FROM THE PRESS BOX
MIKE SAYS: There’s a lot of potential milestones in play tonight, one game after the Jets set a new benchmark for wins in a season by recording their 53rd in impressive fashion.
Hellebuyck is looking for his 45th victory in net, which would break his own franchise record he tied on Monday night.
Mark Scheifele needs one more point to set a new career high in that department, while Ehlers and Kyle Connor are each just two away from new offensive benchmarks. When you throw in the fact that other forwards such as Vilardi, Cole Perfetti and captain Adam Lowry have already eclipsed prior offensive bests, you realize just how special this season has been.
Individual accomplishments are great, but hockey is the ultimate team game and the Jets served up a sensational reminder against St. Louis just how dangerous they can be when everyone is pulling in the same direction. That 3-1 triumph over the Blues was one of the most lopsided two-goal games I’ve seen in quite some time. Can they bring a similar effort in this one against an even better opponent?
One thing I’ll be watching closely is how the defence pairs are used. Putting Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn together is certainly a choice, as neither is very fleet of foot. That’s a duo I’d expect Dallas to try and exploit with having last change by virtue of being the home team. Might we see some in-game shuffling? I wouldn’t rule it out.
I’ve been both surprised and impressed with what Jaret Anderson-Dolan has brought to the fourth line since his recall from the Manitoba Moose, and Arniel clearly likes what he sees, too, given Anderson-Dolan remains in the lineup even with the expected return of Ehlers. There’s a nice combination of size, speed and physicality which, combined with Morgan Barron and Brandon Tanev, makes that trio quite a handful.
Barron is growing into his role as a centre, and Tanev is something else. His motor never stops, and he seems impervious to pain as demonstrated Monday with a huge shot block late in the game which he managed to shake off, then get his stick in front of another attempt seconds later which had the crowd in downtown Winnipeg going wild.
KEN SAYS: What I’ve been saying for weeks now is the winner of the final meeting of the regular season between these rivals is going to determine the winner of the Central Division. I’m not backing down from that statement, though the Jets victory on Monday has given them some wiggle room when it comes to reaching that goal, even with a regulation loss.
This is the latest heavyweight challenge for the Jets and they’ve shown a propensity for coming up with a rock-solid effort when facing a fellow contender throughout the course of this season.
“When you’re playing against elite teams, you’ve got to be comfortable in these tight games, comfortable where there might not be a lot generated by either side, and then just wait for your opportunity,” said Lowry. “It stems from the belief in this group, the belief in your line mates, your teammates, going out there knowing we can get the job done.”
It’s time to take another moment to recognize the way Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey has been playing. He made a smart read to find a loose puck and chip it into the neutral zone, allowing Barron to skate in and beat Joel Hofer for the opening goal on Monday. Morrissey is up 12 goals and 57 points in 78 games — and has four games to hit 60 points for a third consecutive campaign.
Winnipeg Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey is currently eighth in scoring among blue liners. (Kyusung Gong / The Associated Press files)
The Jets have been leaning on Morrissey even more than usual during the absence of Pionk, as he’s been near or north of 25 minutes in nine of the past 12 games, including a whopping 27:48 against the Vancouver Canucks. Although Morrissey is currently eighth in scoring among blue liners, his defensive game has never been better and he’s deserving of Norris Trophy votes for a third consecutive season.
After struggling to find his way offensively with the Carolina Hurricanes, Mikko Rantanen has essentially been a point-per-game player, notching five goals and 15 points in 16 games since being traded for the second time this season. Rantanen gives the Stars another big and strong forward with playoff experience and he’s someone the Jets have had trouble containing over the years (10 goals, 28 points in 30 regular season games). But this season has been an exception, as Rantanen has been limited to one goal and two points in six meetings thus far.
The big question surrounding the Stars heading toward the postseason revolves around how the defence corps will hold up, especially if Miro Heiskanen won’t be ready for the first round, as Stars GM Jim Nill told Leah Hextall of ESPN recently.
Lastly, keep an eye on the goalie battle as the Team USA starter (Hellebuyck) and backup (Oettinger) are set to face one another for the second time since the tandem returned to NHL action after the overtime loss to Canada.
PROJECTED LINES
WINNIPEG JETS
FORWARDS:
- Connor-Scheifele-Iafallo
- Ehlers-Namestnikov-Perfetti
- Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton
- Tanev-Barron-Anderson Dolan
DEFENCE:
- Morrissey-DeMelo
- Samberg-Pionk
- Stanley-Schenn
GOAL:
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: D Miller, D Fleury, D Heinola, F Gustafsson, F Kupari, G Driedger
INJURED: RW Vilardi (upper body)
DALLAS STARS
FORWARDS:
- Robertson-Hintz-Rantanen
- Marchment-Duchene-Granlund
- Benn-Johnston-Bourque
- Back-Steel-Dadonov
DEFENCE:
- Harley-Lyubushkin
- Lindell-Ceci
- Bichsel-Dumba
GOAL:
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: D Smith, F Blackwell
INJURED: D Heiskanen (knee), D Lundqvist (shoulder), C Seguin (hip)
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
Jets coach Scott Arniel on whether he expects any residual effects from Dallas blowing a three-goal lead in the final minute of regulation against Vancouver, ultimately losing in overtime:
“Like any good team, they’re going to put that behind them. They played a good hockey game. Things happened at the end. Pete (DeBoer, the head coach) will have them rallied back up and going.”
WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON
Mike is on scene in Dallas and will have a pair of stories.
The first is about depth forward Jaret Anderson-Dolan, who has made the most of his call-up from the Manitoba Moose and spoke about his path to the NHL, which includes being raised by two moms and being an advocate for the LGBTTQ+ community. The second will be his game analysis of Jets versus Stars including post-game soundbites from the room.
You can find both in Friday’s print edition and online at winnipegfreepress.com.
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