The Winnipeg Jets ended their three-game losing streak with a strong 5-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, finally breaking out of their power-play slump by scoring two goals with the man advantage after going 0-for-14. A significant development from the morning skate was defenseman Dylan Samberg, who traded his non-contact jersey for a regular one, raising speculation about his potential return to the lineup. Additionally, Gustav Nyquist participated in a regular jersey as well, suggesting he may rejoin the team soon. Both Cole Koepke and Morgan Barron are listed as day-to-day, while Haydn Fleury’s status is uncertain after he left the Vancouver game with an upper-body injury.
Despite this recent victory, the Jets may make further adjustments to their lineup. Brad Lambert has been a healthy scratch for the last three games, and the coaching staff is keen on keeping young players engaged in the game. Luke Schenn had a tough outing on the ice in Vancouver and might be replaced by Colin Miller for this matchup.
The Seattle Kraken will be looking to bounce back after a recent shootout loss at home. They currently sit third in the Pacific Division, only a step ahead of the Sharks and Golden Knights. While the Kraken struggle offensively, ranking 31st in the league for goals scored, they excel defensively, sitting tied for ninth in fewest goals allowed. However, their special teams have not mirrored this defensive strength, with their power play ranked 18th and their penalty kill at 30th.
The projected lineup for the Jets has been informed by their last game but will be updated following this morning’s skate in Seattle. Reports have confirmed that both Dylan Samberg and Gustav Nyquist are participating in the morning line rushes, with Haydn Fleury and Nikita Chibrikov coming out of the lineup. Additionally, Colin Miller is expected to take the place of Luke Schenn.
The Jets’ projected lines are as follows:
– Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi
– Namestnikov-Toews-Perfetti
– Niederreiter-Lowry-Iafallo
– Pearson-Ford-Nyquist
Defense pairs include:
– Morrissey-DeMelo
– Samberg-Pionk
– Stanley-Miller
In goal, Hellebuyck and Comrie are expected to play.
For the Kraken, the projected lines and defense pairs feature:
– Schwartz-Beniers-Kakko
– Marchment-Stephenson-Eberle
– Catton-Wright-Tolvanen
– Kartye-Meyers-Winterton
On defense, they will field:
– Dunn-Larsson
– Lindgren-Montour
– Evans-Oleksiak
As the Jets head into tonight’s game with renewed energy and confidence, they aim to leverage their recent offensive success against a Kraken team that is formidable at home, boasting a 4-1-3 record at Climate Pledge Arena. The puck drop is set for 9 PM CST, and post-game analysis will be available on illegalcurve.com, as well as on their YouTube channel with the Illegal Curve Post-Game Show. The anticipation is high for how Winnipeg will perform as they seek to extend their winning momentum.