Winnipeg Jets Prepare for Thrilling Matchup Against Minnesota Wild

Winnipeg Jets vs. Minnesota Wild: Gameday Preview

The Winnipeg Jets continue their four-game homestand on Sunday night when they host the Minnesota Wild at Canada Life Centre. The Jets started the homestand with a 2-1 overtime win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night in the team’s home opener.

Mark Scheifele tied the game late in the third period and added his 300th career goal in overtime. However, before Scheifele tied the game, Neal Pionk made a key play by cutting off Chicago forward Ilya Mikheyev before he could put the puck into the empty net.

“Make him make a play. Make him go around me. I’ve always hated when defencemen back in and just play a two-on-one like there’s a goalie in the net,” said Pionk.

“If he beats me before the red line, he beats me. It’s a gamble. That’s why we have the empty net. I made the right play, and it helped out.”

Pionk, entering his sixth season with the Jets, always enjoys facing their geographical rival, the Minnesota Wild. “It’s fun. It gets the adrenaline going, gets the juices going,” said Pionk.

“You almost get a playoff game in October, because you get that physicality, and you get that emotion into the game. The crowd will be rowdy. It will be a fun one.”

Line Rushes and D Pairings

Here are the line rushes and D pairings from Saturday’s practice: The Wild come into the Manitoba capital having lost Saturday night 5-4 in overtime to the Seattle Kraken. Joel Eriksson Ek was injured in the loss and is a question mark for Sunday’s game.