Jets continue playoff push with Enstrom sidelined

WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets' push to earn the franchise's first berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2007 continues Thursday against the Florida Panthers.

The clubs meet at MTS Centre, where the Jets play the third game on their six-game homestand. They'll do so without defenseman Tobias Enstrom, who exited their 4-1 win Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres after a heavy hit from Steve Ott. Jets coach Claude Noel labeled Enstrom as day-to-day with what was termed a mid-body injury. Paul Postma will replace Enstrom.

Defenseman Mike Weaver (lower body) did not accompany the Panthers on their one-game trip to Winnipeg, but his return reportedly is imminent. Center Drew Shore has missed three games but could dress Thursday.

It is expected Jacob Markstrom will start in goal for the Panthers after a one-game respite Sunday. Ondrej Pavelec will make his 38th appearance for the Jets, ranking him second in the NHL to Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators.

Here are the projected lineups for the Panthers and Jets:

PANTHERS

Jonathan Huberdeau - Shawn Matthias - Peter Mueller

Tomas Fleischmann - Marcel Goc - Tomas Kopecky

Scottie Upshall - Nick Bjugstad - Jack Skille

George Parros - Drew Shore - Quinton Howden

Brian Campbell - Tyson Strachan

Filip Kuba - Dmitry Kulikov

TJ Brennan - Erik Gudbranson

Jacob Markstrom

Scott Clemmensen

Scratched: None

Injured: Sean Bergenheim (lower body), Stephen Weiss (wrist), Kris Versteeg (knee), Mike Weaver (lower body), Ed Jovanovski (lower body), Jose Theodore (lower body), Eric Selleck (upper body)

JETS

Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Blake Wheeler

Evander Kane - Olli Jokinen - Kyle Wellwood

Eric Tangradi - Alexander Burmistrov - Mike Santorelli

James Wright - Aaron Gagnon - Chris Thorburn

Grant Clitsome - Dustin Byfuglien

Ron Hainsey - Zach Bogosian

Mark Stuart - Paul Postma

Ondrej Pavelec

Al Montoya

Scratched: Arturs Kulda, Derek Meech, Antti Miettinen, Jacob Trouba

Injured: Nik Antropov (lower body), Tobias Enstrom (upper body), Anthony Peluso (hand), Zach Redmond (thigh), Jim Slater (hand)