GAMEDAY: Jets vs Red Wings

WINNIPEG -The longest home stand of the season has come at the perfect time for the Winnipeg Jets.
With seven games to go in the regular season, the Jets (41-31-3) will play five of their seven remaining games at Canada Life Centre, where they hold the third best home record in the Western Conference at 22-12-2.
Over the course of the next five games, the Jets have match-ups against the very teams trying to chase them down in the wildcard race - the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators, who remain two and three points back respectively heading into action tonight - but the focus is solely on tonight's match-up against the Detroit Red Wings.
"We've been in that position this year and we've gotten a couple wins in that, so we can't take it lightly," said Kyle Connor. "It goes through the NHL season, everyone has those back-to-backs especially home and away. I don't think it's going to change our game."

Tonight also marks the first time that former Jets forward, Andrew Copp, will play in downtown Winnipeg since he was traded from the Jets to the New York Rangers in March 21, 2022. Since then, the Jets played the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, and then took on the Red Wings (where Copp signed in the off-season) back on January 10 at Little Caesars Arena.
Both games went Copp's way, including the 7-5 goal-filled affair back in Detroit, so the Jets are hoping to change that trend tonight.

It's also a special game for Vladislav Namestnikov, who played 113 games for the Red Wings between 2020 and 2022.
"They're the team I grew up watching. My uncle played for them, and that's my home in the summer," Namestnikov said. "It's always interesting to play against those guys. I train with those guys in the summer, so it's always fun."
It was an optional skate for the Jets Friday morning following the 40-minute practice on Thursday. Karson Kuhlman will slot in for Saku Maenalanen and Logan Stanley is "on call" as the Jets have a game-time decision on the blue line.
The line changes (specifically at forward) that head coach Rick Bowness made in Thursday's session carried over to Friday, so the expected line-up for the Jets looks like this:
Connor-Dubois-Scheifele
Ehlers-Namestnikov-Wheeler
Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton
Barron-Stenlund-Kuhlman
Morrissey-DeMelo
Dillon-Pionk
Samberg-Schmidt
The changes (putting Mark Scheifele on the wing and Nino Niederreiter with Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton) are all in hopes of finding some offence.

Putting a trio like Connor, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Mark Scheifele doesn't work unless all three buy-in to the idea, especially in Scheifele's case, as he's moving from centre to wing.
Bowness said all three have embraced it, and Connor believes that line can be capable of great things.
"The potential is sky high. I think we can accomplish a lot here. I'm excited about it," said Connor. "We've had it in stints. I remember in Washington for a third period, and last game for a third period. Hopefully we get to stay together and it's going well right from the start. That Bones trusts it in all three zones, plays us in all situations, and gives us a full game here."
It's not as easy as shooting every puck and hoping someone is at the net for a rebound, there is also timing involved when it comes to offence, says Bowness.

"Sometimes the play develops and you're ready to shoot, well, that doesn't mean there's perfect timing that the guy can be at the net," said Bowness. "I can show every player, every forward, I can take a clip and show you when they're at the net, they're at the net, they're at the net. Every one of them at certain times. Are there are other times where they're not there when we want them there? Yeah, that's going to develop sometimes.
"Watch Blake Wheeler go to the net, he's there all the time. Mark's been going to the net a lot lately. (Dubois) goes to the net. They'll all go."
Michigan product Connor Hellebuyck - who has a 4-4-1 record against Detroit in his career with a 0.902 save percentage and one shutout - is expected to get the start in goal against the Red Wings, who are coming into Winnipeg on the back half of a back-to-back.
Detroit hosted Carolina on Thursday - earning a 3-2 victory - and because of that, the Red Wings didn't get into Winnipeg until well after midnight.
It's an opportunity the Jets know they have to pounce on as they try and improve on their 2-2-1 record at home during a road-heavy month of March.
"This is a good team," said Namestnikov. "They were in first place for a reason all year and we're sliding a bit now but deep down we know we're a good group, with lots of experience on this team. We're going to find a way out and make playoffs."
Puck drop is set for 7 pm CT.
-- Mitchell Clinton, WinnipegJets.com
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