Jets chase third straight road win against the surging Ducks, needing balanced scoring to fuel their playoff push.
The Winnipeg Jets opened the stretch run of their season with a statement victory, edging the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in overtime on the road following the Olympic break. Now, Winnipeg will look to keep that momentum rolling Friday night when it visits the red hot Anaheim Ducks.
It will mark the second meeting of the season between the two clubs. Anaheim claimed a 4-1 win in early November, a result the Jets have not forgotten as they fight to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Winnipeg enters the matchup desperate to string together wins and climb back into the postseason conversation. Meanwhile, the Ducks are trying to solidify their position in the Pacific Division, holding a slim two point lead over the Seattle Kraken for third place. With both teams battling for playoff positioning, Friday’s contest could carry significant weight in the Western Conference race.
Lineup Storylines
Anaheim has been one of the league’s hottest teams, posting a 10-2-0 record over its last 12 games. The Jets have been respectable in their own right, going 8-4-3 over their past 15 contests. However, Winnipeg has managed to string together back to back road victories just twice this season and will attempt to do so for a third time.
One concern lingering from the win over Vancouver was Winnipeg’s lack of depth scoring. The top line powered the offense, with Kyle Connor and Gabriel Vilardi each finding the back of the net, while Cole Perfetti buried the overtime winner. Outside of that trio, production has been difficult to find.
Over the past 15 games, the Jets’ top unit of Connor, Vilardi and Mark Scheifele, along with Perfetti and Jonathan Toews, has combined for 25 of the team’s 42 goals. The rest of the forward group has struggled to contribute consistently as Vladislav Namestnikov has just one goal since early November. Morgan Barron has scored once since the Christmas break. Captain Adam Lowry has managed only one goal over his last 17 games.
If Winnipeg hopes to sustain a playoff push, its middle six must provide more balanced scoring support. The trade deadline could present an opportunity for reinforcement, or at minimum, the issue will be a focal point in the offseason.
Anaheim, by contrast, has seen its youth movement surge to new heights with 21-year-old Beckett Sennecke has tallied five goals and six assists for 11 points over the Ducks’ 12 game hot streak. The 22-year-old Cutter Gauthier has added six goals and four assists for 10 points.
Lastly, 25-year-old defenseman Jackson LaCombe, fresh off international success with Team USA, has contributed 10 assists during that same span. With Anaheim’s young core surging and the Jets fighting for their postseason lives, goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will need to be sharp in his return to the crease.
Goalie Matchup
Winnipeg: Connor Hellebuyck (13-16-7 record, 2.79 GAA, .900 SV% | VS ANA: 14-2-2 record, 2.26 GAA, .922 SV% in 18 games)
Anaheim: Lukas Dostal (22-13-2 record, 3.00 GAA, .895 SV% | VS WPG: 2-1-0 record, 2.03 GAA, .925 SV% in three games)
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