Winnipeg Jets face New York Islanders on the road - NHL Preview
The New York Islanders will face the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, April 5, 2012 at the Nassau Memorial Coliseum.
Both Eastern Conference teams have nothing left to play for except pride in the 2011-12 regular season and will be hoping to give fans something to cheer about as they play the final two games of what has been disappointing National Hockey League (NHL) campaigns.
The Islanders will be looking for victory in their final home ice game of the season and end a recent disappointing run of results.
New York Islanders currently lie 14th in the Eastern Conference with just 77-points from 80 games.
Winnipeg Jets on the other hand tried to make a late dash into the playoff spots but inconsistent performances in March made the task more and more difficult and they were finally eliminated from the chase after losing 3-2 in overtime to the Tampa Bay Lightning
on Saturday, March 31st.
The Jets are now 10th in the Eastern Conference with 83-points.
Islanders (33-36-11, 77 pts)
New York Islanders are currently on a three-game losing run and if recent performances against Winnipeg at home ice are anything to go by they are looking at a fourth consecutive loss.
The Islanders were shutout 3-0 by the Jets earlier in the season and will be hoping to stop a repeat from happening this time around.
New York’s recent results though have not been so good with their last game ending in a 3-1 road defeat to the New Jersey Devils.
Both teams were equal at 1-1 in the first period but a goal each by the Devils in the remaining two periods sent the Islanders to their third straight defeat.
Coach Jack Capuano said after the game.
"I don't know if we, as a whole, all were mentally invested. I think that had something to do with it. You know, you train all summer, you work all year, you find out you haven't reached the goal that you wanted to reach, I'm sure there is some disappointment.
And there is as a coaching staff as well."
Jets (37-34-9, 83 pts)
Winnipeg on the other hand bounced right back from the disappointment of not making the playoffs with a fighting performance on the road to Florida Panthers.
The Jets never gave up even after going down 3-0 in the second period and fought back to take a 4-3 lead in the final period.
However, Florida equalised the scores at 4-4 to send the game to overtime.
Forward Andrew Ladd scored twice in the game with his second and final goal becoming the overtime winner for Winnipeg.
Goaltender Ondrej Pavelec said after the game.
"We can't quit. This is the NHL and here you play for the logo on the front of the jersey and not for yourself,"
Predictions
Winnipeg will be favourites for the game.
Sum of goals will be less than six.
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