(SportsNetwork.com) – The Winnipeg Jets will try to get back on track at home
when they host the New Jersey Devils in Tuesday’s clash at MTS Centre.
The Jets went 2-2-1 on a recent five-game road trip, but closed the swing with
consecutive losses. Winnipeg, 3-3-1 as the host this season, will attempt to
return to the win column when it opens a three-game homestand tonight.
Winnipeg lost on back-to-back days to complete the swing, dropping a 2-1
regulation decision in Nashville on Saturday before falling in overtime the
next night in Minnesota.
The Jets, however, did well to earn a point Sunday, as they fell behind 3-0 in
the opening period but still managed to get the game to overtime. Winnipeg
tallied three times in the third period before losing a 4-3 decision when
Marco Scandella scored for the Wild just 61 seconds into the extra session.
Michael Frolik, Evander Kane and Andrew Ladd scored for the Jets. Ondrej
Pavelec was pulled after giving up three goals on 11 shots in the first stanza
and Michael Hutchinson made 15 saves before allowing Scandella to score the
game-winner.
“It was a fantastic game for us. Just a great battle back,” Jets coach Paul
Maurice said.
Winnipeg lost Mark Scheifele to a knee injury Sunday and the centerman is
questionable for Tuesday’s tilt. Scheifele has two goals and five assists in
19 games this season.
The Devils begin a road-heavy stretch of their schedule tonight, as they kick
off a four-game swing in Western Canada. New Jersey also visits Edmonton,
Calgary and Vancouver during this trip and is playing seven of eight and 11 of
its next 14 games away from the Garden State.
New Jersey, which is 5-5-0 as the guest this season, had a two-game winning
streak halted with Saturday’s 3-2 loss to visiting Colorado. The Devils
grabbed a 2-1 lead early in the third period, but the Avs scored the next two
goals and received the game-winner off the stick of Matt Duchene with 2:53
remaining.
Cory Schneider stopped 26 shots in defeat, but gave up a soft one to Erik
Johnson to allow the Avalanche to tie the game at 2-2.
Johnson tied it with 7:30 remaining on a seemingly harmless shot from the
bottom of the right circle after an end-to-end rush.
“I make that move a hundred times and this one squeaks in,” Schneider said
about the goal that went through his pads as he tried to hug the near post.
“Just a mistake by me.”
Eric Gelinas and Martin Havlat supplied the goals for New Jersey, which lost
for the fifth time in seven games.
Schneider has started every game for the Devils this season, and he will make
a 19th straight start on Tuesday. New Jersey did recall Scott Clemmensen
from Albany of the American Hockey League before the road trip and sent down
Keith Kinkaid, who has yet to start a game at the NHL level.
The Devils also placed captain Bryce Salvador on injured reserve after missing
the last three games with a lower-body injury. The defenseman did not make the
trip to Winnipeg, and neither did forward Ryane Clowe, who has missed the last
five tilts with a head injury.
Forward Adam Henrique (lower body) and defenseman Jon Merrill (bruised arm)
made the trip and are questionable for tonight.
The Devils posted a 2-1 shootout win over a visiting Winnipeg club on Oct. 30,
giving New Jersey just its second victory in the last six meetings with the
Jets. Winnipeg has claimed two in a row and three of the past four encounters
at MTS Centre.
