GAMEDAY: Jets vs Ducks

WINNIPEG -When the puck drops tonight, the Winnipeg Jets will be looking for their 10th win of the season and will try to improve on their 5-1-0 record at Canada Life Centre against an Anaheim Ducks team that currently sits 5-10-1 on the season.
But before that Western Conference tilt begins, a special ceremony in the building will mark two of the all-time greats to wear Jets colours: Teemu Selanne and Teppo Numminen.
"To have those guys in the building is pretty cool and any time you have a banner raising like that, it's awesome," said defenceman Neal Pionk. "I remember Teemu Selanne, collecting his hockey card I'm sure, video games he was all over, and of course the infamous highlight of him shooting the glove."
Now it's Pionk's job to shut down another one of Selanne's former teams in the Ducks.

Anaheim snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 overtime win over Detroit two nights ago and are led up front by Troy Terry's 19 points in 16 games.
"They're hungry and they have a lot of skill," said Pionk. "We've seen some of the highlights that their players have put up. Like any night in the NHL it's going to be a tough one."
What might make it tougher is the fact the Jets have a couple game-time decisions to make regarding their line-up.
Head coach Rick Bowness wasn't about to divulge the specifics on who the players were who are questionable for game time, but the Jets did recall defenceman Ville Heinola from the Manitoba Moose ahead of Thursday's optional pre-game skate.
"We need a little depth up here right now," Bowness said. "That's why he's here, and we'll see where it goes for tonight."
Bowness had a quick chat with the young Finnish defenceman at the conclusion of the skate.
"You look at the way the league is played today, offensive defencemen, you need the mobility, you need the passing, you need the guy to join the rush. He fits that bill," said Bowness. "He was disappointed in the start of his season, but he's very happy in his play right now."

Not every member of the Jets skated on Thursday, and expected starter Connor Hellebuyck was only on the ice to do his usual routine ahead of starting in goal. The line rushes on Wednesday give an indication of what the line-up could be like tonight - depending on those mysterious game-time decisions:
Connor-Scheifele-Gagner
Perfetti-Dubois-Wheeler
Jonsson-Fjallby-Lowry-Eyssimont
Toninato-Gustafsson-Maenalanen
Morrissey-Pionk
Dillon-Schmidt
Samberg-DeMelo
For the first time in his career, forward Mikey Eyssimont will play consecutive games in the NHL tonight.
His NHL debut came last season against the Montreal Canadiens, and he played 8:11 in Sunday's 3-2 overtime win over the Seattle Kraken.
"I felt really prepared for it, mentally and physically," Eyssimont said off the game against the Kraken. "The AHL, my line mates and my coaches got me ready for it. I felt a lot more comfortable than I did in my first game. I'm trying to stay in the moment, worry about the pre-game skate right now, then start focusing on the game."
When Eyssimont was recalled on November 11, he was leading the Manitoba Moose in points with nine in nine games. His 42 points in 58 games last season also led the Jets affiliate.

Now he's trying to take the game that made him so successful at the AHL level into the NHL.
"I have to play the same way, but I have to respect that there are players out here who are a lot stronger, a lot faster, and a lot more skilled," Eyssimont said. "It's something that's a challenge, it's a lot more challenging. I need to continue to play that same way and I always have to remember that my identity is being hard on pucks and being hard to play against."
Being hard to play against is exactly what Bowness wants to see from his team against Anaheim, especially when it comes to neutralizing the skill that Anaheim can put on the ice with Terry, Trevor Zegras, and Mason McTavish.
"You watch some of their games, there's five guys coming at you," Bowness said. "The only way to stop that, to slow it down, is to make them defend and have good structure in the forecheck and good structure in the neutral zone. And make sure you're managing the puck properly and not feeding that transition."

Through the first 16 days of November, the Jets played just five times. Now, they'll play virtually every other day until the holiday break in late December.
Pionk says the group is full of confidence, and that's a good place to be when the schedule gets heavy.
"When we get into those heavy schedules you're going to need your confidence because you don't have those three days to reset," he said. "You're playing back-to-backs, you're playing every other night, you're playing nine games in 17 nights. You need that confidence and you need that structure to fall back on."
Puck drop is set for 7 pm CT.
-- Mitchell Clinton, WinnipegJets.com
Game Notes
The Winnipeg Jets start a three-game home stand on Thursday when they welcome the Anaheim Ducks to Canada Life Centre as part of Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame Night.
The Jets are playing their third consecutive game against a Pacific Division opponent. Winnipeg is 2-2-1 against the Pacific this season.
The Jets have scored the opening goal in eight of their 14 games to start the season and are 5-2-1 when scoring first.
Josh Morrissey is tied for second among NHL defencemen with 14 assists in 14 games this season, and tied for seventh with 15 points.
READ THE FULL GAME NOTES
READ WEDNESDAY'S COVERAGE