Winnipeg Jets look to return to winning ways against bottom side Carolina Hurricanes - NHL Preview
The Winnipeg Jets will look to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference when they visit the RBC Center on Monday, January 23rd, 2012, to take on the lowly Carolina Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes are by far the worst team in the Eastern Conference this year as they remain at the bottom of the conference with a horrendous 17-24-9 record and 43 points as they are tied for the spot with the Buffalo Sabres, also having a very poor season.
The Hurricanes enter the game on the back of a 2-1 overtime defeat to the New York Islanders who have hit a rich vein of form recently.
Carolina has won just four out of their previous ten games and starting with Winnipeg will face their next two games at home ice.
The RBC Center is not exactly a fortress for Carolina who have a 12-11-3 record on home ice and the Winnipeg Jets have a good chance to beat the Hurricanes and return back to winning ways on Monday.
To win however, the Jets will have to get past the only player who is not performing poorly in the Hurricanes' roster.
Goaltender, Cam Ward has been in brilliant form throughout the season and even though his team’s overall form has slipped the goaltender has remained the one bright spot for fans.
Ward made 38 saves against the Islanders to keep Carolina in the game to the end and he will be the key player to beat for the Jets offence on Monday.
Carolina Coach Kirk Muller praised his goaltender after the defeat to the Islanders telling reporters.
"We got two points (Friday with a 3-0 win over Washington) and one tonight," Muller said. "Give the Islanders credit. They are a good skating team playing with momentum. We knew that going in. Ward certainly kept us in the game with big saves."
Unluckily for the Jets they will be without their star forward Evander Kane for the game. Kane is out with a concussion and will remain so for an indefinite period.
The 20-year olds loss will be a big blow for the Canada based franchise whose offence anyway ranks among the bottom of the league with a 2.5 goals per game average and 20th overall in the National Hockey League (NHL).
The Jets enter the game on the back of a 4-3 shootout defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers but still remain within touching distance of the final playoff spot. The Jets are behind three points with a 22-20-6 record from division rivals Washington
Capitals who occupy the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Jets have been struggling with consistency this season and have lost seven out of their previous ten games.
Two of the Jets victories recently have been over the Buffalo Sabres a team that is on par with the Hurricanes for the worst in the Eastern Conference and on Monday Winnipeg will most likely have enough in the tank to overcome the Hurricanes.
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