GAME PREVIEW: Game 17/56 Winnipeg Jets @ Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers (9-7-0, 3rd in North) vs.

Winnipeg Jets (8-5-1, 4th in North)

15 February 2021

Rogers Place

7 PM MST

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Arctic Ice Hockey

The Oilers finished up a four game road trip with three wins after a shutout in Montréal. Mike Smith turned aside 38 shots, while the Oilers picked up goals from Jujhar Khaira, Darnell Nurse and Tyson Barrie en route to their victory. The Oilers look to keep the good times flowing tonight when they host the Winnipeg Jets for their first of a two game set.

Can the Oilers turn a visit from Winnipeg into their tenth win of the season?

Let’s go to the tape.

THE OILERS ARE SAYING

“He’s played some left before in junior, so we just wanted to have a look at him in the scrimmage today and see how things go moving forward”

Source

That’s Oilers head coach Dave Tippett on putting Evan Bouchard on the left side with Ethan Bear during practice yesterday.

Tippett is getting especially creative with his pairs. I don’t know if Bouchard is going to be seen on the left side tonight. Given what we saw yesterday at practice, it’d be especially nice if Caleb Jones could get back on the left side. Jones has been a healthy scratch January 31st versus Ottawa.

THE JETS ARE SAYING

“They clogged up the slot, they made us work for our ice...They made it hard on us, and when a team makes it hard on you like that, you’ve got to find ways to create some offense and create some loose pucks and get in front of their goalie. And we just didn’t do it enough.”

Source

That’s Jets forward Mark Scheifele after his club’s 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Brady Tkachuk scored with nine seconds remaining in regulation to put the Senators over the Jets on Saturday. Ottawa’s win was just their third in sixteen games.

HAVE SOME OF THIS

• This is old news by now, but Jesse Puljujärvi’s return to the lineup after being held out for Covid-19 protocol is big news for the club. He’ll replace James Neal on the top line for tonight’s game.
• Jujhar Khaira has been earning trust with the Oilers. He took 21 shifts with the club in their 3-0 win over Montréal on Thursday, and he’s hit the scoresheet with regularity over his last four games. He’s expected to centre the third line with Tyler Ennis and Josh Archibald, while Kyle Turris will fit between Devin Shore and Alex Chiasson.
• NET GAINS: The Oilers turn to Mike Smith (2-0-0 .985 SV%, .50 GAA) after he stopped all 38 shots for the Oilers against Montréal on Thursday. Connor Hellebuyck is likely for the Jets (6-4-1, .921 SV% / 2.36 GAA).
• SCRATCHES: Zack Kassian is out with a hand injury and is listed as week to week. Gaetan Haas is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Caleb Jones is healthy, but is probably not in tonight’s lineup, Ethan Bear is out too. For the Winnipeg Jets, Nate Thompson, Jansen Harkins and Pierre-Luc Dubois is listed as day-to-day with lower to a lower body injuries.