Winnipeg Jets vs Montreal Canadiens Game Three: Odds, Lineups, More

Game three between the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens is tonight at the Bell Centre. Tonight’s game three is scheduled to start earlier than usual with a 5:00 p.m. central time opening puck drop.

The series moves to Montreal after the Canadiens won game one 5-3 and then extended their series lead to two games to none on Friday night at Bell MTS Place.

In Game two, the Canadiens were led by Carey Price and their defense as they beat the Jets 1-0. You can read our site’s game recap by clicking the link here or the “Related Story” link below this paragraph.

The Winnipeg Jets will try to do something that they have not done throughout their franchise history: come back from being 2-0 down in a best-of-seven series. The three prior Jets teams that have trailed 2-0 have gotten swept each time.

The Winnipeg Jets look to bring the series deficit to one game with a win over the Montreal Canadiens tonight

Tonight also kicks off games on back-to-back days for Winnipeg and Montreal. These teams will meet again on Monday night for game four.

It is crucial that the Jets win game three. According to Hockey Reference, only 2% (4 out of 198) of teams that lost the first three games of a series have gone on to win that series.

Odds

For the first time in this series, the Jets are the underdogs. This should come as no surprise after Montreal won the first two games of this series in Winnipeg.

It is interesting to note that Winnipeg was a much better team on the road than at home throughout this season and they have also their first two road games during this postseason. With that being said, expect to see the Jets best showing of the series tonight.

Where you can Find the Game

TV: SN, TVAS, NBCSN

Radio: 680 CJOB

Projected Lineups

The biggest question for the Jets coming into this evening’s game is whether Paul Stastny will be available to play tonight after missing games one and two due to injury.

Stastny did make the trip to Montreal and will be considered a game-time decision. If Stastny is available expect him to come into the lineup for Jansen Harkins.

Dominic Toninato is also projected to come back into the lineup after being scratched on Friday. Toninato is expected to replace Kristian Vesalinen and play on the fourth line alongside Nate Thompson and Trevor Lewis.

Winnipeg’s defense is projected to remain the same for tonight’s clash. Jordie Benn replaced Dylan DeMelo for game two after DeMelo suffered a soft tissue injury during the first minute of game one. DeMelo is still injured and remains out of the lineup tonight. Benn is projected to stay in the lineup.

Connor Hellebuyck will be the starting goaltender for Winnipeg after a good performance in game two. Hellebuyck stopped all but one shot that he faced, but unfortunately for him, it was not enough as the Jets were shutout.

The Jets are projected to lineup like this:

Connor-Dubois-Wheeler
Copp-Stastny*-Ehlers
Perreault-Lowry-Appleton
Toninato-Thompson-Lewis

Morrissey-Poolman
Forbort-Pionk
Stanley-Benn

Hellebuyck (Brossoit)

*game-time decision

With no apparent injuries in the second game of this series, expect the Canadiens to use the same exact lineup for the second straight game.

Carey Price will get the start in goal after a terrific shutout performance on Friday in Winnipeg. Price has won his last five starts this postseason.

The Canadiens are expected to lineup like this:

Lehkonen-Danault-Gallagher
Toffoli-Suzuki-Caufield
Byron-Kotkaniemi-Anderson
Perry-Staal-Armia

Chiarot-Weber
Edmundson-Petry
Kulak-Gustafsson

Price (Allen)

Winnipeg Jets Fans: What are your predictions for game three? Leave your comments below!

*All Stats Provided by the NHL*