Game #17: Jets @ Jackets

Last time these two teams met was in the pre-season during a split-squad game that had one half of the Jets delighting the MTS Centre while the other half struggled in Ohio.

Now seventeen games into the 2011-12 season, the Winnipeg Jets (5-8-3) find themselves in a much better position than the ex-Jet/ex-Moose Scott Arniel coached Columbus Blue Jackets (2-12-1).

The Jackets have started out November with three big losses - 4-1 to Toronto, 9-2 to Philadelphia, and 6-3 to Chicago.

The team's only two wins came against Detroit 4-1 on October 25th at home and against Anaheim 3-1 on October 30th at home.

While the Jackets started out the season with losses in many one or two goal games, the trend hasn't improved to wins and the Jackets sit with only five points through 15 games.

The Jets, meanwhile, are coming off their fourth straight loss on Thursday night - a 5-2 loss at home to Florida.

While the team did score two goals against the Panthers, they did both come in the third period when the game was already 4-0. Panther's forward Kris Versteeg was able to score more goals that night than the entire Jets lineup.

So far, the Jets are 1-2-2 in November.

The Jets are faring a 3-5-3 road record while the Jackets have a 2-5-1 home record.

They are tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for 14th with 13 points, five points out of a playoff spot and only two points in front of the New York Islanders.

Game time is 6:00 PM CT and available on CBC's Hockey Night In Canada.


Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Game #16: Jets vs. Panthers

Welcome home Jets. It's been a while has it not?

The Winnipeg Jets return to shake the dust off the MTS Centre tonight as they host the Florida Panthers in only their fifth game on home ice this season.

So far, the Jets are sporting a 2-2-0 record at home, with wins over Pittsburgh (2-1) and Carolina (5-3), while dropping decisions to Montreal (5-1) and the New York Rangers (2-1).

Two days after a crashing end to a mildly successful 3-2-2 two week road swing in Buffalo, the Jets are now 5-7-2 on the season and are looking to climb the standings now with some home cooking.

Of the nine games remaining in November, five of them are at the MTS Centre.

And of those nine, five are against divisional opponents.

The Jets most decidedly have the ball in their court, as it were, with the majority of games coming at home against their divisional opponents.

Let's hope the Jets make the most of things.

With the return of Mark Stuart, the Jets blueline was bolstered towards the end of the road trip.

But no one is in a hurry to rush back either Randy Jones or Ron Hainsey with the emergence of Mark Flood on the back end.

In four games after the call up from St. John's, Flood has two goals and one assist.

Not shabby for a defenseman who will play his first game on MTS Centre ice in an NHL uniform rather than an AHL uniform.

The Panthers, meanwhile, are coming off a 5-1 thrashing of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.

Florida has managed to grab points in its last five games, going 2-0-3 in those five games, including a 4-3 shootout loss to the Jets.

Three of the losses for the Panthers in the last five games have come courtesy the shootout.

Ondrej Pavelec is expected to start his eighth straight game after starting all seven on the road swing.

Game time is 7:30 PM CT and is available on TSN Jets.


Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Game #15: Jets @ Sabres

The Winnipeg Jets (5-7-2) get set for the final game of their seven game road trip before they head home to face the Florida Panthers on Thursday night.

They face off with the Buffalo Sabres (8-5-0), a team that has had a good start to the season, thanks to hot starts from Thomas Vanek (16 points in 13 games) and Jason Pominville (15 points in 13 games).

Ryan Miller has struggled at times so far this season, sporting a 4-5-0 record and a 2.49 goals against average, while backup Jhonas Enroth has a perfect 4-0-0 record with a 1.41 goals against average.

Nik Antropov is expected to make his return to the lineup tonight, although he will be a game time decision.

Antropov leads the Jets with 11 points in 12 games.

Game time is 6 PM and available on TSN Jets.


Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Game #14: Jets @ Rangers

Sunday night marks the sixth of seven road games during an Eastern trip for the Winnipeg Jets (5-6-2) as they visit Madison Square Gardens and the New York Rangers (6-3-3).

The Jets and Rangers meet for the second time this season - the last meeting a 2-1 win for the Rangers at the MTS Centre on October 24th.

The Jets will likely be without defenseman Mark Stuart again and possibly Randy Jones, but the likelihood of Nik Antropov playing is higher than the other two.

Antropov was a late scratch last night after warmup.

The Jets will still have Brett Festerling, Mark Flood, and Paul Postma on the road trip and all three are ready to go if Stuart and Jones are not able to go.

Tobias Enstrom has officially been placed on the IR.

Ondrej Pavelec will get yet another start on the trip - his 12th of the season.

Game time is 6:00 PM CT and is available on TSN Jets and TSN 1290.


Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Game #13: Jets @ Devils

Saturday night, the surging Winnipeg Jets (5-6-1) hope that the number 13 isn't unlucky as they take on the New Jersey Devils (5-5-1) at Prudential Centre.

Both teams have posted 5-4-1 records over their last ten games, but both teams will be missing some of their key players Saturday night as the Jets will still be without defenseman Tobias Enstrom, while the Devils may be without forward Ilya Kovalchuk, who left Thursday's game against Philadelphia with a lower-body injury.

