With the injuries the Jets are dealing with at this point, it’s impressive that they have been able to string five wins in a row. Outside of the Scheifele, Connor and Vilardi line, Scott Arniel has been forced to experiment with the other three lines.
“Would I like to have Lowry and Perfetti and Samberg? Obviously, it’s the hand you’re dealt coming out of training camp, but it is nice to have opportunities to try guys in different areas and continue to win hockey games. I think, if you throw the three young guys in, we’ve got seven new guys up front so getting those guys experience in October, November, is huge,” said Arniel.
“We’ll see where we are when we’re healthy but just these guys being able to contribute to what we’re doing, getting them — like you said about the lines, sometimes they scramble, they change — it’s just trying to find maybe some… On the road there’s some matchups that maybe happen. At home it gets a little different for me. It’s just feeling it out and it is, it’s a good opportunity for me to see what each guy can do.”
Clearly, the Scheifele line has been driving the bus for the Jets to start the year at five-on-five. Scheifele’s 10 points and seven goals are both the most he has ever recorded in the first six games of a season. While he is currently on a five-game goal streak, the team has also won their last five games. Dating back to the start of last season, the Jets are 29-4-3 when Scheifele finds the back of the net. The 32-year-old has had a lot of help from Kyle Connor as well, as he leads the team in assists with six.
“They’ve played together for a long time now and, knowing those guys both off the ice, they work really hard in the summer to come in and not just be ready to go, but take their game to another level and keep trying ways to improve and get better,” said Josh Morrissey.
“I’d say just from day one of camp both of those guys looked like they were on their game or even at another level.”
The Kraken come into Winnipeg on the tail end of a six-game road trip in which they are 1-2-2 after a 4-1 loss in Washington on Tuesday. Mason Marchment didn’t play on Tuesday and is day-to-day with a lower body injury and that means Seattle could be missing six regulars from their lineup.
“I mean, we’re definitely being tested,” Eberle said on the team website.
“We’ve had some adversity, some big guys out. But ultimately, you go through a season where on every team there’s injuries and guys need to step up and need to play more minutes. And right now, that’s the case for us.”
Puck drop is scheduled for 7 CT.
FLEURY VS. FLEURY
Tonight’s game will also feature the Fleury brothers facing off against one another. The Jets Haydn and the Kraken’s Cale will have their parents in attendance as well.
