Jets hope to build on home-game success while on the road

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This article was published 31/12/2015 (3641 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GLENDALE, AZ – It’s really not all that complicated. National Hockey League teams play half of their games at home, the other half on the road.

And so while the Winnipeg Jets have been decent at MTS Centre this season – 11-5-1 overall, including three straight and six of their last seven – their absolutely dreadful road record of 6-12-1 is the anchor weighing down their attempt to return to the post-season.

The Jets hope to end a five-game road losing skid — they’ve also lost 10 of their last 11 away from home – tonight against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena (8 p.m. puck drop; TSN3/TSN 1290).

Asked what the key is to getting things right again on the road, Jets captain Andrew Ladd grinned and said:

“Just getting one win. That will go a long way confidence-wise. We’ve had some good efforts but have just ended up on the wrong side of them. You have to keep battling through that.

“I don’t think we’ve really put much thought into it being a road game or a home game. You’re going into every game that if you’ve won the last one you want to carry it over and if you lost the last one, what can we do better to get this thing back doing.”

The Jets may be struggling away from home, but have reeled off two wins since the Christmas break — a 1-0 shutout of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

“We’ve just got to bring the same game we do at home,” added centre Mathieu Perreault. “The start is going to be key. If we can get a good start and maybe get the lead, because we’ve been pretty good the last few games when we do get that lead, then after that take care of things.”

Connor Hellebuyck will start tonight for the Jets, his 10th call in the last 12 games.

The Jets will leave tonight right after the game for San Jose where they meet the Sharks on Saturday, followed by the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. They wrap up this five-games-in-eight-days trip with stops in Nashville and Dallas before returning home.

“We’re on the road, but that shouldn’t be an issue… I’ve liked the way we’ve played on the road as much as we have at home,” said coach Paul Maurice. “We’ve had a little tougher schedule on the road – four of our last five road losses came on back-to-backs.

“It’s just playing the same game, staying quick and staying out of the penalty box. That would be the one area on the road that I think we can do our very best: we’re trying to become a more-disciplined team, but we take big (penalty) numbers on the road.

“We’ve got to stay out of the box.”

Jets centre Mark Scheifele, meanwhile, had dumped his orange non-contact practice jersey at today’s morning skate but still needs to pass some more concussion-protocol tests before he is green lighted to return. He’s eligible to come off the injured list Sunday when the Jets are in Anaheim.

Ondrej Pavelec is also travelling with the team, but is working with the strength and conditioning coach and not yet on the ice.

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait