Fast, furious and fun: Jets play Bolts in nationally televised match

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This article was published 15/12/2018 (1951 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Call it an early holiday season gift to Winnipeg Jets fans from the NHL schedule-maker.

In fact, all Canadian hockey lovers will get to rip open the wrapping tonight as the Jets and the Tampa Bay Lightning match will be televised nationally. (Sportsnet, 6 p.m.)

The Lightning, occupiers of the league penthouse with a gaudy 25-7-1 record, are running hot right with eight consecutive victories. Their last was an impressive 4-1 triumph over the Atlantic Division rival Toronto Maple Leafs, highlighted by a 48-save performance by goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Tampa Bay is seven points ahead of Toronto atop the Eastern Conference.

The hometown fellows, meanwhile, are on a nifty streak of their own. Winnipeg, second in the Western Conference at 21-9-2, has won its last four, including the two most recent contest in overtime, and is 8-2 in its last 10.

Connor Hellebuyck will get the start for Winnipeg and will be opposite Vasilevskiy in a battle of 2017-18 Vezina Trophy finalists. Vasilevskiy is tops in the league with a .933 save percentage, and also boasts a tidy 2.20 goals-against average.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper said it’s tough to sell this matchup to his team as just another game.

“Would we roll in and say this is Game 34 of 82? No. Guys are well aware. I think sometimes we underestimate how much the guys really pay attention to this league. They know what’s across the hallway, as Winnipeg probably knows what’s across from them,” he said, following the morning skate.

“We only see each other twice a year but in my time that I’ve been in the league, every time we play Winnipeg, something fun goes down. It’s a really entertaining game. There’s leads, there’s leads blown, it’s physical, but it’s two teams that want to win and have aspirations of late runs in June. I think that’s what makes it fun.”

Comparing the numbers of the two clubs makes it fun, too.

Firepower is a problem for neither: Tampa Bay has fired the most goals (134) in the NHL, while Winnipeg is fifth (116). Lightning right-winger Nikita Kucherov has a team-high 47 points, third-year centre Brayden Point leads the team with 21 and Steve Stamkos has 15.

The Jets, meanwhile, have a pair of guys on a 50-plus goal pace. Patrik Laine ripped his 23rd in Chicago on Friday night, while Mark Scheifele netted his 19th and 20th. Blake Wheeler (38) trails only Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen for most assists.

“We’re looking at this as a measuring stick for us, too,” said Stamkos. “Just cause you’re on top of the standings, it doesn’t mean much. You still want to be able to see how you match up against the elite teams in the league and this is an elite team we’re playing tonight. It’s another great challenge for us.”

Winnipeg has surrendered the fourth-fewest tallies (90), while the Lightning are just behind (92).

The Jets power play is the league’s most lethal (30.2 per cent) while the Lightning are third (29.3). Both clubs boast top-10 penalty-killings units.

Winnipeg centre Adam Lowry said there are plenty of similarities between the dynamic squads.

“They’re built a lot like us. They get contributions, not just from one or two guys, but throughout their lineup. They’re real dangerous on the power play, just like us, they’ve got a back end that can move and get up in the rush and they have a really strong goalie,” he said. “They have incredible depth, a lot of speed and a lot of skill. So, it’s going to be important we try and limit their time and space, and really make sure we’re disciplined because their power play can turn a 2-1 game into a 4-1 really quick.”

Winnipeg will go with the same group of skaters that produced victories over Edmonton and Chicago. Injured forward Andrew Copp (concussion symptoms) participated with the full group this morning but wore a yellow ‘no-contact’ jersey, and no timeframe has been given for his return.

Healthy scratches tonight are defenceman Joe Morrow and forward Nic Petan.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @WFPJasonBell