Game #11: Jets @ Panthers

Winnipeg Jets fans hope that Halloween won't scare away a win as the Jets (3-6-1) take on the upstart Florida Panthers (6-4-0) in another Southeast Divisional matchup at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise.

The Jets still only have one win on the road - a 9-8 shootout with the Philadelphia Flyers last week - and they are also at a 1-1 record versus divisional opponents.

Last year's Atlanta version of the Jets went 6-6-8 versus Southeast Division teams last year, including a 4-1-1 record against the Panthers last season.

The Panthers are coached by rookie head coach and former NHLer of 1188 games Kevin Dineen. Dineen stepped into the role of head coach after spending five season as head coach of the AHL's Portland Pirates - a team that never missed the playoffs with Dineen behind the bench.

Claude Noel is likely to start with Ondrej Pavelec in goal for the Jets again after a 26 save performance in the Jets 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Pavelec redeemed himself after allowing those seven goals on 43 shots against the Flyers last Thursday.

For the season, Pavelec's stats are not stellar - a 3.75 goals against average combined with a .876 save percentage.

However, during his career, the young goalie is 4-1-0 with a 2.04 goals against average against Florida, including a 3-0-0 mark in Sunrise. With October finally ending tonight, the Jets starter may finally be getting back on track after a slow October start.

Though Alexander Burmistrov had his six game point streak snapped Saturday night, the young Russian still co-leads the Jets in points with nine in ten games.

He and Nik Antropov are still showing great chemistry early in the season. Along with Evander Kane, they have unofficially become the Jets second line and have been much more effective and successful thus far this season than the Jets top line of Blake Wheeler-Bryan Little-Andrew Ladd.

Jets are still without the services of defenseman Ron Hainsey and forward Eric Fehr, who is slowly on his way to recovery.

Fehr's timetable for return is starting to open up as he was originally speculated to be back in late November/early December at the very earliest.

The 6'4 winger's return would be a welcome addition to the offense, as Fehr is a former 20 goal scorer in Washington, but struggled mightily with injuries the past two seasons.

Game time is 6:30 PM CT and available on TSN Jets and Fox Sports Florida.


Sources & Pictures

Yahoo! Sports