Winnipeg Jets look to rebound against Detroit Red Wings

For the first time this season, the Winnipeg Jets are going to try and jump back into the win column.

Their eight-game winning streak to open the season came to an end Monday at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-4.

“Now it’s just another fresh opportunity to start again and to kind of get rolling here. Obviously, we didn’t like how we played last game, and (there is) kind of a fresh slate now and excited for the opportunity in Detroit and getting ready to work,” said Jets forward Mason Appleton.

As Appleton said, the Jets are stopping Detroit to face the Red Wings as part of a brief two-game road trip.

He noted Winnipeg got away from their game against Toronto, and to get a win tonight, they need to shore up their defence and their ability to manage the puck.

“I think clearing them out in front of our net and really managing the game in our own end will help us create offence. And then I think managing the puck through the neutral zone and not turning the puck over and taking what they give us—whether that’s the rush game or if we got to put pucks behind them and then go battle and win races. So we got to take what the game gives us and obviously impose our will in the game as well. But you can’t be stubborn and think it’s going to be this way or that way, but those are two things we’ll clean up tonight.”

The lineup for Winnipeg appears to be the same as it has been all season. Head Coach Scott Arniel said the team has done a lot of great things to start the year, so one loss isn’t going to require a shakeup through the lines.

He did mention he is confident in this team’s ability to deal with adversity and rebound from a loss.

“We’ve got good leadership in there and they know they weren’t good, and we just have to make sure that we get back to playing how we play. That’s our mindset when we don’t have the puck, and that’s the compete, that’s us getting our nose in there and winning more one-on-one battles,” said Arniel.

When it comes to their opponent on the other end of the ice Wednesday, Arniel said they are a good transition team and the Jets need to rush back to take away any chances.

“Their second wave though, that young defence is coming, and we’ve got to make sure we’re pouring back, that we’re protecting the guts of the ice, especially on that entry…I think we have to take (Detroit) out of the game. You can’t allow them to let them grow their game.”

This game also has the potential to be a milestone night for Kyle Connor.

The Jets star forward, who was born in Michigan, is just one point away from 500 for his career and has a chance to reach that mark in his home state.

“You never take anything for granted in this league. It’s tough every single day; it’s the best league in the world. So to kind of get that accomplishment, it’s pretty cool. Obviously, there’s bigger goals in mind, but it’s a cool milestone,” said Connor.

Through nine games this season, Connor has eight goals and 14 points. While his coach knows his offence is always going to be there, it’s other aspects of his game that he has been really impressed with.

“His ability to work to get the puck back, the way he tracks, the way he takes a lot of pride playing without it. That leads to offence for them and allows them to play with (the puck) a little more. He’s a guy that, when he doesn’t have it, he goes and gets it,” said Arniel.

Puck drop between the Jets and Red Wings from Little Caesars Arena is at 6:30 p.m.