The Golden Knights return to Winnipeg for the first time since Game 5 of last season’s Western Conference Final. Needless to say, the Jets are eager for a win tonight, though both teams are thinking primarily about the two points up for grabs.
That’s because both teams have 60 points in the standings, though Winnipeg is tops in the Central Division whereas Vegas sits in third place in the Pacific. But tonight’s game is more than just a rematch as it carries significance in the ongoing battle for playoff positioning. This could turn out to be one of the more competitive games of the Knights’ sophomore campaign.
Interestingly, Laurent Brossoit will get the nod tonight for the Jets, with Connor Hellebuyck serving as his backup. That likely has something to do with the fact that Brossoit has won six games in a row and holds an impressive 9-1-1 record with a 2.10 goals-against average and .939 save percentage this season.
Not surprisingly, Marc-Andre Fleury will be in net for the Knights. Fleury was the primary reason the Jets’ season ended without a trip to the Stanley Cup Final last year; Vegas will need him to be at his best once again tonight.
Here are the projected lineups for both clubs:
Golden Knights
Marchessault — Karlsson — Pirri
Pacioretty — Stasty — Tuch
Lindberg — Eakin — Carpenter
Nosek — Bellemare — Reaves
McNabb — Schmidt
Theodore — Engelland
Merrill — Holden
Fleury
Lagace
Jets
Connor (#81) — Scheifele (#55) — Wheeler (#26)
Laine (#29) — Little (#18) — Roslovic (#28)
Perreault (#85) — Lowry (#17) — Tanev (#13)
Lemieux (#28) — Copp (#9) — Appleton (#82)
Morrissey (#44) — Trouba (#8)
Kulikov (#5) — Myers (#57)
Niku (#83) — Morrow (#70)
Brossoit (#30)
Hellebuyck (#37)
ICYMI, check out the preview for tonight’s matchup.
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