The Devils will also be without forward Travis Zajac, Jacob Josefson, and possibly Andy Greene, who didn't play Thursday against the Flyers.

The Jets will be without Ron Hainsey and Enstrom, while Mark Stuart and Randy Jones are game time decisions if they may go.

Tonight's game is the first of four meetings this season.

Ondrej Pavelec is slated to start tonight and Sunday night as well against the New York Rangers.

Pavelec posted his first shutout as a Jet Thursday and has gone 2-2-0 with a 2.75 goals against average and a .932 save percentage so far on the Jets seven game road trip.

His play has been steadily improving as he has now stopped 135 of the last 146 shot directed his way.

Evander Kane will look to continue his hot play as he has has eight points (five goals, three assists) in his last six games. He now has three multi-point games this season and scored his first multi-goal game in Florida against the Panthers.

Kane has goals in the last two games, including the game winner on Long Island.

Game time is 6:00 PM CT and is available on CBC's Hockey Night In Canada.


Sources:
winnipegjets.com

tsn.ca/nhl


Photo Courtesy Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Game #12: Jets @ Islanders

Long Island will be the site as the Jets (4-6-1) visit the New York Islanders (3-4-2) and their starting goalie and ex-San Jose Shark netmidner Evgeni Nabokov.

Nabokov was the center of controversy last season as the Islanders picked the exiled Russian goalie off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings only to have him not play due to him having no desire to play for the lowly Islanders.

However, Nabokov is back in the NHL this season with the Islanders and so far is 1-2-0 with a 2.23 goals against average and a .927 save percentage.

With numbers like those with only a 1-2-0 record - it shows how badly the Islanders need scoring and have struggled this season.

The Isles are the lowest scoring team in the NHL with only 18 goals this season through nine games. The next closest teams in goals for are the Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, and New Jersey Devils - who all have 23 goals in ten or more games.

Leading the way for the Isles is franchise player John Tavares as well as Matt Moulson, Mark Streit, and ex-Manitoba Moose star Michael Grabner.

For the Jets, their defensive core is still underdoing some injury woes as Tobias Enstrom flew back to Winnipeg after taking a vicious hit by Panthers forward Jack Skille on Monday.

He will not rejoin the Jets on the remainder of the road trip.

Enstrom has six points (one goal, five assists) in eleven games thus far this season.

Also out for the Jets on defense are Ron Hainsey, Derek Meech, and possibly Mark Stuart - who is day-to-day with an upper body issue.

Stuart is being re-evaluated and is not a likely possibility to be in the lineup come game time at Nassau Coliseum.

The Jets re-called defensemen Brett Festerling and Mark Flood from the AHL's St. John's Ice Caps this week to plug the holes on their defense.

It is expected that both will be in the lineup for the Jets tonight on Long Island.

Among the hottest Jets in the lineup is Evander Kane, who has six points (four goals, two assists) in his last five games after starting the season off without a point in his first five games.

Alexander Burmistrov had his six game point streak snapped in Tampa Bay last Saturday and wasn't able to start a new point streak on Monday in Sunrise.

The young Russian forward has nine points (three goals, six assists) in eleven games.

On this road trip, starting goalie Ondrej Pavelec is 2-1-0 so far with a 4.00 goals against average and a .909 save percentage.

Pavelec is 1-1 in his last two starts in Florida with a 1.92 goals against average and a .946 save percentage. He has stopped 101 of his last 112 shots in the last three games.

Game time is 6:00 PM CT and is available on TSN-Jets and TSN1290.

Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports & Getty Images

Pre-Season Game #6 Jets vs. Hurricanes

Winnipeg Jets vs. Carolina Hurricanes
7:30 PM CT MTS Centre
Wednesday night, Winnipeg fans will welcome home their well-travelled and now smaller - one team only - Winnipeg Jets.

After yesterday's cuts that sent 20 players to their AHL affiliate St. John's Ice Caps' training camp, including a handful of former ex-Manitoba Moose, the Jets are left with 36 players remaining in training camp, including Mark Scheifele and Paul Postma.

Both are expected to be in the lineup tonight to continue to prove that they belong in the lineup come opening night.

With Eric Fehr out until well into possibly January, there is an extra spot that Scheifele is trying to grab, while others, such as Patrice Cormier, Ben Maxwell, and Kenndal McArdle, are trying to grab as well.

Scheifele co-leads all players in scoring during the 2011 pre-season with Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matt Reid, who both have six points - however, Scheifele has played one less game.

Also of note to be expected in the lineup is Tobias Enstrom, who will be looking to chip in offensively.

Entrom and his defensive partner Dustin Byfuglien were both named to the 2010 NHL All-Star Game last season, though Enstrom was not able to attend due to injury. Together, they are arguably one of the top 10 defensive pairings in the NHL.

Other players on the bubble in tonight's game include Manitoba native Jason Gregoire, Carl Klingberg, Brett Festerling, and Spencer Machacek, all of whom will be expected in tonight's lineup.

