WINNIPEG – Just one preseason game remains on the Winnipeg Jets calendar and it’s tonight in Calgary against the Flames.
Another chance for players fighting for spots to make a final impression on the new coaching staff before the regular season schedule begins on October 14.
“We are also preparing for the most intense game of the preseason,” forward David Gustafsson said. “We played them a few days ago and had a good game but we know they will play hard now after this loss and we are in their arena.”
Gustafsson may not be selling enough when he says the Jets had a “good game” on Wednesday. Winnipeg went 3-for-5 on the power play and a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill against a mostly veteran Calgary team and cruised to a 5-0 victory.
Video: PREGAME | David Gustafson
That’s probably why Gustafsson and the Jets are bracing for pushback from the Flames.
“They’re going to attack us full force tonight. We understand that,” head coach Rick Bowness said. “We have to see who can handle it and who can’t.
That process continues for Bowness and his staff throughout training camp. As they implemented new systems, they learned about the players in the organization—from the veterans all the way down to the latest draft picks.
One of those draft picks – Brad Lambert – was reassigned to the Manitoba Moose on Friday after playing in three straight preseason games and making quite the impression on the staff.
Video: PREGAME | Rick Bowness
Jonathan Kovacevic was released on Friday afternoon for the purpose of being reassigned to the Moose as well.
Another Jet who won’t play tonight is Mason Appleton, who is dealing with an upper-body injury, which Bowness said is an ailment Appleton would be playing through if tonight’s tilt was in the postseason.
As it is not, Appleton will be absent for the pre-season finale and Bowness is not concerned about the striker’s availability for next week’s home game.
Tonight’s Jets lineup is expected to look like this:
Connor-Scheifele-Ehlers
Perfetti-Dubois-Wheeler
Baron-Lowry-Maenalanen
Toninato-Gustafsson-Harkins
Morrissey-DeMello
Dylan-Pionk
Heinola-Schmidt
In terms of the battle on the blue line, Heinola is the only young defenseman in the lineup tonight. His pairing with Schmidt is something Bowness has yet to use in camp.
“We won’t know what he looks like until we give him a chance,” Bowness said, adding that Heinola will play on the left in this pairing after the young Finn skated on the right in Wednesday’s matchup with Samberg.
Video: PREGAME | Josh Morrissey
For the veterans in the lineup, tonight is about cementing every part of the new systems against Calgary’s veteran team.
“We’ve had a few weeks of training now and the pace has been good. You can’t make up reps in the game so it was nice to get two right at the end of the preseason here,” said Josh Morrissey, playing in his third preseason game tonight. “Reporting and the system is starting to get a lot easier. This will allow us to play really fast. It becomes more automatic. We felt better for sure and hopefully we can feel a little bit better tonight and peak for next Friday.”
A key part of the way the Jets want to play revolves around communication between defenders and forwards, especially when it comes to blueliners like Morrissey, who steps up to hold the blueline or stop an opponent’s rush.
“The number one thing when you’re looking to be aggressive as a defender — either going up against their blue line or through the neutral zone — is to have back pressure and support,” Morrissey said. “If you’re on an island and you go against a guy, even if you get a piece of it, guys are good players in this league and they can either pass, make the next play or hit the second wave. Our forwards, that’s something we’ve been preaching throughout training camp, is to have that pressure all over the ice and create two-on-ones on defense. When we have the support at the front there, it gives us the confidence and ability to stand up.”
Standing out in that area is key for all forwards, but perhaps especially so for those like Gustafsson, who are trying to pencil their name into the 23-man roster.
“I take responsibility defensively. I really take pride in that and try to be a reliable player,” Gustafsson said. “Something I have to work on to show is my offensive side. I think I showed it with Moose and I think I can show it here. It’s time to show it right now.”
Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 PM CT.
ICE CHIPS
After the game, the Jets will head to Banff for a few days of practice and team bonding before returning to Winnipeg on Tuesday.
Morrissey and Adam Lowry, who hail from Calgary, are tour guides for the trip.
“There’s a bit of extra pressure on us to make sure the boys have a good time,” grinned Morrissey. “When you can have opportunities to spend time together as a group, get to know each other better. When you’re at home or in season, everybody’s got their own lives and things like that, the older guys with kids, the younger guys just figuring out the league, so it’s nice to all come together and have that togetherness in an environment without tension before the season and build those relationships.”
GAME NOTES
The Winnipeg Jets close out the preseason tonight in Calgary against the Flames.
The Jets defeated the Calgary Flames 5-0 on Wednesday night at the Canada Life Centre. Winnipeg is 3-1-1 in the first five games of six preseason contests.
Former Flames goaltender David Rittich stopped 37 shots to earn the win for the Jets on Wednesday.
A win Friday would give the Jets four preseason wins for the first time since 2018 and just the third time since the 2011 sweep.
Kyle Conner has five points (3G, 2A) in two preseason games to lead the Jets in scoring.
— Mitchell Clinton, WinnipegJets.com
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