Flyers coach impressed by Jets overall strength

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This article was published 17/11/2016 (3274 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PHILADELPHIA — Connor Hellebuyck gets his third straight start in goal tonight as the Winnipeg Jets begin a five-game road trip against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center.

Hellebuyck has won his last four starts, including a 4-0 shutout over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at MTS Centre.

The Jets (9-7-2) are expected to go with the same lineup tonight. Forward Drew Stafford, who has missed a dozen games due to a lower-body injury, donned a regular white jersey during the morning skate and is close to returning.

Centre Bryan Little, out since being hurt in the season-opener Oct. 13, also skated but wore an orange, no-contact jersey. There was no word this morning on when he might return to the lineup.

Flyers defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere will be a healthy scratch tonight, a shock considering the responsibility the talented 23-year-old has with the club. He has three goals and seven assists in 17 games, but is a minus-four.

The Metropolitan Division club announced the move only hours after Gostisbehere was named the Philadelphia Pro Athlete of the Year by the city’s sports writers.

He finished second in voting for the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie last season, finishing behind Chicago left winger Artemi Panarin.

Blueliner Andrew MacDonald has recovered from an injury and should be in the lineup for Philadelphia (7-7-3) tonight in place of Gostisbehere.

Game time is 6 p.m. CT.

Winnipeg is 4-0-1 in its last five games.

Jets captain Blake Wheeler said the club knows what it must do to keep the momentum going as they kick off the trip.

“Just keep skating, that’s our game. When we’re moving our feet, we’re tough to play against,” said Wheeler. “We have a group that moves really well and our strategy is pretty simple, just get on the puck all over the ice, try to force the other team into not being comfortable with it and force some turnovers. Do that for 60 minutes and you typically get the result you’re looking for.”

The Jets head to Boston to face the Bruins on Saturday night and then face the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday in Raleigh. Next week, they face the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul on Wednesday and then travel to Nashville to play the Predators on Friday.

Prior to tonight’s play, Jets centre Mark Scheifele holds a share of the NHL scoring lead with 21 points (10G, 11A), while linemate Patrik Laine sits atop the goal-scoring category with 12, along with five assists. Nikolaj Ehlers, the left winger on the line, has four goals and 12 helpers.

Flyers coach Dave Hakstol will likely go with centre Sean Couturier, rookie left winger Travis Konecny and right winger Jakub Voracek to try to shut down the dynamic trio.

Hakstol said he’s been impressed by Winnipeg’s overall strength up front.

“Their top line, top point-producing line, anyway, tends to get a lot, and deserves, an awful lot of the spotlight, but pretty damn good four-line team,” he said. “I don’t want to get into matchups. Whoever plays against that line’s got to do a good job. They’ve got pace and speed, play-making ability.

“Right now they’re obviously playing with a ton of confidence. You’ve got to do a good job against that line. But I think that line is bolstered by the strength of their four-line game as well, so you really have to pay attention to that.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell