Philadelphia @ Winnipeg preview
Canada Life Centre
Last Meeting ( Jan 28, 2023 ) Philadelphia 4, Winnipeg 0
The Winnipeg Jets will try to extend their franchise-record winning streak to nine games when they host the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday evening.
Winnipeg also brings a 14-game point streak (12-0-2) into the game and hasn't surrendered more than two goals in its past 11 games.
The Jets will be facing a Philadelphia team that rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the third period on Friday to beat the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in overtime at Saint Paul, Minn.
Winnipeg defenseman Josh Morrissey said of his team's winning streak, "It's obviously a cool feat that this group is able to accomplish. At the same time, it really doesn't mean anything.
"We're off to a great start and playing well through the first half of the year. We're really excited about that and what we're building here through our team game, our structure and our commitment to (defense) and depth. As far as the winning streak goes, of course we're excited about it, but it doesn't really matter."
The Jets have taken over the NHL points lead at the halfway point of the season, all while playing the past 15 games without Kyle Connor. The veteran forward sustained a knee injury on Dec. 10 against the Anaheim Ducks but still leads the team with 17 goals.
Jets coach Rick Bowness delivered some comforting words after practice on Friday, telling reporters the "very good news" that team captain Mark Scheifele is day-to-day after leaving in the second period of a 2-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday because of a lower-body injury.
Scheifele leads Winnipeg with 41 points and 27 assists.
Nikolaj Ehlers, who scored the game-winning goal against Dallas with 1:05 left in the third period, exited practice early on Wednesday. However, Bowness was hopeful that Ehlers would be able to play against the Flyers.
Ehlers ranks second on the team in goals (15) and points (33).
As a precaution, the Jets recalled Rasmus Kupari from a conditioning assignment with Manitoba of the AHL.
Kupari played in each of Winnipeg's first 15 games this season, totaling one assist. Kupari was selected by the Los Angeles Kings with the 20th overall pick in the 2018 draft, but he has yet to find his offensive game in the NHL, managing just nine goals and 20 assists in 145 games.
The Flyers will carry momentum from their Friday win into the Saturday showdown.
Tyson Foerster pulled Philadelphia within 3-2 at 9:31 of the third period at Minnesota, and Owen Tippett leveled the score at 10:56. In overtime, Tippett got an assist on Joel Farabee's decisive goal at 3:36.
"I think we're comfortable with where our game's at," Tippett said. "I think when we went down two there early in the third we didn't really think anything of it. We just kept going shift after shift and knew it was going to come. So it shows a lot of kind of what we have in this room, and it's a big win for us."
Samuel Ersson is expected to start in goal for the Flyers at Winnipeg after Carter Hart made 26 saves in the win against the Wild.
In his past 13 games, Ersson is 9-2-2 with a 2.06 goals-against average, a .924 save percentage and two shutouts.
Ersson allowed two goals in each of his past two outings, a 3-2 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 4 and a 3-2 shootout win against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.
--Field Level Media