Byfuglien out, Laine a game-time decision against Canucks

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This article was published 26/03/2017 (3153 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Veteran defenceman Dustin Byfuglien (lower-body injury) won’t play and rookie right-winger Patrik Laine (illness) will be a game-time decision Sunday night when the Winnipeg Jets host the Vancouver Canucks at the MTS Centre (7 p.m., Sportsnet, TSN 1290).

Byfuglien left Thursday’s 5-2 loss to the Kings in Los Angeles and came out for the warmup Friday in Anaheim but was unable to play in a 3-1 loss to the Ducks.

“Dustin won’t go tonight,” said Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice following today’s pre-game skate. “He’s still listed as day to day. We think he’s getting better, we’re hopeful that he’s ready for New Jersey (on Tuesday). (Laine’s) feeling a little bit under the weather this morning. We won’t know probably until 5 o’clock and make a call on him.”

The Jets, with seven regular-season games remaining, will be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss of any sort while the Canucks are already out of the Western Conference playoff picture.

Vancouver rookie forward Brock Boeser, who made his NHL debut and scored the winning goal in a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul, Minn., Saturday afternoon, will slot into the Canucks lineup again tonight.

Boeser joined the Canucks after his University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks were eliminated from the NCAA post-season with a 4-3 double overtime loss to the Boston University Terriers in regional semifinal action.

“You go into a game with a pretty good idea of what their lines will look like and how that functions,” said Maurice. “They run the same thing that we have. We’ve got a lot of different names in the lineup so, they’re going to be feeling excited off the win. That’s what they’re looking for now, same as us, that good feeling (of) winning a hockey game.”

No. 2 goaltender Michael Hutchinson will get his third start in four games start for the Jets. Maurice said he has earned the extra playing time.

“He’s played well,” said Maurice. “He’s had some other stretches during the year where he’s put a couple of good games together. I think… Connor (Hellebuyck) ran 16 straight (starts). A couple of days off the grind, and work on some things to get his game back is important, too.”

Ryan Miller will start in net for the Canucks.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14