Jets will get a chance to rebound against Predators in tonight’s game

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This article was published 05/01/2016 (3561 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NASHVILLE, TN — If their current spot in the standings and the shrinking schedule wasn’t already enough motivation, the Winnipeg Jets should have a little extra fire in their belly as they battle the Nashville Predators tonight.

The last meeting between these two clubs, after all, was a 7-0 Predators beat down of the Jets back on Nov. 14 right here at Bridgestone Arena in a game that featured 156 minutes in penalties, including four fighting majors, two game misconducts, 13 unsportsmanlike conduct and seven misconduct penalties.

“There’s a lot of games in between the two, but we certainly have a memory of how sideways that went on us really early in the game,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice after today’s morning skate. “We were embarrassed in here as a team and so there will be some urgency not to let that happen. It seems like a while ago for us.”

The Jets are 1-2 on this five-game road trip that concludes with two contests against Central Division rivals – tonight against the Preds and Thursday in Dallas versus the Stars.

“It’s a chance to rebound against a team we’re chasing,” said Jets winger Chris Thorburn. “(The last visit here) is in the back of our minds, but at the same time every game possesses a different challenge. The challenge for us tonight is getting the two points and how we go about doing that. We want to stay composed and understand what it takes to win and hopefully we stick to that.”

The Jets are 18-19-2 and trail the Predators, who hold the last wild-card spot, by seven points. Asked if the club has reached crunch time – knowing the season doesn’t reach the half-way point until Thursday in Dallas – Thorburn countered with:

“I wouldn’t say crunch time, but at the same time we want to get wins… to say it’s crunch time, I don’t know if I’d go that far. It’s a matter of putting some wins together and feeling good about ourselves. We don’t think we’re far out and still feel we are capable of accomplishing our goal.”

Connor Hellebuyck will start in goal for the Jets with the Predators countering with veteran Pekka Rinne.

Maurice, who has referenced the days in Carolina when he ran goaltender Arturs Irbe for back-to-back 70-plus games appearances, was quizzed about whether he might be tempted to do that again with Hellebuyck and the season reaching a critical point.

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“We’re in a stretch of seven (games) in 12 (days),” said Maurice, “and seven in 11 is about the toughest schedule you can find in the NHL. I didn’t’ have Connor playing all seven of those games. He’s going to get very close to it.

“I’m comfortable with where he’s at. I’ve got to be careful with how you say this: he’s earned the right to get back in the net if things don’t go his way. We did it with him coming out of the Edmonton and Calgary games, coming back with him. He’s played very well. We’re going to play him as much as his play has dictated, which means an awfully not.”

This will be Winnipeg last visit to Nashville this season, with the clubs meeting twice in Winnipeg in the next 16 days.

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait