Matthias and Armia return to Jets lineup for rematch with Canucks

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This article was published 22/12/2016 (3186 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER — The Winnipeg Jets are making three significant lineup changes heading into the second half of a rare two-game set against the Vancouver Canucks here at Rogers Arena this evening.

Forwards Shawn Matthias and Joel Armia will both make their long-awaited return to the Jets lineup while goaltender Michael Hutchinson will get the start in what is the final game for the Jets before the start of a four-day Christmas break.

Andrew Copp and Brandon Tanev will watch from the press box tonight with Armia and Matthias both returning. Connor Hellebuyck, who was the Jets netminder Tuesday night in a 4-1 Winnipeg loss to Vancouver, will be the backup.

The Canucks will reply with Ryan Miller as their starter tonight. That’s also a switch — Jacob Markstrom got the win Tuesday evening for Vancouver and was exceptional against the Jets.

Matthias will be seeing his first action since sustaining a lower-body injury Nov. 1, while Armia will be seeing his first action since going down with a lower-body injury two nights later.

The two had been playing together with Adam Lowry on a line that was arguably the Jets most effective when they went down. The Jets did not do any line rushes during today’s morning skate so it’s not exactly clear where the two will draw into the Jets line combinations.

But if it’s a straight swap for Tanev and Copp, that would see Matthias and Armia return to a line combination with Lowry.

Jets head Paul Maurice said Tanev “got nicked up” late in the game Tuesday evening, while Copp is a healthy scratch.

Matthias and Armia had been practising with the team for over a week and Maurice said the time was right for both men to finally make their return to the lineup.

“We’ve gone as long as we can without the game being the next step. They’ve been skated hard, they’ve been worked hard in practice, they’re a 100 per cent confident in coming back. The four-day break wouldn’t make them better athletes or give them a better chance.

“We see those two men as really important players for us. So getting them in — and then mentally they come into the break knowing they’re ready to go.”

Tonight will be the first appearance for Hutchinson in the Jets net in five games. Maurice said the move was a function of balancing the workload with Hellebuyck.

Maurice is keeping his humour these days despite a tough loss Tuesday evening in which a poor second period once again turned the tide against the Jets.

Asked by a Vancouver reporter how often he’s been asked this season about his team’s second period struggles, Maurice deadpanned: “Probably more than the number of goals we’ve given up, which makes it a big number either way.”

The Jets have given up 48 goals in the second period this season, the worst in the league by nine goals.

email: paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @PaulWiecek