EDMONTON – Don’t expect the Winnipeg Jets to use the regular season opening victory over the Edmonton Oilers as any sort of pre-scout tonight.
Sure, it was a 6-0 victory that started Winnipeg’s 15-1-0 start to the season. It’s just difficult to put a lot of stock into what worked in game one of the season when the Jets will be playing game number 70 tonight.
“It certainly got us running the right way,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “Lots of change for both sides. I just think it’s a whole new ballgame. You start over. We weren’t good in Vancouver the other night and now we have to make sure we bounce back with a better performance tonight.”
The Jets (47-18-4) have had a lot of success this season. One could look at the 238 goals they’ve scored (the second most in the league), how little they’ve allowed (161, the fewest in the National Hockey League), or even the power play – which continues to clip at over 30 percent as possible reasons for that success.
And that short list doesn’t even touch on goaltending, where Connor Hellebuyck – expected to start in Edmonton – leads in wins (39), goals-against average (2.05), and shutouts (six).
But perhaps Winnipeg’s greatest asset this season has been their ability to leave behind the big wins or difficult losses. They’re in that position again tonight, trying to take the important lessons from the loss in Vancouver but approach tonight’s tilt against the Oilers with a fresh mindset.
“It’s always a work in progress,” said Mark Scheifele. “There are going to be games where you play awesome and win, you play awesome and lose, you play awful and win, you play awful and lose. It’s the constant battle in professional sports. The biggest thing for our group is just stick together, move on to the next one, and try to improve every day.”
Arniel shifted Winnipeg’s lines for the final two periods in the 6-2 loss to Vancouver on Tuesday, but plans to go back to the regular forward lines to start tonight:
Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi
Ehlers-Namestnikov-Perfetti
Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton
Tanev-Barron-Iafallo
Morrissey-DeMelo
Samberg-Schenn
Fleury-Miller
Tuesday was one of the rare nights that the trio of Nino Niederreiter, Adam Lowry, and Mason Appleton was split up. Outside of injuries changing the dynamic of the line, they’ve been a constant for Arniel and the Jets for a couple seasons.
Arniel is confident they’ll play a big role if Winnipeg gets back in the win column tonight.
“We talked to those guys. They knew they have to be a little bit better,” said Arniel. “They know what they need to do. Sometimes in a game you’re looking for a spark and we got one with making that switch. We got a quick goal from them. They know what their responsibilities are and I’m sure they’ll be better tonight.”
That Lowry line often takes on one of the opposition’s top lines, and that won’t change tonight against a deep Edmonton squad that has won three in a row.
Leon Draisaitl – who leads the NHL in goals with 49 - is doubtful to play, but Edmonton’s centre depth still includes Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
“We have a ton of respect for everyone else on this team,” said Arniel. “We’re not driven by two or three players, it takes our whole group to get us where we need to get to. Edmonton is no different. Their last three games have been real strong.”
At 40-24-4, the Oilers are two points back of the Vegas Golden Knights for top spot in the Pacific Division (with Vegas holding one game in hand). In Edmonton’s last win, a 7-1 victory over Utah, they had four skaters register three points on the night – McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, and Mattias Ekholm.
“We know the type of team they have over there,” said Josh Morrissey. “Just getting back to what we do, we saw some video this morning on some areas we can clean up. That’ll be the main focus for us tonight – getting back to our game.”
In that season-opening win over Edmonton, the Jets blocked a season-high 29 shots and 12 of 18 skaters registered a point. In a sense, it was an example of what makes this Jets team difficult to handle.
They defend well, and every line can be an offensive threat.
“Every night, when we’ve been on our game, it’s the sum of the whole team,” said Morrissey. “Whether it’s on the score sheet or just big moments in games, different lines have stepped up. Our back end as well, our special teams, and – of course – our goalies.
“That’s something that has been a real focus for us. Empowering the entire group – four lines, three sets of pairs, and guys out of the line-up that can come in and do the job.”
Puck drop is set for 8 pm CT.
