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To suggest the Winnipeg Jets will be looking for a bounce-back game would be an exaggeration.
But when a team has gone 8-1-2 during the month of December and the most recent outing was a 2-1 overtime setback to the Chicago Blackhawks, there’s no doubt the Jets will try to get back on the winning track in the first of four meetings this season against the Minnesota Wild.
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The rematch comes exactly 24 hours later in St. Paul, Minn.
It’s a massive weekend for both teams, since the Jets currently hold an eight-point cushion over the Wild in the Central Division standings.
“These two games play a lot into that. If you can get into the double digits (for wins), it’s an awesome, awesome month,” said Jets defenceman Nate Schmidt. “That’s kind of our mindset on what we want out of this. I just think our team, we’ve gone out and have known exactly what we’re doing. It’s so easy to play when you know exactly what you’re getting from your guys.”
The Jets give consistent performances right through the lineup, with an emphasis on a solid defensive structure that has served as the foundation for a group that’s hovering around first place with the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars.
For those of you keeping score at home, the Jets have allowed three goals or fewer in 23 consecutive games, a streak that will be put to the test against a team that’s found its offensive groove since John Hynes took over as head coach of the Wild.
After struggling out of the gate with a record of 5-10-4 start under Dean Evason, the Wild have regrouped to go 11-3-0 under Hynes.
“We’ve done a really good job, outside of the first handful of games, of being sound defensively, doing a good job of defending high enough in the zone, switching, keeping teams to the outside,” said Jets captain Adam Lowry. “It’s still a work in progress. We’re not going to have a whole lot of practise time coming up here. That’s the importance of watching video, communicating with your teammates. Really locking it down. It’s not one of those things where we feel that we like where it is and we’ll stop working on it.”
Neither team is holding a morning skate because of the early afternoon puck drop, but the Jets are not expected to make any lineup changes. David Gustafsson will miss a second game with a lower-body issue.
Connor Hellebuyck is set to make his 25th start of the season, while the Wild counter with Filip Gustavsson, who has won five of his past six starts and has given up 13 goals during that span.
Here’s some additional information to help get you set for the first game of this weekend doubleheader:
FROM THE PRESS BOX
MIKE SAYS: Festivus took place last Saturday, but I suspect there may be some airing of grievances going on this afternoon down at Canada Life Centre. It should be a doozy, and I’m looking forward to what should be another fun atmosphere at the downtown barn. From my press-box perch, the last home game against the Boston Bruins raised the recent bar in that department, with a raucous crowd that was also the largest of the season. It was great to see (and hear).
Winnipeg’s top line of Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers and Gabe Vilardi had a pretty quiet night in Chicago, and I suspect that talented trio will want to quickly revert to their recent, red-hot ways. No doubt they’d like to get the ice-cold power play going, especially since the three goals scored with the man advantage over the past couple weeks have also been produced by the so-called second unit. For all of the line’s five-on-five success, it remains a mystery why it hasn’t translated to five-on-four success.
Minnesota Wild’s Brock Faber is averaging 27:30 of ice time per game this month (Michael Dwyer / The Associated Press files)
In terms of the visitors, keep a close eye on rookie defenceman Brock Faber. The 21-year-old has been nothing short of sensational, and would likely be the runaway favourite for the Calder Trophy if not for that Bedard kid in Chicago. Seriously, he’s been that good. Faber is averaging 27:30 of ice time per game this month – did I mention he’s a ROOKIE?! – and has had four games of more than 30 minutes, including a 33:25 doozy against the Montreal Canadiens last week. In addition to being their top shutdown defender, he’s also producing plenty of offence, with 16 points in 33 games.
The Jets have played just one game in the last seven days, thanks mainly to the holiday break being sprinkled in, but business is about to pick up. Today starts a stretch of five game in the next seven days, which is a rarity in the NHL.
KEN SAYS: It’s bizarre that these two teams haven’t met yet this season, but it probably won’t take them long to renew hostilities. The bad blood between the Jets and Wild is a real thing, not just based on an artificial geographical rivalry. The intensity level figures to be high in what should be a spirited afternoon affair.
The Jets’ fourth line supplied the only goal in Wednesday’s first game after the holiday break and the trio of Dominic Toninato, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Morgan Barron (who scored) was excellent against the Blackhawks. The forward depth could be one area where they’ll be looking to create an advantage in the front end of this home-and-home showdown.
The Wild are in the midst of a dramatic turnaround and it’s no surprise skilled winger Kirill Kaprizov is leading the charge. He’s riding a four-game goal-scoring streak and is back to producing at a point-per-game pace (33 points in 33 games). Matt Boldy scored just once in the first 12 games, but he’s up to 10 goals and 20 points on the season and is now on the top line with Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek, an excellent two-way player who figures to be in the discussion for the Selke Trophy.
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