After completing a successful road trip, the Winnipeg Jets return home to host the New Jersey Devils at the MTS Centre on Thursday, Feb 28 (7:00 p.m. CST)
Winnipeg (9-9-1) defeated the New York Rangers 4-3 on Tuesday (Feb. 26) to wrap up a key, five-game road swing with a record of 4-1. However, the Jets have lost four in a row on home ice and are 3-5-0 at the MTSC, where they were 23-13-5 in 2011-12.
New Jersey (10-5-4) has lost four of its last five games and will be without goalie Martin Brodeur, who is on the injured reserve list with a sore back. Johan Hedberg is expected to get the call for the Devils. He stopped 23 pucks in a 4-2 loss to the Jets on Feb. 24. Evander Kane scored the game-winning goal late in the second period.
"As much respect as I have for Martin Brodeur, he's not their whole team," Winnipeg coach Claude Noel said on Wednesday. "They've been rested. They're going to be ready to go. It's not going to be the same game we saw in their building."
Kane, who has 18 points (nine goals), is riding an eight-game point streak in which he has collected five goals and four assists. In addition, Andrew Ladd has a team-best 10 goals and 17 points. The exceptional play of Kane and Lad has lifted the team into a virtual first-place tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes in the Southeast Division.
The Devils, second in the Atlantic Division, are led by Patrik Elias, who has a team-leading 22 point, and David Clarkson (team-high 10 goals). Clarkson and Ilya Kovalchuk each have 17 points. New Jersey won three out of four games from Winnipeg last season.
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