Like the saying goes: 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'. For the most part, the Winnipeg Jets will line up the same way they did in their past two games when they host the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night from Canada Life Centre.
The Jets hit the ice for an optional morning skate at 9:30 AM on Wednesday in advance of their critical evening matchup with the Flames.
On defence, Brenden Dillon and Dylan DeMelo opted to take the option, while forwards Nikolaj Ehlers, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Adam Lowry and Morgan Barron, as well as starter Connor Hellebuyck chose to avoid the blizzard.
Following the script of its past two games will be important if Winnipeg wants to replicate some of the offence created in a pivotal tilt with the team nearest it in the standings.
Line rushes on Tuesday indicated that Saku Maenalanen would make his return to the lineup for the first time since being pulled on March 31 for Karson Kuhlman. The two players will swap places Wednesday night, with Kuhlman serving as the final scratch.
"He’s been one of our top-four penalty killers all year," head coach Rick Bowness said of Maenalanen. "Apple and Lows, then he goes back with Kevin. The penalty kill has been victimized by a couple of flukey goals, but we’ve been giving up more than we had all year. We want to get Saku back in that top-four of penalty killing."
Expected lines for April 5 vs. Calgary:
Connor - Dubois - Scheifele
Ehlers - Namestnikov - Wheeler
Niederreiter - Lowry - Appleton
Barron - Stenlund - Maenalanen
Morrissey - DeMelo
Dillon - Pionk
Samberg - Schmidt
Hellebuyck
Scratches: Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, David Gustafsson, Karson Kuhlman, Logan Stanley, Kyle Capobianco