When:8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Where:Bell MTS Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Preview: Blue Jackets at Jets
Gracenote
Oct 16, 2017
Deficits have not kept the Columbus Blue Jackets from rallying for victories, as they arrive in Winnipeg to face the Jets on Tuesday with three consecutive come-from-behind wins. The latest came on Saturday, a 5-4 overtime triumph over Minnesota in which Columbus never led until Alexander Wennberg’s tally just 47 seconds into the extra session lifted the club to its fourth victory in five games to start the season.
“We’re just a resilient group,” forward Cam Atkinson told reporters Saturday, one night after the Blue Jackets scored twice in the third period to get past the New York Rangers 3-1. “We’re finding ways to get the job done.” The Jets also have won three in a row since replacing the struggling Steve Mason with Connor Hellebuyck. “You can see the guys blocking shots, working really hard, really grinding the other team down, keeping everything to the outside,” Hellebuyck told reporters after stopping 28 shots in Saturday's 2-1 home triumph over Carolina. Coach Paul Maurice stated after Monday’s practice that Mason, who has not played since Oct. 7, will start against Columbus.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (4-1-0): The top line of Wennberg, Atkinson and Artemi Panarin has combined for 14 points through five games, with the latter netting the winning goal in the victory over the Rangers. Sergei Bobrovsky is unbeaten in four games while posting a 1.48 goals-against average and .952 save percentage. The Blue Jackets have allowed just 2.2 goals per contest, beginning the week sixth in the NHL in that category.
ABOUT THE JETS (3-2-0): Left wing Nikolaj Ehlers has scored five goals during the team's winning streak, earning NHL First Star of the Week honors. After his solid outing against the Hurricanes, Hellebuyck is 3-0-0 with a 2.11 GAA this season. The Jets have surrendered a total of five goals in their last three contests after allowing 13 in their first two games.
OVERTIME
1. Winnipeg placed C Mathieu Perreault (lower body) on injured reserve Monday and recalled LW Kyle Connor from Manitoba of the American Hockey League.the AHL.
2. The Blue Jackets will be without D Gabriel Carlsson (upper body), placing him on injured reserve and recalling D Markus Nutivaara from Cleveland of the AHL.
3. Mason, who spent the first 4 1/2 seasons of his career with Columbus, gave up 11 goals over 100 minutes, 36 seconds of ice time in his first two appearances with Winnipeg.
PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 4, Jets 2