Winnipeg Jets vs Ottawa Senators Preview: The First of Two
Tonight, the Winnipeg Jets start a two-game series against the Ottawa Senators. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. central time.
These two games are an excellent opportunity for the Jets to get back in the win column after a 3-2 loss Tuesday night in Calgary. The Senators have an abundance of young talent that eventually will develop, but at this point are the worst team in the NHL.
The Senators have lost their last three games but have shown some signs of improved play losing a close last game against the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 3 – 2. Brady Tkachuk leads the Senators in scoring, and in the ability to get under an opponents’ skin. Rookie Tim Stutzle has played well since returning from injury and looks like the type of player to lead the team in scoring in the not too distant future.
Tonight also will be the second game for newly added Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre Luc Dubois.
The last two meetings between the two teams the Jets won easily by a score of 6-3, but the schedule gets much busier over the next few weeks. In an extremely competitive North division playoff race the Jets need to ensure that while they do not take any team lightly, they need to win the games against inferior teams.
Odds
The Action network lists the Jets as the favorites in tonight’s matchup.
As expected, the Jets are favored to win this game. However, the Senators have been playing better lately and the Jets need to make sure that they do not take any opponent lightly.
Where you can Find the Game
TV: TSN3, RDS2, TSN5
Radio: 680 CJOB
Livestream: TSN.ca, TSN app
Projected Lineups
. 7-4-1. . Winnipeg Jets. 4. team. 107
We could see the Winnipeg Jets make a couple of lineup changes. The first projected change is expected to come on the Jets’ bottom pair defenseman where Tucker Poolman may make his debut after being out of the lineup while recovering from COVID. Unfortunately, Logan Stanley who has played well may come out of the lineup in his place.
Kristian Vesalainen looks like he will get another chance to play on the second line with Paul Stastny and Blake Wheeler after a solid showing with those players against Calgary.
Connor Hellebuyck is projected to get the start tonight with Laurent Brossoit possibly getting in next game against the Senators on Saturday.
The Jets are projected to lineup like this:
Ehlers-Scheifele-Copp
Vesalainen-Stastny-Wheeler
Connor-Dubois-Lewis
Perreault-Lowry-Appleton
Forbort-Pionk
Beaulieu-Morrissey
Poolman-DeMelo
Hellebuyck (Brossoit)
2-11-1. . Ottawa Senators. 7. team. 91.
Rumors have been floating around that veteran forward Derek Stepan was requesting a trade as he would like to be closer to his family after his wife recently gave birth to their third child. General manager Pierre Dorion has denied that rumor.
One of the reasons for the rumors has been that the improving play of the Senators young line of Tim Stutzle, Josh Norris, and Drake Batherson is pushing veterans like Stepan and Alex Galchenyuk further down the lineup.
The Senators are also hoping to get better play in goal from marquee free agent signing Matt Murray.
The Senators are expected to lineup like this:
Tkachuk-Tierney-Brown
Paul-White-Dadonov
Stutzle-Norris-Batherson
Galchenyuk-Stepan-Watson
Chabot-Zaitsev
Reilly-Zub
Wolanin-Gudbrandson
Murray (Hogberg)
Winnipeg Jets Fans: Will the Jets beat the Senators tonight? Leave your comments below!
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*All Stats Provided by the NHL*