Jets prepared to take on Ducks

ANAHEIM – It may not have been the most traditional of Winnipeg Jets practice days on Saturday, but that doesn’t mean it was entirely unfamiliar.

The players suited up or the session in nearly full gear at Honda Center before hopping on a bus to Anaheim Ice, the official training facility of the Anaheim Ducks.

Then, after the 45-minute session, the players rolled right back onto the bus to head back to Honda Center to change and continue with the day.

“We did it a lot in junior, so it’s a throwback,” smiled Brenden Dillon. “I don’t know, it’s kind of fun when you see the minor hockey rinks that are around the areas you go to. You have a little fun with it. Guys are getting carted around. It was fun.”

The ‘dress and drive’ is usually used when the game rink has an event scheduled – which is the case at Honda Center – and if the building where the actual practice will take place isn’t quite big enough to host an entire National Hockey League team (especially when that practice rink has its own programming on that day).

The uniqueness of the day wasn’t lost on the Jets, winners of three straight, and Nikolaj Ehlers even rang the buzzer from the timekeeper box to end the formal session of practice.

“It’s worked out well. You have to enjoy things like today,” said head coach Rick Bowness.

“This is a good reminder of where all come from.”

Vladislav Namestnikov, who has missed the last three games due to a lower-body injury, was a full participant in the practice. He’ll be a true game-time decision on Sunday against the Ducks, as the Jets won’t have a morning skate with the 5 pm Pacific Time puck drop.

“At this point we’re hoping he plays,” Bowness said. “We’re very hopeful that he plays.”

The 31-year-old rotated into the fourth line with Morgan Barron, David Gustafsson, and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, and also was part of the second power play unit with Neal Pionk, Nino Niederreiter, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Alex Iafallo.

The rest of the lines looked the same as Thursday, when the Jets earned a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

Connor-Scheifele-Ehlers

Iafallo-Perfetti-Vilardi

Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton

Barron-Gustafsson-Jonsson-Fjallby

Namestnikov

Morrissey-DeMelo

Dillon-Pionk

Samberg-Stanley

Chisholm-Schmidt

While the win over the Avalanche was against the Central Division leaders, Sunday’s tilt with Anaheim will be against a Ducks squad that is 10-16-0 this season and 1-9-0 in their last 10.

A different challenge, to be sure, but Bowness’s message is the same regardless of the opponent.

“This is a tough league to win in, no matter what,” said Bowness. “Every team in this league can beat another team, any given night. You always have to have the utmost respect for your opposition. As soon as you take your foot off the pedal, you’re letting them go. It’s up to us to impose our will on Anaheim, first of all. It has to be our will as much as our detail work.”

That message has been heard loud and clear by the players, according to Dillon, who is well aware that Anaheim has lost four consecutive one-goal games – including one to a very familiar opponent for the Jets.

“They’re a little banged up, but the other night they almost came back and beat Colorado,” said Dillon. “It’s nice to get on the road and we’ve had a couple longer road trips here to start the year. The new bodies that are coming in, it’s going to be a big special day going into LA for a couple guys on our team. We’re going to want to play hard for those guys on that night. Of course, San Jose seems to have found their footing over the last little bit. I know those guys well.”

Dillon spent parts of six seasons of his career in San Jose. He’s been part of a California squad sitting and waiting for teams to roll through the state and - more often than not - play three games in four nights against quality teams. Now, with 840 games under his belt, he’s been on the other side of coming through California and playing the Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and Los Angeles Kings, which is exactly what the Jets will do over the next five days.

“They’re Western Conference games, you know what style they’re going to be. All these teams are as advertised. A good test for us, similar to the last two. We’ve had a good start to our schedule,” he said.

“Guys feel good, good vibes around the room, and it was good to get back to work today.”