Ondrej Pavelec is expected to get the start tonight, with Chris Mason backing him up.

Game time is 7:30 PM CT as is available on TSN-Jets with Dennis Beyak and SportsRadio 1290 with Brian Munz.

Pre-Season Game #5: Jets @ Senators

Winnipeg Jets @ Ottawa Senators
3:00 PM CT Mile One Centre (St. John's, NL)

Once again, Jets fans will see the other half of their team as the 1-3 Jets prepare for the 2-1-1 Ottawa Senators at Mile One Center in St. John's, Newfoundland.

The annual Kraft Hockeyville game site will be home to the AHL's newest team, the Jets affiliate - the St. John's Ice Caps - and the game will probably showcase some of the players who will call St. John's home for the season.

One player who everyone will have their eyes on is first round pick Mark Scheifele. Does the kid picked seventh overall have another stellar performance for Jets fans?

All eyes will be on him as well as other notables coming to St. John's who were not in the lineup Saturday night in Nashville, including captain Andrew Ladd and Blake Wheeler.

Ondrej Pavelec will be among the group and will get some of the playing time as he has not played either since the Jets home pre-season opener in Winnipeg.

On the other bench is ex-Jet and Ottawa Senators head coach Paul MacLean who will be coaching for the first time against his former club.

MacLean played seven seasons with the original Winnipeg Jets from 1981-82 to 1986-87, scoring 518 points (248 goals, 270 assists) in 527 games in a Jets uniform.

This will also be the only game this season/pre-season that TSN & TSN-Jets will not carry the game as CBC will be carrying the game coast-to-coast, giving the Jets their first national appearance of the season.

The game starts at 3:00 PM CT, available on CBC.

Pre-Season Game #3: Jets @ Predators

Winnipeg Jets @ Nashville Predators
7:00 PM CT Bridgestone Arena

After a split decision between split-squads against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Jets find themselves facing another Western Conference opponent in the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

The Jets all-time franchise record against the Predators is 6-6-3, with a 2-5-0 record at Bridgestone Arena.

Going into Saturday night and looking back at the game that was on Tuesday night at the MTS Centre, the Jets will be looking to their blueline to contribute offensively once again.

With Paul Postma's four point night and Dustin Byfulgien's two point night, the Jets went on to trounce the Jackets 6-1, but the other squad couldn't handle the Jackets on the road, losing 5-1 with Evander Kane's first goal of the pre-season the only Jets tally.

The Jets squad in Nashville will include Kane and rookie sensation Mark Scheifele, who is coming off an impressive four point effort in Winnipeg on Tuesday.

Scheifele will look to impress once again as he is starting to make the case of possibly starting the season in Winnipeg.

Also in the lineup in Nashville will be Blake Wheeler, who played in Columbus, and Bryan Little, who is playing in his first pre-season game.

Game time is 7:30 PM CT and is available on TSN-Jets.

Pre-Season Game #1: Jets-Jackets

Winnipeg Jets vs Columbus Blue Jackets
7:30 PM CT MTS Centre/6:00 PM CT Nationwide Arena

The Winnipeg Jets and their fans will get their first look at the young and relocated team tonight as the Jets will take to the ice for the first time in 15 years in their pre-season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It will be a split squad game with half of the team playing in Columbus, Ohio at Nationwide Arena and the other half playing at home at the sold out MTS Centre.

Jets head coach Claude Noel will be behind the bench in Winnipeg along with assistant coach Charlie Huddy while St. John's Ice Caps head coach Keith McCambridge, Jets assistant coach Pascal Vincent, and Ice Caps assistant coach Mark Morrison will be behind the bench in Columbus.

For the Winnipeg fans, they will see the following lineup:
Ondrej Pavelec
David Aebischer
Zach Bogosian
Mark Stuart
Dustin Byfuglien
Brett Festerling
Andrew Ladd
Mark Scheifele
Ivan Telegin
Nikolai Antropov
Jason Gregoire
Shayne Weibe
Troy Bodie
Kevin Clark
Alex Burmistrov
Janne Pesonen
Paul Postma
Patrice Cormier
Ben Maxwell
Arturs Kulda

The Jets have sent this lineup to play in Columbus:

Ron Hainsey
Evander Kane
Julian Melchiori
Tim Stapleton
Tanner Glass
Jim Slater
Chris Throburn
Blake Wheeler
Peter Mannino
Mark Flood
Kenndal McArdle
Jason Jaffray
Riley Holzappfel
Spencer Machacek
Derek Meech
Carl Klingberg
Chris Mason
Zach Redmond
Travis Ramsey
John Albert


Chris Mason will play the first two periods in Columbus, followed by Peter Mannino, while Ondrej Pavelec will play the first two periods in Winnipeg followed by David Aebischer in the third.

Many Jets, including Ben Maxwell, have been on Twitter posting their excitement for the exhibition games, especially in Winnipeg.

The game starts at 6:00 PM local time at MTS Centre while the game at Nationwide starts at 7:00 PM Eastern.

You can catch the game on the newly minted TSN-Jets channel.

(Game Lineup & Photo: Courtesy winnipegjets.com)