SAN JOSE - The Winnipeg Jets (23-9-4) roll into San Jose to take on the Sharks (9-26-3) tonight, a contest that begins a stretch of three games in four nights.
Winnipeg is coming off the 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Canada Life Centre on Tuesday, and are 7-0-2 in their last nine. In fact, the only team to beat the Jets in regulation since December 2 is the San Jose Sharks.
On December 12, San Jose edged Winnipeg by a score of 2-1, so the Jets are looking to avenge that setback against the Sharks, who have lost nine straight contests since that night.
“They came right at us,” said defenceman Dylan DeMelo.
“We need to have a better start tonight for sure. We know they’re going to come right after us. We need to go after them. We’re not happy with the result last time we were in here. We thought we left a little out there that wasn’t characteristic for our team. At the end of the day too, focus on us and what we do best.”
The one area the Jets didn’t particularly like about their first performance at SAP Center this season was the start. Sure, the shots on goal after 20 minutes ended at 15-15, but the opening 10 minutes was all San Jose.
“We gave up nine scoring chances in the first period against them here last time. We’ve had games where we didn’t give up nine,” said head coach Rick Bowness.
“It started slow, but after that we played really well. Their goalie was really good. It was disappointing to lose that game with a late power play goal against us.”
The Sharks are battling the injury bug at this point of the season. They announced on Thursday morning that defenceman Matt Benning will miss the rest of the season due to hip surgery.
On top of that, Logan Couture hasn’t played a game this season due to a lower-body injury.
But even with those players out, Bowness says the Jets respect their opponent, and know they’ll get San Jose’s best tonight.
“Any team in this league can beat any other team on any night,” said Bowness. “Regardless what their record is or where they stand, you have to give them respect because they have a good team over there, they’re well coached, and they’re going to come at us.”
LINE RUSHES
In the third period against Tampa Bay, Bowness flipped Vladislav Namestnikov and Mark Scheifele as the Jets skated to victory over the Lightning.
That look stayed the same at the morning skate at SAP Center.
"We’ll see where it goes. We know there is a history with Nik and Vladdy, and it’s been good. So making that switch the other night was easy," said Bowness. "Cole played a lot with Mark last year, and Mark played with Alex. We’ll start that way, and we can flip-flop them at any time during the course of the game."
The full line rushes looked like this:
Perfetti-Scheifele-Iafallo
Ehlers-Namestnikov-Vilardi
Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton
Barron-Toninato-Jonsson-Fjallby
Morrissey-DeMelo
Dillon-Pionk
Samberg-Schmidt
The trio of Nino Niederreiter, Adam Lowry, and Mason Appleton have combined for six goals and 11 points in their last four games.
“First off, we have to make sure we don’t get scored against and try to get some good energy for our team,” said Niederreiter. “When we find the o-zone, I feel like things are clicking right now again. We’ve been rewarded for what we’ve been doing. Overall, we know what we have to do to be successful.”
Connor Hellebuyck is expected to get the start after stopping 32 of 34 against the Lightning. The 2020 Vezina Trophy winner is 8-0-2 in his last 10 games.
“He’s playing at the standards he sets for himself. He has very high standards,” said Bowness. “He’s an elite goalie, he’s an elite competitor, and an elite worker. You put all those things together, you get an elite goaltender. That’s what it takes to play at the level he’s playing at now.”
MENTORS ON THE ROAD
For this three-game road trip (which includes stops in Anaheim and Arizona in addition to San Jose) the Jets players have invited mentors on the road with them.
Those mentors run the range from fathers, to brothers, to friends.
“I brought my dad. When I told him we were doing this trip he said ‘oh are we going to San Jose, Anaheim, and Arizona?’ He already had it circled on the calendar hoping it would happen,” DeMelo said.
“He’s excited. I think it’s his fifth or sixth one, but first one with the Jets. He’s excited to hang out with the new dads, be around, and watch some hockey.”
Niederreiter went a different route, bringing someone from his first NHL stop on Long Island.
“He was my neighbour back then and he helped me with a lot of different things,” said Niederreiter, who had only played one Western Hockey League season in North America by the time he suited up for the Islanders for nine games in 2010-11.
“It’s awesome having him here and he’s enjoying every moment of it.”
