Two struggling teams, the Jets and Golden Knights, aim to end lengthy losing streaks. One desperately needs a win to escape last place.
The Winnipeg Jets return home Tuesday for a much-needed bounce-back opportunity as they wrap up a three-game road trip and host one of the Western Conference’s toughest opponents in the Vegas Golden Knights. Both teams enter the matchup facing more adversity than expected this season.
Winnipeg is looking to snap a nine-game losing streak, while Vegas is hoping to end a five-game skid of its own. A win would provide a critical reset for either side, though the situation is especially urgent for the Jets, who currently sit in last place in the NHL and are searching for a way to get back on track for the remainder of the season.
The Golden Knights, despite their recent struggles, remain firmly in the playoff picture. Their 17-11-12 record keeps them in the hunt for the Pacific Division lead, making this a pivotal game as they look to regain momentum.
With a return to home ice and two desperate teams searching for answers, the matchup sets the stage for another tight, hard-fought contest between Winnipeg and Vegas, a pairing that has consistently delivered competitive games.
Lineup Storylines
The Jets are once again looking to shake things up, with head coach Scott Arniel returning to line combinations that showed promise earlier this season.
Arniel is splitting up his top unit, reuniting Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele with winger Alex Iafallo. The trio had success in a brief stint together earlier in the year, as Iafallo recorded two goals and an assist in two games alongside the Jets’ two stars.
As a group, they have been even at five-on-five, scoring four goals while allowing four against. The hope is that this reunion brings stronger defensive structure without sacrificing offensive production.
On the second line, breakout winger Gabe Vilardi will look to continue his career year while helping jumpstart his linemates. Vilardi previously skated with Cole Perfetti and Vladislav Namestnikov, a trio that managed to score once but struggled defensively, giving up two goals.
To better balance the unit, the Jets are expected to insert a more reliable two-way presence in Jonathan Toews in place of Namestnikov, with the goal of keeping the offense intact while tightening things up defensively.
The bottom six features several new looks as well. Morgan Barron, who is enjoying a career year despite recent struggles, will skate with captain Adam Lowry and longtime Lowry linemate Nino Niederreiter.
This trio will be deployed together for the first time this season. Barron and Niederreiter have previously found the scoresheet when paired together and will look to rediscover that chemistry.
Rounding out the forward group is a veteran line of Tanner Pearson, Gustav Nyquist, and Vladislav Namestnikov. All three are searching for a much-needed bounce-back performance and will aim to provide stability and secondary scoring.
On defense, the Jets appear set to keep things largely unchanged. The only potential adjustment could see Haydn Fleury re-enter the lineup on the bottom pairing.
Winnipeg will try to capitalize on a Vegas Golden Knights lineup that is missing several key contributors, including defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore, along with forward William Karlsson and starting goaltender Adin Hill. Vegas has, however, welcomed back star center Jack Eichel, restoring one of the most dangerous top-six forward groups in the league.
Containing that firepower will be a major focus for the Jets. Vegas can score in waves, starting with a top line led by Eichel and featuring elite finishers like Ivan Barbashev and Mark Stone.
The second wave is just as threatening, with Mitch Marner driving play and setting up shooters such as Pavel Dorofeyev, while Tomas Hertl anchors the middle of the ice. If Winnipeg can limit that group to one or two goals, they should give themselves a legitimate chance to come away with a much-needed win.
It could be a very low-scoring affair with Connor Hellebuyck expected to draw in for the Jets while the Golden Knights are expected to ice Carter Hart between the pipes.
The 27-year-old Alberta native has produced lackluster numbers this season but when playing the Jets, he's been perfect with a undefeated record through five starts along with a 1.15 goals against average and a .965 save percentage. Getting to Hart early and throwing him off is a key for the Jets in this one.
Goalie Matchup
Winnipeg: Connor Hellebuyck (Season: 9-11-3 record, 2.58 GAA, .905 SV% | VS VGK: 6-4-3 record, 2.99 GAA, .912 SV% in 14 games)
Vegas: Carter Hart (Season: 4-3-3 record, 3.27 GAA, .875 SV% | VS WPG: 4-0-0 record, 1.15 GAA, .965 SV% in five games)
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.