Scheifele not available tomorrow vs. Leafs

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets began their final practice before the player slash All-Star break this morning at Canada Life Centre with all hands-on deck.

Mark Scheifele, Gabe Vilardi and Josh Morrissey all were on the ice in regular-coloured jerseys. So, the excitement of having a full lineup against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second game of a home and home was growing amongst the fan base.

But when the Jets started up the power play portion of the skate, Scheifele went to the bench and was seen talking to head coach Rick Bowness and his morning was done. After the skate, Bowness delivered the news that Scheifele would miss another game.

“No. He just felt it was bothering him. Still a little bit there. It needs a little more time,” said Bowness.

“Did he make it worse in practice? No. But it’s still there. We’ve got a break coming up. Give him that extra time. If he needs it, he needs it.”

Vilardi tweaked something in the game against Ottawa and missed the final two games of the road trip in Boston and Toronto. He is a game-time decision tomorrow against the Leafs.

“Just everyone's got different things that they have to manage throughout the year. Just kind of tweaked something and gotta take care of those types of things,” said Vilardi.

“You don't want a week long thing to be a month-long thing or rest of the season kind of thing. It’s just be a little smarter about that I think.”

Morrissey is also a game time decision for tomorrow. The Jets defenceman blocked a shot in the groin area in the first period on Wednesday and did not return and naturally people started thinking about the Blake Wheeler incident last season.

“I think obviously when you get any type of injury, they look at everything. It did cross my mind, for sure, that I happened to be the one who shot it last year when I hit Wheels. I don’t know if that’s the universe and karma or what,” said Morrissey.

“Obviously, it’s an uncomfortable place to get hit for a guy. At the end of the day, the medical team does a great job. Thankfully I got all cleared and am feeling great and ready to roll.”

The Jets are hoping for a little more puck luck on Saturday to end a two-game losing skid. They couldn’t buy a goal in Toronto and believe if they play the way they did against the Leafs that good things should happen, even if Ilya Samsonov is on his game again.

“Sometimes, the biggest cliché I suppose is the goalie can’t stop what he can’t see. So, get in front of him and make it harder for him to see some pucks from distance. When teams are competing and playing hard, those second and third opportunities around the net, winning those little battles, goals that are scored the dirty way, I suppose, the greasy way in front of the net,” said Morrissey.

“Those would be the things that you always go to. Sometimes it just goes that way. We had lots of good looks and he made lots of good saves. Hopefully those go in for us tomorrow night.”