GAME DAY: Jets at Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS, Ohio -With all the injuries on the Winnipeg Jets blue line, Friday's 5-3 win over the Nashville Predators was a test of the team's depth in that area.
Now with the regular season's final meeting against the Columbus Blue Jackets coming tonight, Winnipeg's forward depth will face a test of its depth as well.
Centre Adam Lowry will miss the first two games of the team's four-game Eastern Conference road trip due to the suspension he received following a high stick on Nashville's Filip Forsberg late in Friday's victory.
That means Par Lindholm will see his first action in a Jets jersey since coming to the team at the trade deadline.

"I'm really excited. It's going to be so much fun getting out there again. I just can't wait for the puck to drop," said Lindholm.
"We have a crazy forward line-up. So many good players and depth. It's fun to get to play with these guys. I hope I can contribute to that too."

Where the 27-year-old centre will play is a mystery, as the Jets didn't do any line rushes as part of their pre-game skate at Nationwide Arena.
But Jets head coach Paul Maurice knows he can use the versatile Swede in a number of situations, including the penalty kill.
"He's a really smart player, good positioning in his end, and can make a quick decision too with the puck," said Maurice. "He doesn't over handle it. Just that mental quickness in his game."
In the only other meeting of the season between the two teams, the Jets scored twice in the third period to erase a 3-2 deficit through 40 minutes and turn it into a 4-3 win in regulation.

Jack Roslovic's fourth of the season - a power play marker with 11:13 left in the third period - tied the game. It was a special goal for the Columbus product. Tonight, he'll play his second career game at Nationwide Arena, nearly two years after making his NHL debut in the same building.
"It's a day you won't forget. It's special to be here," said Roslovic. "To take the ice in Nationwide where I grew up watching so many games for the first game, it was fun. Every time I come back here there is a little bit of sentimental value to be had."
Columbus is the only team on Winnipeg's four-game road trip through the Eastern Conference that isn't currently in a playoff spot.

They're not far off however, as they sit two points back of Montreal for that final wild card spot with two games in hand.
The Blue Jackets line-up will look significantly different than the one the Jets faced back in January. Since that game, Columbus has added Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel from Ottawa as well as Adam McQuaid from the New York Rangers on the blue line.
"They're probably a little like our team, we're still learning about it now - where you play guys," said Maurice. "They're structured in a lot of similar ways to our team especially when Adam (Lowry) is in the line-up. We have a similar look to each line. They're a very disciplined team but they find a way to play a hard game in a disciplined structure."

While the Jets flew into Ohio on Saturday afternoon, the Blue Jackets dropped a 4-0 decision to the Edmonton Oilers to put them 5-5-0 in their last 10 games.
Roslovic knows the Jets will have to be prepared for an urgent Blue Jackets team.
"They've got a good team over there," said Roslovic. "They're going to work hard. We're coming off a good win over Nashville. We're trying to keep it going too."

Connor Hellebuyck was the first goaltender off the ice for the Jets but Maurice wouldn't confirm whether he would be Winnipeg's starter tonight.
Puck drop is set for 6 pm CT.
ICE CHIPS
Dustin Byfuglien is expected to start skating this week. The 33-year-old is on the trip but hasn't played since Feb. 14 due to a lower-body injury.
Joe Morrow, who also hasn't played since Feb. 14, skated for the first time yesterday and is also with the team on the road trip.
Maurice said the two defencemen are on a similar timeline for a return to action.
-- Mitchell Clinton, WinnipegJets.com
GAME NOTES
Tonight's Game
The Winnipeg Jets begin a four-game road trip tonight when they meet the Columbus Blue Jackets...The Jets split a pair of home games last week and are coming off a 5-3 win against the Nashville Predators on Friday night...The road trip continues Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
On the Road Again
Winnipeg is 16-14-0 on the road this season...The Jets haven't won back-to-back road games in 2019, but Winnipeg hasn't lost three consecutive road games in regulation since Dec. 10-20/16...The Jets have played 30 road games this season, which is tied for the fewest in the NHL, but are in a stretch of seven of nine games away from Bell MTS Place...Blake Wheeler leads the Jets in scoring on the road this season with 30 points (4G, 26A) in 30 games...Patrik Laine leads the Jets with 19 goals on the road.
Eastbound
The Jets are 15-8-2 against Eastern Conference teams this season, including 9-3-0 against the Metropolitan Division...Winnipeg went 19-7-6 against the Eastern Conference last season, including a 10-3-3 record versus the Atlantic Division and 9-4-3 record against the Metropolitan Division...The Jets have a point in three consecutive games against an Eastern Conference opponent (2-0-1)...Mark Scheifele leads the Jets with 29 points (16G, 13A) in 25 games against the Eastern Conference, while Blake Wheeler has 28 points (3G, 25A) in 25 games...Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is 11-6-0 with a 2.75 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in 17 games against the Eastern Conference this season.
Finding the Power
After going seven games without a power play goal (0-for-19), the Jets have scored a power play goal in five consecutive games (6-for-20, 30.0%)...The Jets have had four power play opportunities in each of the five games...Winnipeg is tied for fourth in the NHL this season with a 25.3% power play percentage...The Jets have scored a power play goal in 39 of their 64 games this season.
Late Heroics
With Friday's win, the Jets improved to 13-0-1 when tied going into the third period...The Jets and the Calgary Flames (11-0-4) are the only two teams in the NHL that are undefeated in regulation when being tied after the second period...The Jets have scored 18 game-winning goals in third periods this season...Nikolaj Ehlers leads the Jets with three third-period game-winning goals, while Andrew Copp, Bryan Little and Adam Lowry have two third-period game-winning goals each.
VIEW FULL GAME NOTES
Springing Ahead
March and April have historically been successful months for the Jets, as the team has gone 78-51-15 in those two months since relocation...During the past three seasons, the Jets are 28-8-2 in March and April, including a perfect 8-0-0 in April...Blake Wheeler is the franchise's leading scorer in March with 109 points (40G, 69A) in 119 games, while Mark Scheifele has 53 points (22G, 31A) in 57 games...Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is 13-5-2 during his career in March with a 2.67 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.
Sunday Funday
The Jets are 8-1-0 in Sunday games this season and are 18-1-0 in Sunday games during the past two seasons...Five players for the Jets are averaging a point per game or better in the nine Sunday games this season, led by Mark Scheifele's 14 points (5G, 9A).
Closing in on a Career Year
Mark Scheifele tallied his team-leading 32nd goal on Friday, which gave him goals in back-to-back games...He's matched the career-high 32 goals he scored during the 2016-17 season in 79 games...Scheifele also had a career-high 50 assists and 82 points in 2016-17.
Streakers
Blake Wheeler (1G, 7A) and Kyle Connor (3G, 3A) are on five-game point streaks...It's Wheeler's fourth point streak this season of five games or longer, while it's Connor's third point streak of five games or more this season...Wheeler had a team-best 11-game point streak from Oct. 18-Nov. 14 (2G, 18A) earlier this season.
Wingman
After going back-to-back games without a point for just the second time this season, Blake Wheeler has seven assists in a five-game assist streak...He leads the Jets with 63 assists and 76 points...Wheeler has reached 70 points for the fourth consecutive season, which is one season shy of Ilya Kovalchuk's franchise record of five consecutive 70-point seasons...He is the first player in franchise history to record back-to-back 60-assist seasons...He is second in the NHL in assists and 11th in points.
New Guy
In his second game with the Jets since being acquired from the New York Rangers on Monday, Kevin Hayes tallied a goal and two assists on Friday for his first points with the Jets...It was his second three-point game of the season and matched a career high.