GAMEDAY: Bruins at Jets

WINNIPEG- The Winnipeg Jets play their final game before the holiday break tonight at 7 CT against the Atlantic Division leading Boston Bruins.

Winnipeg is coming off another impressive performance after beating Detroit 5-2 on Wednesday but are once again in third spot in the Central after both Dallas and Colorado won on Thursday night.

While a lot of people are excited about getting a quick break from work because of the holidays, Jets forward Mark Scheifele wants to keep going.

"It's a big game. There's a good feeling in this room, I know for me I just want to keep playing. I just want to stay on the ice and keep playing," said Scheifele.

"Obviously, the break will be nice but when we are going the way we are, sometimes you just want to keep playing and just keep the thing rolling. But we know we have a big game, we know it's going to be a tough test. It's going to be fun."

Considering how well the Jets top line of Scheifele, Nikoal Ehlers and Gabriel Vilardi is playing, you can understand why Scheifele wants to stay on the ice. The trio has combined for 25 points in the last four games alone. Not only are they performing well in the offensive zone, their defensive play has been excellent as well. So much so, that we've seen the Scheifele line run up against the other teams top unit.

“Yes. It’s one of the conversations I had with Mark in camp. I want them to go head-to-head, I do, because that keeps their minutes up and keeps them in the flow of the game. Sometimes, you get so wrapped up in line matchups that the better players are sitting there too long. This is the best two-way hockey Mark has played in my short time here," said head coach Rick Bowness.

There's no question. So he’s reliable. They have the puck most of the time anyway. But you want your top line to go head-to-head with anybody in the league. The way Mark has played and the way that line is clicking right now, you can. There’s going to be shifts when it’s chance for chance. OK, that’s hockey. That’s OK. Some nights, when you play a guy like Nate (MacKinnon) in Colorado, he’s going to play 24, 25 minutes. So is (Connor) McDavid and (Leon) Draisaitl. You can’t play one line against the big line. You gotta be able to run two lines against them. The way they are playing, that gives us the luxury to do that."

PROJECTED LINEUP

The only change at this point for the Jets lineup is Connor Hellebuyck returning to the net. After allowing 13 goals in his first three starts of the season, goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is 14-4-2 with a 2.14 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in his past 20 starts.

Coming into tonight's game, Jets defencemen Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo are tied for third in the NHL in plus minus with a +19. DeMelo says it's a stat that you would talk about when things are going well and something you avoid chatting about when things aren't going so well.

"There are so many factors that go into it. Obivously our team is playing so well five-on-five. You know, I think there is something to it but obviously it is a bit of a shrewd statistic," said DeMelo.

"For me I'm more worried about how many wins we got than kind of personal stats for the most part. Obviously it's nice to see. It's an extension of our whole team, our five-on-five play, not just Josh and I."

Winnipeg is 7-6-0 all-time against the Bruins at Canada Life Centre, but have lost the past three games. Ten of the 13 games between the Jets and Bruins in Winnipeg have been decided by two goals or less.