Game Preview: Blue Jackets Head North Of The Border; Patrik Laine Goes Up Against Jets For The First Time

WINNIPEG JETS

30–25–10 (70 points; .538%) ROSTER / SCHEDULE

8:00 P.M. – FRIDAY, MARCH 25TH CANADA LIFE CENTRE WINNIPEG, MB, CAN

Bally Sports Ohio ESPN+ (Out of NetworkPi

Since the Columbus Blue Jackets' January 2020 trade of Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Jack Roslovic and Patrik Laine, two of the three players in the deal have had the chance to face their former team.

When the Blue Jackets and Jets do battle Friday night, that final name can be crossed off the list.

Laine will face his former team for the first time Friday, from the rink he called home for the first five years of his career. The 23-year-old played in 24 postseason games in his career with the Jets; two-thirds of the Blue Jackets 36 total postseason games (not counting the qualifying round in the COVID-19 bubble) in their 20+ years as a franchise.

Despite it being Laine's first crack at his old team, it will not be the first meeting of the season between the Blue Jackets and the Jets; Columbus picked up a 3-0 win over Winnipeg the night before Thanksgiving in front of a sold-out crowd at Nationwide Arena. Laine missed the game as he was out with an oblique injury, but his offense wasn't needed: Elvis Merzlikins stopped all 36 Winnipeg shots en route to the team's first shutout of the season — a feat they've accomplished just once since then.

RE: JETS

The Jets suffered a major setback in their hopes for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 5-2 loss at home to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night. They remain five points out of the final wildcard spot, despite the current owners of that spot — the Dallas Stars — having two games in hand. In addition to needing to catch the Stars, the Jets are also behind the Vancouver Canucks (1 point) and Vegas Golden Knights (3 points) for a spot. Some ground to make up, certainly, and walking away empty-handed Thursday night against a poor Ottawa team should have the Jets either coming out angry against Columbus, or coming out having totally given up on the season.

One player likely to come out angry no matter what for the Jets? Kyle Connor. The 24-year-old winger picked up goal number 40 on the season in Thursday's loss, matching his assist total for the season and giving him 80 points for the year. That's 21 points more than any other Jet; Mark Scheifele ranks second on the team at a distant 59. Dubois and Blake Wheeler both picked up assists Thursday night, giving both players their 50th point of the season to tie for third on the team in points.

Connor Hellebuyck got the start Thursday, and the loss put him to an even 23-23-9 this season. Hellebuyck's .910 save percentage and 2.96 goals against average are both middle of the road, but the Michigan native is a two-time All-Star and former Vezina Trophy winner, and he still has the ability to make it nearly impossible to win on any given night. As of Friday morning no decision had been made on if Hellebuyck would get a second straight start on back-to-back nights, or if backup Eric Comrie would get the start Friday night. Comrie has dazzled in a limited number of starts this season: he's 7-2-1 with a .920 save percentage and a 2.34 goals against average.

STORYLINES

• SCORE A HUNDRED, PATTY
  Laine was, by most accords, not treated well while a member of the Jets. Friday's game is Laine's chance to take out years of frustration. Win or lose, a strong performance from Laine would certainly feel good.
   
• THE BOQ IS BACK
  The Blue Jackets activated Adam Boqvist from the injured reserved list Thursday, meaning that the young blue liner should find his way back into the lineup Friday night. The move likely puts Gabriel Carlsson back in the press box as a healthy scratch, but don't be too surprised if Boqvist sees limited minutes in his return to the ice.

PROJECTED LINES*

*SUBJECT TO CHANGE