5 Keys: Wild at Jets, Game 1

WILD at JETS
7 p.m. ET; CNBC, SN, TVAS-2, FS-N
WINNIPEG --The Winnipeg Jets will try to win a Stanley Cup Playoff game for the first time in franchise history when they host the Minnesota Wild in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round at Bell MTS Place on Wednesday.

The Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise is 0-8 in the postseason. The Thrashers were swept by the New York Rangers in the 2007 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals and the Jets were swept by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2015 Western Conference First Round.
Winnipeg won the season series against Minnesota 3-1-0. Forwards Blake Wheeler (two goals, four assists) and Mark Scheifele (one goal, five assists) each had six points for Winnipeg.
Wild forwards Jason Zucker (two goals, two assists) and Marcus Foligno (one goal, three assists) each had four points in the four regular-season games against the Jets.
Here are 5 keys for Game 1:

1. Spurgeon's status

Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon has not played since March 13 because of a partially torn hamstring, but participated in the morning skate Wednesday after practicing Tuesday. Coach Bruce Boudreau said he's a game-time decision.
"He's been one of our top defensemen," forward Charlie Coyle said. "He's great, and to get a guy like him back is so huge. He plays so much bigger than he is, and he's such a big part of this team. We need him."
Wild defenseman Ryan Suter is out for the season because of a broken right ankle that required surgery.

2. Playoff experience

Minnesota has a combined 748 games of postseason experience to Winnipeg's 265.
"It definitely helps," Coyle said. "You're not really just dipping your foot in anymore. We know what to expect. We dive right into it and we get right to it."
The Jets have five players (Dustin Byfuglien, Paul Stastny, Mathieu Perreault, Matt Hendricks, Blake Wheeler) who have played at least 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
"It's just a hockey game," said Winnipeg defenseman Jacob Trouba, who has played in four postseason games. "It's the same team that has played in all the games this year. We played in big games, whether it's in the playoffs or elsewhere in tournaments."

3. Home-ice advantage?

The Jets had the best home record in the League (32-7-2) and will look to carry that into the postseason. Boudreau admitted there are disadvantages to playing on the road but said he doesn't see it as a negative.
"If you look at it, in recent years the home team doesn't necessarily win," said Boudreau, whose team lost all three home games in a five-game first-round loss to the St. Louis Blues last season. "There's a lot of quality. Playing on the road, the underdog, there's probably less pressure. So it's not a bad thing."

4. Dubnyk vs. Hellebuyck

Friends and goaltending training partners off the ice, Devan Dubnyk of Minnesota and Connor Hellebuyck of Winnipeg will put their relationship aside.
"I never really gave it a second thought," Hellebuyck said. "I was just kind of going day by day, doing my work. All of a sudden it's all hitting me."
Dubnyk said he has been impressed by Hellebuyck, who won 44 games this season, an NHL record for a United States-born goaltender.
"For him to grab that so quickly, it's been fun to watch. But that's enough now," Dubnyk told the Canadian Press. "It's been a great year for him, but I'll stop cheering for him now."

5. Underdogs?

Boudreau said predictions of the Jets winning the series are warranted, but said the Wild are up to the task.
"You'd have to be blind not to see it, especially on Canadian TV everywhere," Boudreau said of the predictions. "I'm sure we know where Winnipeg stands and rightfully so. They won nine of out of [the past] 10, [finished] second overall in the League.
"I can see why [people] are picking them. But we're here. We're going to play the game. We're glad we're invited to play. We'll give it our best shot."

Wild projected lineup

Jason Zucker -- Eric Staal -- Nino Niederreiter
Zach Parise -- Mikko Koivu -- Mikael Granlund
Jordan Greenway
-- Matt Cullen -- Charlie Coyle
Marcus Foligno -- Joel Eriksson Ek -- Daniel Winnik
Jonas Brodin -- Matt Dumba
Carson Soucy
-- Jared Spurgeon
Nick Seeler -- Nate Prosser
Devan Dubnyk
Alex Stalock
Scratched: Gustav Olofsson, Tyler Ennis, Louie Belpedio, Ryan Murphy
Injured: Ryan Suter (fractured right ankle), Luke Kunin (torn ACL)

Jets projected lineup

Kyle Connor -- Mark Scheifele -- Blake Wheeler
Nikolaj Ehlers -- Paul Stastny -- Patrik Laine
Mathieu Perreault -- Andrew Copp -- Bryan Little
Brandon Tanev -- Adam Lowry -- Joel Armia
Josh Morrissey -- Jacob Trouba
Joe Morrow -- Dustin Byfuglien
Ben Chiarot -- Tyler Myers
Connor Hellebuyck
Steve Mason
Scratched: Shawn Matthias, Marko Dano, Jack Roslovic, Tucker Poolman
Injured: Dmitry Kulikov (lower body), Matt Hendricks (lower body), Toby Enstrom (lower body)

Status report

Ennis will be a healthy scratch. … Hendricks practiced in a non-contact jersey. … Enstrom hasn't resumed skating.