GAMEDAY: Islanders at Jets

WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Jets end a four-game homestand on Tuesday night when the New York Islanders visit Canada Life Centre for the lone time this season. The Jets lost 2-0 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night, which ended Winnipeg’s eight-game winning streak.

The big news of the day is it looks like Kyle Connor will return to the lineup for the first time since suffering a knee injury in Anaheim back on December 10.

"He's anxious to play. So once he gets the clearance from medical staff and our team doctors, he's in. We've missed him. Listen, he's an elite player, elite goal scorer. So he just gives us, obviously, another weapon," said Rick Bowness.

"He's incredibly important to the success of this team moving forward. So the sooner we get him back the better. But again we wouldn't rush him. If he tells us he's good to go and the doctors tell us he's good to go, then he's good to go.”

Connor who still leads the Jets in goals with 17 has made an impressive recovery considering he was originally listed at six to eight weeks following his collision with the Ducks Ryan Strome.

"Obviously, those are just kind of suggestions, but first kind of look at what it is. Every day you continue to get better and obviously it’s a testament to the staff here and what they’ve been able to do," said Connor.

"So, I feel great and there’s no discomfort or pain. I’ve been skating now for a while, obviously, that is something that I was adamant about, getting on the ice earlier than maybe usual, but that’s just a function of what we do."

Connor coming into the lineup means Mark Scheifele will go on IR retroactive to January 12. Bowness said Scheifele would be eligible to play Saturday and the Jets coach is hopeful their number one centre will return soon.

Gabe Vilardi (illness) didn't take part of the morning skate and is a question mark for tonight. If he plays, Bowness said they will have to obviously make some more decisions about the lineup.

Meanwhile, the Islanders arrive in the Manitoba capital coming off a 5-0 loss in St. Paul last night to the Minnesota Wild. New York is one point out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference so expect them to be a handful and Winnipeg has dropped seven straight to the Islanders. 

Connor Hellebuyck will start in goal for the Jets and the Islanders haven't named a starter yet but Ilya Sorokin was pulled after two periods last night. There is a chance two Vezina Trophy calibre netminders will be going head to head Tuesday night.

“You need to get traffic, you need to get in his way, his vision. He’s unbelievable. Faced 32 last night in two periods and kept them in the game. He does that every night I think," said Adam Lowry about Sorokin.

"We’re fortunate, I think, that we get to see what having a Vezina calibre goalie is like in Helle. It’s two of the best going at it. You have to make it hard on him. It’s tough to beat him clean on shots. You need to make him work to see the puck, to find the puck."