Thomas' Three Storylines - MTL @ WPG

NO COMPLACENCY
Winnipeg finds themselves one point out of first place in the Central Division after a challenging schedule in the month of October. Yet the players and the coaching staff have an honest assessment of where they are as a team right now. The Jets are playing on their heels too much and that has been driving head coach Rick Bowness crazy. He gives the team credit for battling back from 3-1 down in LA and going on to get two points. Bowness will be back behind the bench for his second regular season game since he was hired to coach the Jets. His only other game came against the Maple Leafs, which was a 4-1 setback.

WIN FACEOFFS
Part of the Jets overall problem is their struggles in the faceoff circle, they currently sit 30th in the league in that department at 43.8%. Rick Bowness feels they are obviously losing too many draws, especially in the neutral zone and the defensive zone. This is not all on the shoulders of the centremen on the roster as they need a little more help from their wingers in the neutral zone and defencemen in the defensive zone.
ANOTHER FORWARD LOST
The Jets are already missing Nikolaj Ehlers up front and so the news that Morgan Barron is out with a wrist injury that will sideline him 4-5 weeks is troubling. Winnipeg is now missing a key forward off their power play and penalty kill heading into tonight's game against the 5-5 Montreal Canadiens. Dominic Toninato will play his first game of the season and will skate with David Gustafsson and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby. Saku Maenalanen will bump up and play with Adam Lowry and Sam Gagner on the Jets third line. Jansen Harkins was recalled from the AHL yesterday and will take warmup in case another one of the Jets forwards can't go tonight. No word on who that player could be.