On Sunday, the Winnipeg Jets will try to tap into the football crowd by hosting their Hockey Fights Cancer game in an afternoon matinee against the Minnesota Wild. The matchup should bring plenty of excitement, as it features two divisional rivals trending in the right direction.
Minnesota enters the game red hot after winning four straight and going 8-1-1 since the start of November. The challenge increases on the road, where they will face a Jets team that has begun to steady itself with three wins in its last five. One of the losses came with Connor Hellebuyck unavailable, forcing Eric Comrie to step in on short rest. Winnipeg will look to rebound, possibly with help from a rookie goaltender.
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Lineup Storylines
Sunday could feature an NHL first for the Jets, who recalled surging AHL goalie Thomas Milic to back up while Hellebuyck recovers from a minor arthroscopic knee procedure. Comrie has started the last two games, and although he led line rushes at Saturday’s practice, it would still be surprising to see him get a third straight start.
The possibility of Milic making his NHL debut adds an intriguing storyline. He has been outstanding with the Manitoba Moose this season, recording a 5-2-2 mark with one shutout and a .921 save percentage through nine games. He arrives on a four-game winning streak with a 2.14 goals-against average, and his overall AHL record of 29-23-8 with a 2.88 GAA has made him one of the league’s most underrated young goalies.
Winnipeg is also expected to make subtle adjustments to the lineup. Captain Adam Lowry is projected to move up to the second line, separating him from his usual partner Nino Niederreiter. Veteran center Jonathan Toews will shift to the third line while the wingers on both lines remain the same. Cole Perfetti is set to skate with Lowry in an unusual combination, and Toews will reunite with Gustav Nyquist after the pair opened the season together. Depth forward Alex Iafallo will take Nyquist’s place on the fourth line. The final defense pairing remains uncertain as the team decides between Luke Schenn and Colin Miller.
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The tweaks come at a time when several players have hit rough patches with Toews going four straight games without a point, Tanner Pearson appears to be coming out of the lineup after a 13-game drought, and Nyquist, who registered an assist in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over Columbus, is still searching for his first goal of the season while currently on his worst scoring drought to start a season in his career.
Minnesota counters with its own momentum, led by star forwards in Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov. The two are not skating together at even strength, with Kaprizov on the top line beside Mats Zuccarello and Boldy on the second line with Joel Eriksson Ek, however, they do share time on the power play, where they have combined for four goals in their last ten games. They have also combined for eight goals at even strength during that stretch. Their balanced scoring threat will pose a significant challenge that Winnipeg’s defense will need to be ready for.
Goalie Matchup
Winnipeg: Eric Comrie (Season: 4-2-0 record, 2.84 GAA, .899 SV% | VS MIN: 0-1-0 record, 4.95 GAA, .846 in two games)
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Minnesota: Jesper Wallstedt (Season: 5-0-2 record, 2.20 GAA, .926 SV% | VS WPG: 0-1-0 record, 5.02 GAA, .792 SV% in one start)
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