Game 80 Scouting Report: The Blue Jackets Finish the Home Slate by Hosting Winnipeg at Nationwide Arena

Columbus Blue Jackets (49-22-8) vs. Winnipeg Jets (38-35-7)

THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2017, 7 p.m. (NATIONWIDE ARENA)

It will be yet another missed playoff season in Manitoba, but that doesn't mean the Jets have shut things down for the campaign.

Winnipeg has just one playoff appearance in its six seasons since the franchise's move from Atlanta, returning NHL hockey to the province, but the Jets could be building something as the season nears an end. Boosted by a high-flying offensive lineup, Winnipeg has won five in a row and eight of 10, including a 5-2 victory at St. Louis on Tuesday.

"Everybody’s just enjoying it on the ice and I think everyone’s just happy to be an NHL player every day," rookie star Patrik Laine said. "I think you can see that on the ice. You know, we don’t have any pressure anymore, so we can just go out there and have fun with each other."

Whether the streak will continue will rest on the shoulders of a new goalie. Eric Comrie, the half-brother of former NHLers Paul and Mike Comrie, is making his NHL debut after posting a 2.98 goals-against average in 48 appearances in the AHL.

"He's had two really good years, battled hard and played big minutes," Maurice said of the 21-year-old. "So the next time Eric gets into a game (after Thursday's debut), it won't be his first. He's a guy that at his size, he needs to play a few years pro to get the feel of the game.

"Excellent low coverage, real good positioning in the net and we've known all along — it's not something that we've learned — that he's as high a character a person as we have in the organization. With his compete level and positive attitude, there should be a payoff for doing all the right things all of the time. But you have to play well, and he's played well."

You Oughta Know: Jack Roslovic

If you're a fan of central Ohio hockey, you likely know of Roslovic, a Columbus native. The 20-year-old grew up playing for the Jackets' youth teams, garnering enough notice to earn a spot with the prestigious U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor. After two years with the U.S. national junior team, he committed to Miami University and spent a year in Oxford in 2015-16, scoring 10 goals and adding 16 assists in 36 games. He turned pro after one year and has spent most the season with the Manitoba Moose, posting a 13-32-45 line in 61 games and adding a gold medal with Team USA at the World Juniors in January. Tonight, he'll make his NHL debut in Nationwide Arena. 

[Fire Emoji] Right Now

• Captain Blake Wheeler is on a six-game point streak, with three goals and six assists. 
• Mark Scheifele has a point in 17 of his last 22 games (six goals and 21 assists for 27 points) and is the first member of the franchise to reach 80 points since Vyacheslav Kozlov in 2006-07.
• Patrik Laine had two goals in the win vs. St. Louis, giving the rookie 36 on the year. 

Five Fast Facts

• The Jets have allowed just one power-play goal on 13 chances in the last six games.
• The quartet of Scheifele (80), Wheeler (72), Patrik Laine (64) and Nikolaj Ehlers (64) are the only four teammates to score more than 60 points this season. The foursome has combined for 280 points, which is the most points by four teammates in the NHL this season.
• Roslovic will be the fourth Jet to make his NHL debut this season, joining Rookie of the Year candidate Laine as well as Michigan product Kyle Connor and Nelson Nogier.
• Injuries: Defenseman Tyler Myers has missed 64 consecutive games with a lower-body injury while goalie Ondrej Pavalec has missed 24 straight. D Toby Enstrom (upper body), F Shawn Matthias (upper body), D Paul Postma (lower body) and D Ben Chiarot (upper body) are also out. 
• Former Jackets: Marko Dano was a first-round draft pick of the Blue Jackets (27th overall) in 2013 and debuted in the 2014-15 season with 21 points in 35 games. He was part of the Brandon Saad deal that offseason and was eventually sent to Winnipeg last year for Andrew Ladd. This season, Dano has four goals and seven assists in 38 games.

Previous Matchups

THIS YEAR: Dec. 29, CBJ 5, WIN 3

ALL TIME SERIES: Columbus leads 11-10-0

Keys to the Game

Go Out with a Bang: The Jackets' final home game of the regular season matches one of the NHL's hottest teams with the struggling home squad. Columbus must match Winnipeg's intensity as a result. 

Get the Power Play Going: OK, we've been saying this for a while, but the reality is Columbus needs to get something going here with the man advantage. Doing so against Winnipeg, whose penalty kill is rolling, would help the confidence.

Score Early: This is an easy one. Facing a goalie making his NHL debut, Columbus would do well to score early and perhaps often before Comrie can settle in.

Jets Projected Lineup

10 Stats to Know

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