“You will need to find ways to win, even without your best players in the lineup”: Game day 42 Winnipeg Jets vs Philadelphia Flyers
By Evan Waldner
6 months agoThe soaring first-place Winnipeg Jets (28-9-4) aim to continue their superiority as they host the Philadelphia Flyers (22-14-6) for the first time this season, with the Flyers currently holding 4th place in the Metropolitan Division.
The visiting squad has recently faced some heat, having just traded prospect Cutter Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks due to his lack of interest in playing for the team. In exchange, the Flyers acquired defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2nd-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Gauthier, originally drafted 5th overall by the Flyers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, no longer contributes to the team. On the other hand, Drysdale has already earned two points in his first two games with the Flyers, as they secured a 4-3 overtime victory against the Minnesota Wild last night.
The flaming-hot Jets enter this game on an 8-game winning streak, setting a franchise record after a recent 2-1 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Jets have won 9 of their last 10 games, collecting 19 out of 20 possible points in that stretch.
The sensational Connor Hellebuyck will stand his ground in the crease tonight, coming off a 5-0 shutout against the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he stopped all 29 shots. This season, Hellebuyck boasts a 21-6-3 record, tied for 2nd in the NHL. He also maintains a .923 save percentage (tied for 4th) and a commanding 2.20 goals-against average (tied for 3rd).
Samuel Ersson is the expected starter for Philadelphia, following a 3-2 shootout win against the Montreal Canadiens. Ersson stopped 26 of 28 shots and recorded a .895 save percentage. This season, Ersson is in his sophomore and holds a 10-5-3 record (tied for 23rd), a .903 save percentage (tied for 27th), and a 2.46 goals-against average (9th) in the NHL.
It has been confirmed that Mark Scheifele is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, so he will not play tonight thus Adam Lowry is the first line center.
Projected Lineup:
Ehlers – Lowry – Vilardi
Perfetti – Namestnikov – Iafallo
Niederreiter – Kupari – Appleton
Barron – Toninato – AJF
Morrissey – DeMelo
Dillon – Pionk
Samberg – Schmidt
Hellebuyck (.923 SV%)
Brossoit (.923 SV%)
Up next:
Puck drop this evening is at 6:00 CST. You can watch the game on CITYTV or listen in on CJOB.
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