Jets could be thin on defense for Game 5 against Wild

WINNIPEG --The Winnipeg Jets may have to rely on a next-man-up mentality they've grown accustomed to when they play Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round against the Minnesota Wild on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; USA, SN, TVAS2, FS-N).
The Jets, who lead the best-of-7 series 3-1, could be without defensemen Toby Enstrom and Tyler Myers, each a game-time decision because of a lower-body injury. Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (back) has yet to resume skating, and defenseman Josh Morrissey is suspended one game for cross-checking Wild forward Eric Staal in Game 4.

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Morrissey has averaged 20:12 of ice time in the series.
"He's a huge player for us," defenseman Ben Chiarot said Thursday. "It's no different than when we lost [forward Mark Scheifele] for eight weeks earlier in the season (to an injury). That's a huge hole. You lose [Morrissey], he plays against the other team's best, he kills penalties for us. He's an important player, but like we have all year, other guys have to step up and play those minutes."
Jets coach Paul Maurice said that having defensemen out of the lineup has become standard, and those who have filled in have done so admirably. Winnipeg lost 282 man-games to injuries during the regular season.
"We're used to it," Maurice said. "It doesn't cause a ripple in there when a guy goes down or a guy goes out. We've had players come in and be good.
"All of the other guys who stayed in our lineup all year have kind of taken up that slack. But there's no doubt, you miss a guy like Josh."
Forward Paul Stastny, acquired by the Jets in a trade with the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 26, immediately noticed how well they've dealt with injuries.
"This team has had a lot of injuries and didn't skip a beat," Stastny said. "When I got here they still had some guys out and we just kept playing along. It's just a product of how the coaching staff has ingrained the way we want to play here."
If Myers and Enstrom can't play, and with Morrissey suspended, rookie defenseman Sami Niku could make his Stanley Cup Playoff debut. Niku played one game for the Jets during the regular season, scoring his first NHL goal in a 5-4 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens on April 3.

Niku was named defenseman of the year playing for Manitoba of the American Hockey League.
"I know I can play here," the 21-year-old said. "I think I'm not [a] guy who is nervous. It's [a] normal game for me."
Chiarot had advice for Niku if he plays: The game is what you make it.
"I tried to tell Tucker [Poolman] before last game that it's just another hockey game, just a little louder out there," Chiarot said. "That's the easiest way to put it. Maybe a touch quicker, but it's still just hockey game, five guys on each side with a puck. Don't overthink it, don't be overexcited, and try to enjoy it."