Jets make lineup changes to prepare for Flyers game tonight

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This article was published 07/11/2015 (3621 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Jets will have a few key changes to their lineup when they hit the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers at the MTS Centre tonight.

Patrice Cormier, who was called up from the Manitoba Moose prior to the Toronto game Wednesday, will make his season debut, replacing Nic Petan, who is out due to an unspecified illness. He’ll centre the fourth line alongside Chris Thorburn and Anthony Peluso.

“Usually I’d be more nervous but I’m just excited,” said Cormier, who has already played in 50 games with the franchise over the past five seasons. “You never know when your next chance is going to be or if I’m going to get another chance so I’m not thinking about tomorrow, I’m not thinking about ‘oh my god, if I play good tonight am I going to play next game?’ I’m going to go out there and have fun and enjoy every minute of it.”

Paul Postma will also see some game action for the first time this season. He’ll play on the Jets third pairing with Mark Stuart – a decision that moves Jacob Trouba up with Tyler Myers on the second grouping.

Head coach Paul Maurice put Myers and Trouba together for the third period in Thursday’s loss to Ottawa and liked what he saw from the duo.

“I thought those two guys looked the way they look when they’re really on their game when they’re playing together,” said Maurice. “They like playing together.”

But as well as they have played together, there’s still a bit of an adjustment for Myers, a right-handed d-man, who now has to work on his off side.

“I think the biggest thing is just not overthinking it,” said Myers. “It’s just a mentality. Obviously things are different and there’s going to be some different reads I’ll have to make but for me it’s not worrying about that going in to a game. If there are adjustments that need to be made, I’ll learn by playing.”

Maurice also gave an update on forward Andrew Copp (lower-body), saying he expects him to be back on the ice by Monday, but is still a ways away from returning to game action.

It’s just a short stop in Winnipeg for the Jets. After tonight’s game they head out on a four-game road trip, all against Central Division rivals. The Flyers come in to Winnipeg at the end of a five-game trip, a stretch that they have yet to pick up a win.

Jets projected lineup:

 

Andrew Ladd- Bryan Little – Blake Wheeler

Mathieu Perreault – Mark Scheifele – Nikolaj Ehlers

Alexander Burmistrov – Adam Lowry – Drew Stafford

Chris Thorburn – Patrice Cormier – Anthony Peluso

 

Toby Enstrom – Dustin Byfuglien

Tyler Myers – Jacob Trouba

Mark Stuart – Paul Postma

 Ondrej Pavelec

Michael Hutchinson

 

Flyers projected lineup:

 

Michael Raffl – Claude Giroux – Jakub Voracek

Matt Read – Sean Couturier – Wayne Simmonds

R.J. Umberger – Brayden Schenn – Sam Gagner

Chris VandeVelde – Scott Laughton – Ryan White

 

Michael Del Zotto – Mark Streit

Nick Schultz – Luke Schenn

Brandon Manning – Radko Gudas

Michael Neuvirth

Steve Mason