Jets using less-experienced lineup as they face Oilers tonight

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This article was published 23/09/2015 (3694 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When the Winnipeg Jets take the ice at Rexall Place in Edmonton tonight (8 p.m. CT), they’ll have five repeat players from their pre-season opener Tuesday at home.

The Jets will dress forwards Alex Burmistrov, Andrew Copp, Joel Armia and Thomas Raffl as well as defenceman Brendan Kichton to play against the Oilers. All participated in Tuesday’s 1-0 home-ice overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild.

“Some of it will be some strength, how they can handle that back-to-back situation,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said after this morning’s skate at the MTS Centre. “Nobody’s minutes were so high (Tuesday). They’re all used to playing big minutes.

“And then how they think.”

The Jets will wing their way to Edmonton this afternoon and then return right after the game.

Winnipeg will use a less-experienced lineup tonight against the Oilers, Maurice said.

“We’ll spend a little time in our end of the ice so we’ll have to read rushes and we’re going to have to do all the things these young guys have to learn at this level before they can get themselves into the holes of those offensive chances,” he said. “They’re going out there tonight to see if they can handle some NHL players defensively in a lot of ways. And that kind of gives us some idea if they can hold water in a big game.”

Burmistrov will move to the wing tonight after playing centre on Tuesday. He’s likely to skate with Adam Lowry and Chase De Leo.

“We’ve got eight players not able to play right now (minor injuries) and five of them have veteran status,” the coach said. “It’s probably why Burmistrov is in the lineup.

“It’s good for Burmi to get back in. He hasn’t played a lot of hockey here. And then, the table can’t be set perfectly for these kids every night so they should be excited to get back in on back-to-back because they get another look.

“After tonight, there are five (left) and in three of those games I’ll be pretty darn close to our lineup. There’s not a lot of time. Being among the five that got back in is a real positive.”

Maurice said he needs a longer look at some lineup hopefuls but in the case of Nic Petan and Brendan Lemieux, who aren’t playing tonight but did on Tuesday, he’s got a good understanding of their games.

“I’m still learning about Raffl and Armia,” the coach said. “Those guys I have to try to, if I’m going to put them in our lineup to start the season, I need to know them better.”

Maurice said today he may not get to see the line he concocted to start training camp — Lowry between Andrew Ladd and Bryan Little. Ladd and Little have minor injuries that have kept them out of early camp skates and the coach indicated today he also wants to try Burmistrov on their wing, likely next week.

Here’s how the Jets lineup may look tonight:

De Leo-Lowry-Burmistrov

Fraser-Copp-Armia

Halischuk-Cormier-Lipon

Raffl-Olsen-Kosmachuk

Pardy-Chiarot

Harrison-Kichton

Melchiori-Nogier

Hutchinson

Comrie

 

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca