The Winnipeg Jets are on home ice for the first time this year as they welcome the Anaheim Ducks to the Canada Life Centre for Winnipeg’s 2021-2022 home opener. The opening puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. central time.
The Jets are coming into this game after picking up their first point of the season on Tuesday in Minnesota in a thriller of a game. The Jets had a 5-3 lead in the final five minutes of the game, but the Wild were able to score two unanswered and then score the game winning goal in overtime.
Oddly enough, the Jets are not the only team who lost 6-5 on Tuesday night. The Anaheim Ducks also lost by that scoreline in Edmonton. The Ducks had a one-goal lead entering the third period, but the Oilers scored three unanswered goals to take the lead. Kevin Shattenkirk scored a consolation goal with 19 seconds remaining in the game to put the Ducks within one goal of the lead, but Anaheim could not find an equalizer in the dying moments of the game.
The Winnipeg Jets are looking to win their first game of the new season
The Jets are one of five teams in the NHL without a win and they are looking to avenge their season opening loss to the Ducks.
Odds
The Winnipeg Jets come into tonight as the favorites, courtesy of WynnBET.
With the Jets back at home for the first time and playing in front of a capacity crowd, expect a great effort from the Jets tonight.
Projected Lineups
One thing is for certain for the Winnipeg Jets coming into tonight’s game, they will not have Blake Wheeler and Cole Perfetti in their lineup. Wheeler is out after testing positive for COVID-19, while Perfetti was assigned to the Manitoba Moose yesterday.
With that being said, it is expected the Jets will employ the same lineup as they had on Tuesday against the Wild.
Connor Hellebucyk is projected to get the start in goal as he looks for his first win of the season.
Here’s how the Jets are projected to lineup:
Connor-Schiefele-Copp
Stastny-Dubois-Ehlers
Harkins-Lowry-Vesalainen
Nash-Svechnikov
Dillon-Pionk
Morrissey-Schmidt
Stanley-DeMelo
Beaulieu
Hellebuyck (Comrie)
The Ducks will be with Mason McTavish and Max Jones tonight as both of these players were placed on the injured reserve.
It is projected that John Gibson will start in goal after Anthony Stolarz started on Tuesday in Edmonton.
Here is how the Ducks are expected to lineup:
Heneique-Zegras-Rakell
Comtois-Getzlaf-Terry
Steel-Lunderstrom-Silfverberg
Deslauriers-Groulx-Grant
Lindholm-Drysdale
Fowler-Mason
Mahura-Shattenkirk
Gibson (Stolarz)
Where to Catch the Game
TV: TSN3, BSSC, BSSD
Radio: 680 CJOB
Livestream: TSN.ca, TSN APP, ESPN+
Winnipeg Jets Fans: What are your predictions for tonight’s Jets vs. Ducks game? Leave your comments below!