WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Jets finish a three-game homestand on Friday night when they welcome the Anaheim Ducks to Canada Life Centre. The Jets have split the first two games of the homestand after a 4-2 loss to the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night.
Winnipeg has lost three of their last five games and are trying to find some consistency as they head to the playoffs. Anaheim lost 2-0 to Minnesota last night and have dropped four straight games.
"We'd like to get off to a great start and put a couple of pucks in the net early. So that would be a big help," said Rick Bowness.
"When you're playing a team that has nothing to lose like they have, and the longer they hang into a game, the more hope they have to win the game. So it'd be nice for us to get off to a good start."
The big question at the start of the day was Mark Scheifele's availability for tonight after he missed Wednesday's game with an illness. Scheifele said after the morning skate that he feels 100 per cent now and he will be in the lineup between Kyle Connor and Alex Iafallo.
"There’s no worse feeling that’s for sure," said Scheifele of the flu bug.
"We thought it was all past us but I guess it wasn’t. Just happy to be feeling better.”
The news wasn't so good with regards to Gabe Vilardi who has missed the last seven games for an undisclosed reason. After tonight's game, the team will head out on a season high five-game road trip that starts Sunday in Columbus.
"Gabe will not be making the road trip. By further testing he has an enlarged spleen," said Bowness.
"So at this point there's no timetable. We have to take care of that obviously, but he will not be traveling with the team."
As Winnipeg remains in the hunt for first place in the Central, there is some urgency when it comes to getting their consistency back. The Jets are 4-3 so far in the month of March and have alternated wins and losses over the past four games.
“Every day you’re searching for consistency, whether it’s in a game or in a stretch of games. Every team wants consistency. Not every game is going to go the way you like, not every stretch of games is going to go the way you like," said Scheifele.
"It’s way of how you bounce back, how you show your character and what you’re made of. We’re searching for consistency just like every other team.”
The Jets are part of a three-horse race for first place in the NHL’s Central Division with a record of 41-19-5. Winnipeg is two points behind the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche for first place in the division, but hold two games in-hand on both teams. It’s the tightest divisional race in the NHL this season.
Laurent Brossoit will start tonight. The Jets goaltender has won his last four starts and is coming of his first shutout of the season in his last appearance.
