It’s the end of another year. The Winnipeg Jets (36-35-10) put the cap on their 2013-14 season with a date against the Calgary Flames (35-38-7), playing their final game of the year at home.
Jan 16, 2014; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Winnipeg Jets right wing
Chris Thorburn(22) defenseman
Mark Stuart(5) and Calgary Flames left wing TJ Galiardi (39) on ice at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
The Jets play game #82 as the second game of a back-to-back, coming off an impressive shootout victory against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night at home. The Flames have been burning hot as of late, entering the match-up on a four-game win streak, which most recently saw Calgary top the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 on Wednesday. The Jets beat the Flames soundly 5-2 at home on January 16th, and the three-game season series is in the Jets’ favour, with a 1-0-1 record.
The Jets will start Michael Hutchinson for the third straight game, just one night after he earned his first career win in goal the night before.
Karri Ramo will be the Flames’ starter, after 103 saves on his last 107 shots in the past three games. Ramo is 17-13-4 as the Flames’ new starter, and has compiled a .915% save percentage and 2.54 GAA in his 38 appearances this season.
Winnipeg will play without many of their regulars: Dustin Byfuglein (muscle tear), captain Andrew Ladd (elbow), Zach Bogosian (lower-body), Mark Scheifele (knee), Keaton Ellerby (lower-body), James Wright (ankle), Chris Thorburn (foot), and goaltender Al Montoya (lower-body). The Jets will enter the game with 6 AHL players on their roster: Eric O’Dell, Zach Redmond, Michael Hutchinson, Ben Chiarot, Patrice Cormier, and Carl Klingberg.
It is the same story for the Flames, who are without Tyler Wotherspoon (shoulder), Ladislav Smid (upper-body), Dennis Wideman (upper-body), Markus Granlund (upper-body), and David Jones (upper-body). Paul Byron is questionable, after missing four straight games for personal reasons.
The Jets and Flames are both out of the playoff race, and neither has made the post-season in a combined 12 seasons (7 Jets, 5 Flames). The last time that the Jets’ franchise made the playoffs, current Flames coach Bob Hartley was behind the bench. The only player remaining from that Southeast Division Champion squad is Jets’ center, Jim Slater.
The Jets will finish the season last in the Central Division regardless of the out-come, with the Nashville Predators holding the tie-break at 84 points. If the Flames beat the Jets, and win on Sunday night against the Vancouver Canucks, they will leap-frog Vancouver for fifth in the Pacific Division.
The Jets are .500% on the road this season, at 18-18-4, while the Flames are just above at 19-18-3. The Jets are a shocking 11-6-3 against the Pacific Division this year, while the Flames are 8-12-0 against Central Division teams.
You can see the final Jets’ game of the season on TSN Jets, as well as listen live on TSN 1290 radio. Non-regional viewers can catch the game on Sportsnet West. Puck drop is at 8:00 PM Central time.
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