The Winnipeg Jets are back at the Canada Life Centre after a brief two-game road trip as the Jets host the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight. The opening puck drop for tonight’s clash is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. central time.
The road trip to Edmonton and Vancouver did not go so well for the Jets. Winnipeg lost the first game of the trip in a shootout to the Oilers and, on the next night, they lost 3-2 to the Cancuks.
Tonight is the third game of a Canada road trip for the Penguins. Contrary to the results of the Jets trip, the Penguins have played extremely well. They won their prior two games of this trip both in shutouts by beating the Montreal Canadiens 6-0 and the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-0.
The Winnipeg Jets look to ruin the Pittsburgh Penguins perfect road trip
This is a quick one-game homestand for the Jets. After tonight, they will be back on the road for three games.
Odds
The Winnipeg Jets come into tonight as the favorites, courtesy of WynnBET.
As stated above, the Penguins have won two straight games without allowing a goal. On the other hand, the Jets have outshot their opponents in the last two games but struggled to score.
But the Jets are back on home ice where, this season, they have one of the best home records in the NHL and have been extremely tough to beat. This has all of the makings of a game that will go down to the wire.
Projected Lineups
The Jets are not expected to make any changes to their lineup, but they are projected to switch some of their line combinations around.
Mark Scheifele is expected to center Andrew Copp and Nikolaj Ehlers. Then we will see, Kyle Connor on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Blake Wheeler. This will then move Evgeny Svechnikov to the third line with Adam Lowry and Jansen Harkins. Finally, Winnipeg’s fourth line will remain the same, consisting of Dominic Toninato, Riley Nash, and Kristian Vesalainen.
The Jets’ defensive pairs are projected to remain the same and Connor Hellebuyck will get the start in goal tonight for the Jets after Eric Comrie played Friday night in Vancouver.
Here’s how the Jets are projected to lineup:
Copp-Scheifele-Ehlers
Connor-Dubois-Wheeler
Svechnikov-Lowry-Harkins
Toninanto-Nash-Vesalainen
Dillon-Pionk
Morrissey-Schmidt
Stanley-DeMelo
Hellebuyck (Comrie)
The Penguins are not projected to make any changes for tonight’s game as they look to pick up all six points from this road trip. The Penguins lines are listed below are courtesy of the Daily Faceoff.
Tristian Jarry has posted back-to-back shutouts and is projected to be the starter for Pittsburgh this evening.
Here is how the Penguins are expected to lineup :
Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Zucker-Carter-Kapanen
Aston-Reese–Blueger–McGinn
Heinen-Rodrigues-Simon
Dumoulin-Letang
Pettersson-Marino
Matheson-Ruhwedel
Jarry (DeSmith)
Where to Catch the Game
TV: SN, ATTSN-PT
Radio: 680 CJOB
Winnipeg Jets Fans: What are your predictions for tonight’s game? Leave your comments below!