Rested, ready for Pens

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This article was published 25/10/2017 (2879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If practice really does make perfect, the Winnipeg Jets should be at the top of their game when they hit the ice tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After all, the local NHL squad has spent the past five days trying to hone their craft while nursing themselves back to health. To have such an extended break in the schedule is a rarity.

The Jets will have quite the challenge on their hands as they kick off a busy stretch that will see them play seven games in 12 days.

Whether rest translates into rust should become clear rather quickly.

“In a lot of ways, you’re fortunate going into Pittsburgh because you know when you play the Stanley Cup champions you’ve got to be buzzing because you know they’ll make you look bad if you’re not,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice after Wednesday’s practice.

“Fear is a great motivator. You gotta be on your game against those elite teams and that usually gets you skating, which is what we need to do.”

The Jets look to get a burst in the form of veteran centre Matt Hendricks, who will make his regular-season debut tonight. Hendricks suffered a foot injury in the pre-season.

Hendricks will play on a line with another energy player in Brendan Lemieux, called up last week from the Manitoba Moose and getting his second look. Joel Armia is the other winger on that line.

“Hopefully I can come in, give them a little bit of help, a little bit of support,” Hendricks said.

Maurice said Hendricks is a perfect “mentor” to the team’s young players and hopes he can help spark some offensive production from the bottom-six forwards.

“Getting the most out of his linemates is part of a veteran’s job on that line. Get those guys wound up and teach them the game while it’s going on,” Maurice said.

“We gotta get some production out of that bottom six. And it’s not always the nifty three-pass plays. It’s puck to the net, driving the net, that consistency. Matt will help bring that.”

Andrew Copp, Shawn Matthias and Brandon Tanev look to form the other bottom-six line for the Jets, while Marko Dano is expected to be a healthy scratch.

Pittsburgh got off to a rough start this season, losing their home opener 5-4 in overtime to the St. Louis Blues and then getting embarrassed by the Blackhawks the next night in Chicago to the tune of 10-1.

They’ve won six of eight games since, including a 2-1 overtime victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.

“That’s a heck of a hockey team in Pittsburgh. A tough building to play in. Stick to our detail, though, and I think we have a good opportunity to come out of there with two points,” Hendricks said. “Just come out, get our feet wet right away. Don’t dip your toes in.”

Connor Hellebuyck will get the start in goal for the Jets, looking to continue his winning ways (4-0-0).

Defenceman Dmitry Kulikov draws back into the lineup after missing the past two games with an injury. That means Ben Chiarot and Tucker Poolman will be scratched.

Centre Adam Lowry is not expected to play as he recovers from an upper-body injury that has kept him out the past three games. He remains on injured reserve, along with forward Mathieu Perreault, who is out at least three more weeks.

“With this much time in between games, it’s important to keep that intensity and make sure you’re ready,” said defenceman Tyler Myers of the multiple days of practice.

“A big part of our team’s success is playing with speed and keeping it simple. So just go out there with that mindset.”

Steve Mason, who has struggled out of the gate at 0-3-0, will likely be in the crease on Friday night when the Jets play the Blue Jackets in Columbus.

Winnipeg then returns home to play the Pens on Sunday night, hits the road for a game against the Wild in Minnesota on Tuesday, comes back to host the Dallas Stars next Thursday and the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, then plays the Stars in Texas the following Monday.

“We’re not complaining about the five days off. I’d like to take that seven-in-12 and maybe spread it over those extra days. We’d have been fine with that. But our schedule is fair now. So much better than it was last year,” Maurice said. “But we got a real tough stretch. It starts really this week.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @mikemcintyrewpg