GAMEDAY: Flyers at Jets

WINNIPEG - The Jets return home for a single-game matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Jets enter the contest as winners of five of their last six games after a 3-2 victory in St. Louis on Thursday night.

Winnipeg gave up the first goal of the game to the Blues but then took over the rest of the way, defenceman Josh Morrissey said it was just another example that there is no quit in their group.

“We have been competing and battling hard since the Olympic break to try and get back into this race and into a playoff spot. Obviously, there is a lot of work left and the only thing we can do is basically win every night here to close this stretch out,” said Morrissey on Thursday.

“I am just proud of the way the guys have been resilient and calm in games. Like, whenever we get down, as we did (Thursday), whatever happens we just keep going, keep competing and trying to execute and do all of the little things it takes to win.”

Make sure to watch the Jets pregame show with Sara and Jamie at 12:30 CT or catch it later in the day on YouTube, X or Facebook.

Morrissey scored a goal against the Blues and also kept one out to keep the score tied at one in the second. Another example of the Jets doing everything they can to stay in the hunt for the final wild card spot in the west.

“Obviously, a great job by him getting to the net and staying with it and not giving up on the play. It’s (part of) all of the little stuff, shot blocks. (Making) one more play and making that last-ditch effort like he did. J-Mo was fantastic,” said head coach Scott Arniel Thursday night.

“He was skating. I saw him on the offensive side and what he was doing, with his patience and holding onto the puck. But I liked his battle in the D-zone and his ability to close quick, using his feet.”

It was the Jets power play that helped them beat Seattle on Monday night, Thursday it was their penalty kill which shut down four straight Blues man advantages including a late third period opportunity with Winnipeg leading 3-2.

“We went to get aggressive on the goal and we left the middle open, which they were obviously trying to get it to. After that, we didn’t allow any of that stuff to really get inside there. The stuff that was coming was coming from the outside. We did a good job with our sticks, with our lanes,” said Arniel.

“The other side for me was that we did a good job with our clears. We had chances, especially in third but also in the second, where there were times where (there were) 50-50 pucks or guys were battling against one versus two and we were finding ways to get the puck and get it down the ice.”

The Jets and Flyers enter Saturday’s matchup as two of the hottest teams in the NHL. The Jets and Flyers have each recorded 27 standings points since Mar. 1, tied for fourth in the NHL in that span. Winnipeg’s 12-5-3 record has them tied for the best record in the Western Conference in that span. Since March 1, the Jets have allowed 2.6 goals per game, tied for fourth in that stretch while the Flyers are tied for second with 2.55 goals against. 

Mark Scheifele has put together a spectacular offensive season, posting career-highs in both assists (65) and points (99) and is now only one point shy of the second 100-point season in franchise history, joining Marian Hossa (100 points in 2006-07). With another two points, Scheifele will set a single-season franchise record with 101 points.

Puck drop is scheduled for 6 CT.