Game Day #27: Blue Jackets Road Trip Concludes In Winnipeg; Provorov In The Lineup

A five-game road trip for the Columbus Blue Jackets will conclude Sunday evening when they face the Winnipeg Jets in an 6:00 p.m. face-off from Manitoba.

Last Sunday, the Blue Jackets started the trip with a quality, 6-3 win in Chicago. 

They've lost three straight since, all as part of Columbus' western Canada swing. They were shutout by the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night, then lost both nights of a back-to-back against the Edmonton Oilers (Thursday) and Vancouver Canucks (Friday). 

In Friday's game, defenseman Ivan Provorov went down early in the second and did not return with what appeared to be a fairly serious thumb injury. However, the veteran blueliner will be a game-time decision Sunday and it does not appear he'll miss much time at all — if any.

Here's what else to know when the Jackets and Jets meet for the second and final time of the season:

• RE: WINNIPEG
  Winnipeg got off to an incredible start to the season, winning their first eight games and having a 15-1-0 record through 16 games — including a 6-2 win to November 1st in Columbus. They've cooled off since, going 5-7-0 in their last 12. Still, they're tied for the most points in the NHL with 40. ... The Jets come into this game on the second half of a back-to-back and what will be their third game in four days. They won 3-2 in overtime in Buffalo on Thursday night, and by a 4-2 score in Chicago on Saturday. ... All signs are that backup goalie Eric Comrie will start Sunday for the Jets. He's made six starts (3-3-0) and has a 3.04 goals against average and .904 save percentage. 
   
• TOP-LINE BLENDING
  James van Riemsdyk, Sean Monahan, and Kent Johnson debuted as a trio Friday night, to misleading results. They did not score and were on the ice when the Canucks picked up an even-strength goal — but they had 19 of the 22 shot attempts while there out there and nearly connected on more than one of them.
   
• 12 IN A ROW
  The Blue Jackets have allowed at least one power play in 12 straight games, already breaking a franchise record. The Jets have a potent offense, but they have struggled on the man-advantage lately: just 3 of 23 (13.0%) over their last eight games.
   
• BANK'S OPEN
  Kevin Labanc will be playing in his 500th NHL game Sunday evening. 478 of them (the others coming this season with the Blue Jackets) were with the San Jose Sharks, where he had 84 goals and 152 assists over eight seasons. He had 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists) this season in 21 games with the Blue Jackets.
   
• LINEUP CHANGES & PROJECTIONS
  Forward lines are based off Friday's game and subject to change. If Provorov does not play, it would be Jack Johnson stepping into his place. Here are the complete projections: