Ottawa Senators (14-8-6) Vs.

Your Winnipeg Jets (15-11-2)

 

Last Meeting:

February 9th, Jets 1 – Sens 0

 

Broadcast:

TV: TSN Jets

Puck Drop: 4:00 (CT)

Things really seem to be going well for the Winnipeg Jets as of late. How well you ask? So well that the boys managed to blow a 4-1 lead and still win in a 10 round shootout, have a goaltender that ranks 30th in GAA and 31st in Sv%, and a power play that has lately been featuring the skills of Kyle Wellwood and Nik Antropov, yet still have been playing well enough to sit 3rd in the Eastern Conference and have a 7-2-1 record in their last ten.

Both teams come into today’s game on the second game of back to backs, as Ottawa beat Buffalo in OT last night, which put an end to a 2 games losing streak. With injuries to the likes of Jason Spezza, Erik Karlsson and Craig Anderson, it’s safe to say that this is not the same team that the Jets faced over a month ago. Yet, the Sens have managed to maintain a decent position in the standings without their stars, and sit 2 points up on the Jets before this afternoons contest.

The winner of this game will take the season series, which could end up being huge in the extremely tight race that is the Eastern Conference right now. It also allows an opportunity for the Jets to create more of a cushion between themselves and the Carolina Hurricanes, who sit one point back with a game in hand. The Jets have a reputation of going on slides once they reach a high point in the standings, so let’s up they can push past that and get a win in Ottawa today.

Ladd – Little – Wheeler

Kane – Jokinen – Miettinen

Antropov – Wellwood – Wright

Thorburn – Cormier – Tangradi

 

Clitsome – Byfuglien

Hainsey – Bogosian

Stuart – Meech

 

Pavelec

 

Latendresse – Turris – Alfredsson

Neil – Greening – Smith

Silfverberg – Zibanejad – Condra

Kassian – Regin – Obrien

 

Phillips – Gryba

Methot – Gonchar

Wiercioch – Benoit

 

Lehner

 

This could be a game that you see Burmistrov re-enter the lineup. Cormier has not been playing very much on that fourth line (he saw 4:28 yesterday, and only one shift in the third) and you have to think that the message has been sent. That being said, you don’t always want to mess with success.

The Sens on the other hand ride their top line like no other. According to leftwinglock, Latendresse and Alfredsson play both first and third line roles on the wing, with Smith and Turris both spending time centering them.  The rest of the wingers tend to get minor ice time in a constant roatation, so it is clear who they rely on.  With the second change this afternoon it’ll be key to watch how Coach Noel approaches this, and it may be interesting to see if Ladd – Little – and Wheeler put up some season high minutes. It could also mean that the Antropov – Wellwood – Wright line will have a good opportunity to continue their solid play, as they will have opportunities against relatively inexperienced lines.

The Sens have played eleven straight one goal games. Get yourselves ready to play a long, hard road game against a team that has nothing to lose. Nobody expected the Sens to keep winning after losing so many stars, but they have kept on trucking and play hard every night.

The Sens are 4th in the league in 5 on 5 goals against and GA/60min, so don’t expect to light up the scoreboard. The Jets need to push, and push hard, all game long and not hang their heads in something doesn’t work. In two games against this team they have only scored 2 goals. It’s going to be something nasty and hard earned that goes in, not a flashy dangle.

Pav has been better as of late, but struggled last night against the Leafs. Lupul’s game opener was a pretty weak goal to the glove side, and it HAS to be known now that the glove hand is where you go. For as good as the Sens are at keeping the puck out of their net, they equally struggle putting it in, so take advantage of any weakness you can.

The Sens are an impressive 9-1-3 this year at home. They have every reason to be confident in their own building, and it should give them a boost for a rough afternoon game today. What they cannot forget though is that the Jets are an equally impressive 9-5-2 on the road, and can play among the best in the league when they want to.

All signs point towards a good, low scoring game tonight. It really should be a dandy.