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PHILADELPHIA – It’s not exactly Apollo Creed vs. Ivan Drago (Rocky fans, delight!), but the struggling Winnipeg Jets will face a tough task tonight as they try to halt a season-long, four-game winless streak (0-3-1). They’re facing a Philadelphia Flyers squad that already beat them once this season (a 2-0 triumph on Jan. 13 in downtown Winnipeg).
In fact, the Jets will be searching for their first goal of the season against a Pennsylvania-based club after they were blanked 3-0 on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh against the Penguins, who just happen to be the next opponent on Saturday night back in Winnipeg.
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Overall, the Jets have scored just nine times in the last seven games as the offence has dried up. Can they pick themselves up off the canvas, put this rocky stretch behind them and find their touch?
“It’s funny, we were just in Boston a couple weeks ago and I had talked to their coaches. They had lost three or four in a row and they said it was probably the best thing that happened to them because they were going along pretty good,” associate coach Scott Arniel said Thursday morning.
“So, we’re hoping the same kind of thing will happen. It’s kind of funny with the break in between there and the first game back, we were sloppy the other night at times. But at the end of the day it’s just a case of us getting back to how we need to play.”
It’s Laurent Brossoit vs. Sam Ersson is net tonight. Winnipeg has been forced to make a lineup change as Brenden Dillon serves the first of a three-game suspension for his illegal check to the head on Penguins forward Noel Acciari. Logan Stanley, who has been a healthy scratch for 21 straight games, comes into the lineup.
The Flyers, who will go with 11 forwards and seven defencemen, defeated the Florida Panthers 2-1 on Tuesday to snap a five-game losing skid. They’re looking to solidify their standing in the Metropolitan Division.
A quick note: our latest monthly Jets mailbag is set to run online on Sunday. If you have a question for Mike or Ken about the hockey club, please send it their way by hitting reply to this email.
Here’s some other information to get you set for the Jets-Flyers battle:
FROM THE PRESS BOX
MIKE SAYS: First, a funny “Only in Philly” story to share with you. After the Jets morning skate, I made my way to what I thought was the door taking me into the media work room at Wells Fargo Center.
Turns out it was the game operations room, which happened to be hosting a staff meeting at the time. About a dozen heads turned at the same time to see the unexpected intruder coming their way — and the one that really caught my eye was the bright, orange furry guy otherwise known as “Gritty.”
That’s right, it may have still been hours and hours until fans start arriving, but the team’s mascot already had his game face on.
“Whoops, sorry!” I said as I backed out of the room and closed the door behind me.
This feels like a very important night for Stanley, who hasn’t played since mid-December. With Dillon out for two more games, and Ville Heinola patiently waiting in the wings for a chance, the towering defender really needs to show he deserves to stay in the lineup. Personally, I’d be calling Heinola up from the Manitoba Moose in time for Friday’s practice in Winnipeg and putting him in the lineup on Saturday night, regardless. The Jets would have to make a roster move to create a spot for him, but that can be accomplished by waiving extra forward Dominic Toninato. The fact Axel Jonsson-Fjallby cleared waivers Wednesday, keeping another depth forward in the fold, should give them confidence to do so.
The Jets were solid against the Penguins at five-on-five — Arniel said scoring chances were 15-9 in their favour — but special teams and an inability to score once again reared their ugly head.
Dare I say this team needs to find a way to get a bit more gritty?
“The pretty goals won’t always be there, especially in the second half of the year when teams tighten up,” said Arniel. “We’ve just got to make sure we stay positive, continue to work hard and usually you work yourselves out of this.”
Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness stands behind the bench during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins Tuesday in Pittsburgh. (Matt Freed / The Associated Press files)
KEN SAYS: Whenever the Jets play in the City of Brotherly Love, it’s impossible not to think of the wild game from the first season of 2.0 history, when the Jets came through with a 9-8 victory in a topsy-turvy affair. For context, five of the goals were scored in the opening 4:31 of the third period. Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec gave up six goals, was replaced by Chris Mason early in the third period, but then had to return to the net with 8:20 to go in the third period after Mason suffered a lower-body injury. Pavelec gave up another goal in the third period but ultimately picked up the victory (finishing with 43 saves) after Andrew Ladd broke the 8-8 tie with 1:06 to go in regulation. The Flyers also used both goalies in the contest, with Ilya Bryzgalov coming on in relief of Sergei Bobrovsky.
Given how tough goals have been to come by for the Jets of late, we’re not expecting the red light to come on anywhere close to 17 times this evening. However, getting back into sync offensively — without sacrificing on the defensive side — is a top priority for the Jets, who have been shut out three times in the past seven outings and have a bunch of players going through extended droughts. Mark Scheifele had plenty of jump in his first game back after missing the previous six with a suspected groin injury. He’s got five goals and 18 points in 16 career games against the Flyers. The newest Jet, Sean Monahan, is set for his second game with his new club and he’s produced 12 goals (including seven on the power play) and 17 points in 18 career games against the Flyers. To say the Jets are looking to get the power play going is a massive understatement, as it’s gone 2-for-34 over the last 10 games.
Ersson made 35 saves to blank the Jets last month, when Cam Atkinson snapped a 26-game goal drought and scored a pair in a 2-0 victory. Atkinson has seven goals in 11 career games against the Jets, with most of those coming from his time with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Flyers D-man Sean Walker is a player of interest as a right-handed shot who is on an expiring contract. He’s got five goals and 13 points in 51 games this season and he’ll be under the microscope this evening. Top-line centre Sean Couturier missed the last meeting with an injury, but he’s in the conversation for the Selke Trophy and has provided a sound two-way game while delivering 10 goals and 31 points in 47 games this season.
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