WINNIPEG – As the Winnipeg Jets made their way through the airport on Tuesday, all eyes were on the injured players – Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Josh Morrissey, and Cole Perfetti.
Could they possibly be an option, as the Jets fly to Vegas with plans to avoid elimination in their best-of-seven series?
Head coach Rick Bowness had some clear updates. First, it stands to reason that Cole Perfetti – who hasn’t shed the non-contact jersey as of Monday’s morning skate – still isn’t an option. Bowness also said that Morrissey, injured in Game 3, also won’t play.
But that’s where the certainty ended.
“I just talked to Mark and he is feeling better than he did last night. So, he’s definitely on the day-to-day,” Bowness said. “Let’s put him in the hopeful category for Thursday. Nik Ehlers will skate with the team and we’ll see where he is.”
So, you’re saying there’s a chance?
More information on Scheifele and Ehlers won’t come until Wednesday’s practice at T-Mobile Arena, but for now, it’s a piece of optimism that the Jets can build on heading into the same building they earned a victory in to begin this series.
“We have to be confident. We have to be. And we will be,” said Bowness. “We’re going to have a swagger to us that says if we go out, it’s going to be one tough fight. When we play with that attitude, then I like our chances.”
Speaking of chances, one look at Natural Stat Trick shows just how close this series between the Jets and Golden Knights has been.
The high-danger chances at five-on-five are dead even at 33. The shot attempts are slightly in the favour of the Jets at 212-204, while the expected goals lean toward Vegas by a (rounded) 53 to 47 percent margin.
It’s razor thin. Just ask Connor Hellebuyck.
“Some good tips. Some random tips. Some bounces off our own guys. Screens. Some random bounces off me,” he said. “At the other end, I think we’ve hit about eight or 10 posts. You’ve got to imagine this is all going to kind of switch, and when it does, it’s going to go really well from there.”
Source: https://www.nhl.com/jets/news/