When the Winnipeg Jets take to the ice this night, they are going to be finishing the longest residence stand of their 2024-25 NHL common season schedule, taking part in their eighth straight contest on the Canada Life Centre. The house cooking didn’t pay fast dividends because the True Northers misplaced the primary two video games, however since then they’ve righted the ship with a 4-0-1 run. All that’s left is the Calgary Flames coming to city for a Hockey Night time in Canada conflict….
The Jets (31-12-3) have been taking part in some stable defensive hockey currently, limiting opponents to lower than 3 targets per sport of their final 5 outings. A part of that success is a results of Dylan Samberg coming back from damage, because the defenseman’s calm presence has vastly improved Winnipeg’s play in their very own finish…not too point out the increase he provides the Jets’ penalty killers. Another excuse for the staff’s current success is the efficiency of Connor Hellebuyck over his previous 4 begins, the place the masked man has restricted the opposition to a median of 1 purpose per sport.
Because the month of January drifts by, the Winnipeg Jets stay within the hunt for the President’s Trophy and are presently deadlocked with the Washington Capitals to have 65 factors on the season. The staff stats proceed to be stellar once you have a look at the targets scored (1st in NHL), targets allowed (third), purpose differential (1st), and powerplay success (1st) classes. The hockey membership from the Peg is coming into the HNIC conflict on a 3 sport successful streak and have picked up factors in 5 straight contests, so us followers ought to fairly anticipate one other good efficiency by the house staff this night.
The Flames (21-16-7) have had a significantly better season than anticipated by many, after the low season was stuffed with speak of a painful rebuild on the horizon for the southern Albertan franchise. Calgary has been taking part in pretty nicely currently on the again of goaltender Dustin Wolf’s outstanding rookie debut (2.57 GAA/.914% on the yr), together with a current 3 sport successful streak. They’ve hit a little bit of a pace bump currently with two straight losses to the Blues in St. Louis and need to end off their highway journey on a optimistic be aware in Manitoba.
As of Saturday morning, the Calgary Flames have the fifteenth most factors within the NHL which is sweet sufficient for them to take a seat within the ultimate wildcard spot of the Western Convention. The Albertans rely extra on their defensive play (tied for twelfth for least GA in NHL) then they do their offense (tied for 4th least GF), however the league’s third worst penalty kill is doing them no favours.
Right here is the early lineup projections from PuckPedia in your evaluate:
With solely an optionally available pre-game skate this morning scheduled for the Jets, will probably be troublesome to substantiate whether or not backup goalie Eric Comrie will see motion tonight till a lot nearer to puck drop. Plus defensemen Colin Miller & Haydn Fleury may probably make their return from accidents, so who is aware of precisely what gamers Winnipeg will ice.
The Flames will probably be lacking a pair key forwards after they lace up their skates on the CLC on HNIC, with Anthony Mantha and Connor Zary out with respective accidents. I’m am not sure who will get the beginning in internet for Calgary tonight however Winnipeg followers might need to pray/want that it gained’t be rookie phenom Dustin Wolf, as you must go all the way in which again to December twenty first to discover a sport the place he allowed greater than 2 targets. That may be a 7 sport stretch the place the tender allowed only one purpose for the opponents in 5 of his begins.
In the case of level leaders for the 2 franchises, the Winnipeg Jets have the dynamic duo of Kyle Connor (60 pts) and Mark Scheifele (53) whereas the Calgary Flames have Jonathan Huberdeau (32) and Nazim Kadri (29). These level totals for the Jets’ prime two forwards place them seventh & tenth in NHL scoring earlier than immediately’s motion begins. Surprise when Winnipeg final had that occur?
Now it’s time to take a look at the goaltenders’ stats and see how the franchises evaluate primarily based on this yr’s numbers within the charts under:
The True Northers gained the primary assembly this yr in Alberta (5-3 W – one in every of Comrie’s wins on the yr) and the 2 Canadian franchises will sq. off twice within the subsequent 8 calendar days to complete off the season’s collection. So now we now have all the data we have to put together ourselves mentally for tonight’s Jets-Flames battle……how do you assume the sport will play out?
I’ve to confess {that a} worrisome thought has popped into my thoughts….with the current nice play of Calgary’s Wolf and Winnipeg’s identified struggles to attain when Comrie will get the beginning, I’m involved we could also be in for a irritating night time within the purpose scoring class. Hopefully I’m incorrect…..lets hear your ideas in regards to the sport within the Remark part. Have a terrific weekend everybody.
Submit-script:
For these of you which have let your minds wander and are already desirous about how the Winnipeg Jets will carry out within the playoffs…chances are you’ll need to take into account that it’s simply 7 weeks (49 days) till this yr’s NHL commerce deadline. And two of these weeks will probably be stuffed with the 4 Nations event, although at this level the league has not restricted participant motion throughout that span. No matter that, phrase is that many GMs are pondering they wish to get their deadline work completed earlier than the large tourney, which might give them solely 3 weeks to make any key strikes for a playoff push. Whether or not that involves go or not stays to be seen, however we should always all control the commerce wire within the upcoming weeks in any case.
There are undoubtedly some attention-grabbing names on the market within the hearsay mill and I’m hoping to get round to a commerce deadline preview protecting the Winnipeg Jets state of affairs a while within the subsequent week or so. Sadly, our squad has returned to taking part in each 2nd day for the subsequent 2 weeks…however I’m certain I’ll discover a while to replace everybody on the Jets’ cap state of affairs, commerce targets, and the belongings GM Kevin Cheveldayoff may use to try to enhance the squad.
Go Winnipeg!!!!!
