Troubled Jets face slick opponents: Oilers
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/10/2019 (2148 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Connor Hellebuyck gets the starting assignment in the Winnipeg net tonight as the struggling Jets host the lethal Edmonton Oilers.
Game time is 6 p.m. at Bell MTS Place.
It’s Hellebuyck’s third consecutive start as the Jets (4-5-0) try to snap a three-game losing skid against the high-flying duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and the rest of the Oilers (7-1-0).
McDavid is tied with Washington Capitals blue-liner John Carlson for the NHL’s list of scoring leaders (17 points), while Draisaitl is just one back. Zach Kassian rounds out Edmonton’s top forward line.
The Detroit Red Wings did the best job of containing them Friday night, surrending an assist to Draisaitl in a 2-1 loss to the Oilers in Edmonton.
Jets head coach Paul Maurice admitted it’s a tall order to shut them down entirely, noting the key to limiting the damage is pretty simple.
“Skate really, really fast. Skate as fast as you can,” he said, smiling. “We all have plans, and they’re good plans. And they’re great because your plans don’t work against them.
“We understand against a team that would have (Sidney) Crosby on it or McDavid on it that they’re going to get theres. And we know this because it’s happened every game since they came into the league. The question is, ‘How much will you feed them?’ Our job is to make sure we don’t help them with that, that we aren’t getting into a game that they can excel at.”
Hellebuyck has split six starts (3-3-0) this season, posting a 2.70 goals-against average and .919 save percentage. He was solid in the club’s most recent outing, stopping 23 of 25 New York shots in a 3-1 loss to the Islanders on Thursday.
In four of his six performances, he’s registered a .920 save percentage or higher.
The Oilers counter with veteran goalie Mike Smith tonight.
Bryan Little suits up tonight for the first time this season and will centre a second line with Nikolaj Ehlers and Kyle Connor on the wings. Andrew Copp moves to the wing with centre Adam Lowry and Jack Roslovic. Winnipeg’s top unit of Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine remains unchanged.
David Gustafsson, Mathieu Perreault and Gabriel Bourque will skate on the fourth line, while Mason Appleton is expected to be a healthy scratch for the first time this year. Appleton is pointless in nine contests, while averaging just over 10 minutes of ice time each game.
Defenceman Anthony Bitetto (lower body) and centre Mark Letestu (undisclosed) remain sidelined for Winnipeg.
jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @WFPJasonBell
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