The Winnipeg Jets are looking to wrap up their season-long homestand on a high note as they host the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
With just one game remaining in their eight-game home stretch, the Jets have impressed with a 4-1-2 record. This strong performance has placed them in a tie for first place in the NHL with the Washington Capitals, each sitting on 65 points.
Riding a three-game win streak and a five-game points streak (4-0-1), Winnipeg is coming off a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. The game was sealed by a clutch late goal from defenseman Dylan DeMelo, who scored with just 27 seconds remaining in his 600th career NHL game.
Head coach Scott Arniel praised the team’s consistency and the importance of sticking to their game plan.
“Just keep doing what we’re doing… when we play our way and our style, sooner or later, we’re hoping the opposition’s going to bend. That’s when we pounce on it,” Arniel explained. “We’ve learned some lessons over the years. When we’re down, we try not to change our style, because that only makes it tougher to come back.”
Despite the positive results, Winnipeg believes there’s still room for improvement. Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers echoed this after the win over Seattle.
“When you’re rolling like we are, you don’t want to give them anything, you don’t want to give them a breath of fresh air,” Ehlers said. “That’s something I personally, and we as a team, can do a little better — just keep jamming it down their throats.”
That relentless play is something the Flames aim to replicate, though they are coming off a tough road trip. The Flames dropped both games in St. Louis, including a 4-1 loss to the Blues on Thursday. As of Friday, Calgary holds the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 49 points, just one ahead of St. Louis and Vancouver.
Flames head coach Ryan Huska didn’t hold back when asked if he was surprised by his team’s poor start against the Blues, where they gave up three first-period goals.
“Yeah, I was surprised,” Huska said. “When you look at our team this year, there aren’t many first periods where we can say we haven’t been very good. My issue… was these were games where you want to be your very best, and I didn’t think we were.”
Defenseman Mackenzie Weegar took a direct approach on the team’s struggles, pointing to the club’s leaders.
“I’ve said this before — a lot of it comes down to leadership,” Weegar said. “Getting guys ready and focused before games. It’s just disappointing. We can’t let that happen… It comes down to preparation and sticking to the game plan.”
On the injury front, the Jets could see the return of defensemen Haydn Fleury and Colin Miller. Both players have fully participated in practice after recovering from a lower-body injury and a fractured larynx, respectively. However, forwards Vladislav Namestnikov and Mason Appleton are still a few steps away from returning.
For the Flames, forward Connor Zary is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury, though it won’t require surgery.
–Field Level Media
