouldn’t play due to injury and Laurent Brossoit gets the start in net. Rick Bowness also confirmed that all of the 5 healthy scratches from Tuesday, Cole Perfetti, David Gustafsson, Rasmus Kupari, Colin Miller and Nate Schmidt would play in tonight’s game.
This morning, the Winnipeg Jets confirmed that they were calling up 4 players from their AHL affliate, the Manitoba Moose. Brad Lambert, Parker Ford, Nikita Chibrikov and goaltender Collin Delia. Delia will get to serve as the backup for Brossoit tonight, while Chibrikov and Lambert will make their NHL debuts following successful seasons with the Moose.
Laurent Brossoit will get the start for the Jets, following his 24 save shutout in a 3-0 win against the Dallas Stars last Thursday. Expected in goal for the Canucks is Thatcher Demko, who is playing in his 2nd game back since returning from a 3 week absence due to injury.
All-time the Jets are 28-17-4 against the Canucks. Brock Boeser leads the Canucks with 40 goals, while J.T Miller leads the Canucks with 103 points. Kyle Connor leads the Jets with 34 goals, while Mark Scheifele leads the team with 72 points in 74 games played. It’s expected to be a good final matchup for the Jets to conclude the regular season. Game time tonight is 7 PM CDT at Canada Life Centre.
Jets projected lineup
Ehlers – Monahan – Toffoli
Iafallo – Lambert – Vilardi
Niederreiter – Gustafsson – Appleton
Perfetti – Kupari – Chibrikov
Schmidt – DeMelo
Samberg – Pionk
Stanley – Miller
Brossoit
Delia
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