Chance to reach 100 points in the regular season: Jets vs. Canucks game day 69

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The Winnipeg Jets are on stop number 2 of 3 of their current Western road trip tonight in Vancouver. Entering this matchup against the Canucks, the Jets are looking to continue their 3 game win streak, with a chance to reach 100 points in the regular season with a win. The Canucks are coming off a 3-1 loss to Utah on Sunday, as Vancouver continues to be one of four teams battling for the final Western Conference wild card spot. These two teams will meet again in Winnipeg in the afternoon of March 30th, but before then, the Jets are looking to continue to inch one step closer to mathematically clinching a playoff spot.

With 14 games remaining (including tonight), the Jets need just 6 wins to break the record for most wins in a Jets 2.0 regular season. Sitting at 47-17-4, the Jets are 2 points ahead of the Capitals for 1st in the NHL (with 1 more game played), and more importantly are now 11 points clear of the Dallas Stars (with 2 more games played). The Canucks continue to sit around the middle of the NHL standings, currently holding a 31-25-11 record. This regular season has not gone to plan for the Canucks after a fabulous 2023-24 regular season, but they still have time to secure a playoff spot.

Entering tonight’s game, the Jets hold a 18-6-1 record against the Canucks in their last 25 matchups. These teams usually only meet 2 or 3 times a season, but the Jets have had the Canucks number lately, winning 6 of the last 7 head to head games. Most recently, on January 14th, 2025, the Jets put on a strong performance against the Canucks, winning 6-1, led by Kyle Connor’s 3 goals and 4 point night. Speaking of Connor, he now has 85 points in 68 games, as he continues to be on pace to be the first Jets 2.0 player to reach 100 points in a regular season.

The unconfirmed (but expected) starting goalies tonight are Connor Hellebuyck and Kevin Lankinen. Hellebuyck made a brief appearance (he was backing up) in Sunday’s game in Seattle after Eric Comrie left briefly due to concussion protocol. Hellebuyck made 5 saves on 6 shots before Comrie’s return, so Hellebuyck will be well rested and ready to go tonight. Hellebuyck has a chance to pick up win number 40 on his season, continuing to add to his Vezina calibre season with a 39-9-3 record, a 1.99 GAA and a .927 save percentage with 6 shutouts. Lankinen has emerged as the Canucks starter this season after Thatcher Demko got injured late last season. His good play recently earned him a large contract extension, and he continues to give the Canucks a chance to win each night he starts. In 43 starts, Lankinen is 23-13-7 with a 2.60 GAA and a .904 save percentage with 4 shutouts. Tonight could look like a goalie duo on paper, but the Jets top 5 offence will be aiming to make that not the case.

At practice yesterday, the only question in terms of injury concern was Eric Comrie. After leaving the game on Sunday night briefly after having been crashed into his net, Comrie seemed fine this morning. His evaluation left team doctors to believe that there’s a low likelihood that an issue will return, meaning Comrie will be in the lineup as the backup tonight in Vancouver. Everyone else (except the injured Neal Pionk) was at practice and looked ready to go, and the media at practice observed no changes to the Jets lines and defence pairings.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the Jets play against a team that should have a real sense of urgency, as the Canucks continue to battle for a wild card spot. If the Jets can get the offence going early and the powerplay has success, this could be the night the Jets get to that “magic” 100 point mark in the regular season. Puck drop will be shortly after 9 pm CT, and make sure to check back here post game for an instant reaction and recap on Tuesday night’s game.

Jets Projected Lineup

Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi
Ehlers-Namestnikov-Perfetti
Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton
Tanev-Barron-Iafallo

Morrissey-DeMelo
Samberg-Schenn
Fleury-Miller

Hellebuyck
Comrie