Thomas' Three Storylines - PIT @ WPG

EHLERS GOING FOR SURGERY
Nikolaj Ehlers hasn't played since October and the news came out today that he has been dealing with a sports hernia and will have surgery next week. The Jets were hoping patience would allow the injury to heal and that is not case. The Jets are down three top-nine forwards and that obviously has a trickle-down effect throughout the lineup. A great example of that is that the injuries change formations of the lines, and it changes the roles of certain players. With the Jets having a heavy schedule up until Christmas, this is truly a test of the forward depth within the organization. But so far, so good with the Jets having just one regulation loss in their last ten games.

KC PERFECT TIMING
Nothing like scoring your first hat trick of the season and becoming the second player in franchise history to score all of the Jets goals in a hat trick performance in the process. Patrik Laine is the only other Jet to do so when he scored three times during a 3-0 on March 6, 2018, at Madison Square Garden. Connor heating up will help the Jets especially missing the players listed above. Connor, Mark Scheifele and Sam Gagner looked more and more comfortable as the game wore along as the top line against Anaheim. Natural Stat Trick had the trio leading the way with 13 scoring chances on Thursday night.
CROSBY/MALKIN
The dynamic duo of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will be on the ice together against the Jets for the first time since November of 2018. Malkin is currently on a five-game point streak and has 52 points in 36 career games against the Jets/Thrashers franchise. Crosby, meanwhile, has 16 even strength points and that has tied for sixth in the NHL, two back of Erik Karlsson's league leading 18.