Mason to start for Winnipeg, Hutton for St. Louis in first half of home-and-home back-to-back series
ByLou Korac
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
JETS (18-9-5) at BLUES (21-10-2) 7 p.m. ET; CITY, FS-MW, NHL.TV
The Jets will host the Blues at Bell MTS Place on Sunday (6 p.m. ET; TSN3, FS-MW, NHL.TV). Goaltender Steve Mason will start for the Jets in his first appearance since sustaining a concussion on Nov. 25. Winnipeg is 1-3-1 in its past five games after going 5-1-1 in its previous seven games. Goaltender Carter Hutton, activated from injured reserve by the Blues on Friday after a foot injury, will play his first game since Dec. 5.
Players to watch
Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers has scored a goal in four straight games and has seven points (three goals, four assists) in nine games against St. Louis. Hutton is 4-2-0 with a 1.90 goals-against average and .937 save percentage in seven games (six starts) this season.
They said it
"I liked his last full road game. He's been good there. It's the kind of game that I think he can excel at. They put a lot of pucks here in traffic. [Goaltender] Connor [Hellebuyck's] got enough games on him right now that a couple days in between games can help recharge some batteries." -- Jets coach Paul Maurice on starting goaltender Steve Mason "You never want to miss time, but we're ready to go and excited to get back in there and help the team out. We're excited. It's a good hockey team over there, but we're a good hockey team over here. It's going to be a fun hockey game." -- Blues goalie Carter Hutton
Pietrangelo skated for a fourth straight day. He is eligible to come off injured reserve and play Sunday. ... Bouwmeester was placed on injured reserve Friday.
Stat pack
The Jets have lost five straight on the road (0-3-2) and have been outscored 22-10. ... Wheeler has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in his past nine games. ... Laine has nine points (four goals, five assists) in his past seven games. ... Schenn has seven points (six goals, one assist) in his past six games.
