Maurice hints at lineup tinkering as Jets take on Bruins

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This article was published 21/12/2017 (2821 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BOSTON —A significant lineup adjustment that helped Winnipeg beat the Nashville Predators 6-4 Tuesday night could be part of the game plan again when the Jets (20-10-5) take on the Boston Bruins (17-10-5) at TD Garden tonight (6 p.m., TSN3, TSN 1290).

On Tuesday, Jets head coach Paul Maurice’s in-game adjustment dropped rookie left-winger Kyle Connor from his usual spot on Winnipeg’s top line with centre Mark Scheifele and right-winger Blake Wheeler to the club’s second unit with centre Bryan Little and right-winger Patrik Laine. Nikolaj Ehlers, in turn, took Connor’s old spot and responded with two crucial second-period goals against the Predators.

Maurice was asked if that arrangement would continue.

“All part of the mystery of the game isn’t it?” Maurice said following the Jets pre-game skate Thursday morning. “But I like the way we finished. One of the things that’s happened with Kyle Connor is his first game when we brought him back up, was against Minnesota and he played with Little and Patty (Laine) and they really had a hard time moving the puck. But he’s a completely different player in my mind now…

“He’s got a different kind of speed than Nikky. Nikky, so much of his speed is with the puck and it’s dynamic. Kyle is more straight line and what he does well now is he gets in and he gets on it and he gets on the puck. That wasn’t there last year and it’s all part of the growing process. If we leave it here tonight, that’s what we’re looking for… for him to play the game he’s capable of playing. So we certainly wouldn’t mind taking a look at it.”

Maurice was more definitive about his choice to start in net. Connor Hellebuyck, who has started Winnipeg last two games, will get the call despite some consideration for getting Steve Mason another shot prior to the Christmas break. The Jets finish their current road trip with a Saturday afternoon matchup in New York against the Islanders.

“He just feels strong, he feels good about his game,” explained Maurice. “This game is fairly close to home for him in terms his minor hockey and just wanted to keep rolling. We looked at splitting these last two games here with our goaltenders but it just felt right, he’s feeling good off a non-skate day for us yesterday. He was in the best position to play this game.”

The Bruins will start veteran Tuukka Rask in net tonight but have a few lineup decisions to make before game time.

Centre David Krejci (upper body) is out while regulars Brad Marchand, Ryan Spooner and Riley Nash are questionable — all apparently with the same illness. All three were sent home to recover but Boston head coach Bruce Cassidy could not say if any of them would be able to suit up tonight.

Maurice, who is not expected to make any personnel changes from Tuesday, said the Bruins are a formidable foe.

“There’s things that the Boston Bruins have done for the last 20 years and that’s still there, but their game has changed — as a lot of teams have,” said Maurice. “The young players coming in, dynamic, real quick transition team, lots of short passes, lots of good support. So, it’s the NHL game you see now. Quickness, good solid back end. They can move the puck. They can get up into the plays.

“You see a lot of that style in the East, I think a little bit more. Real quick counterattacks, real quick on the pucks. Real close support and a lot of short area plays.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14