Jets at Islanders
Blake Wheeler and captain Andrew Ladd played a big role in the Winnipeg Jets reaching the playoffs last season, and the duo is off to a flying start through two games of the team's season-opening road trip. Winnipeg visits the New York Islanders on Monday afternoon in search of its third win in a row while Wheeler and Ladd attempt to add to the three goals and three assists for which they combined in victories over Boston and New Jersey.
Now the Jets need to find a way to start quicker, as they've been shut out in the first period of both games before scoring nine times in the second and third periods. The Islanders made their long-awaited move to their new home at Barclays Center in Brooklyn but lost their season opener to defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago in overtime on Friday before the Blackhawks completed a sweep of the home-and-home series one night later in Chicago. Jaroslav Halak did not play in either loss due to an upper-body injury while J.F. Berube made his NHL debut in Saturday’s setback, giving up four goals on 34 shots. New York is one of five teams without a power-play goal.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), MSG Plus (New York)
ABOUT THE JETS (2-0-0): The goaltending tandem of Ondrej Pavelec (two goals allowed) and Michael Hutchinson (one) has played well in splitting the opening two games, but Winnipeg's offense has been particularly impressive in the final 40 minutes of each contest. Six Jets have multiple points, including Wheeler (two goals, one assist) and Mark Scheifele (two tallies). Special-teams play has been strong thus far, as Winnipeg has successfully killed six of its seven short-handed situations.
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (0-1-1): Granted, playing the defending champions on back-to-back nights is not an easy way to start the season, but New York needs to jump-start an offense that has recorded only three goals. Captain John Tavares received a game misconduct for arguing a penalty call in the third period of Saturday’s 4-1 loss. Casey Cizikas has registered one assist and a team-best plus-2 rating through two contests.
OVERTIME
1. Winnipeg rookie RW Nikolaj Ehlers led the Jets with five shots against the Devils and picked up his first career assist.
2. Islanders G Thomas Greiss, who allowed three goals on 35 shots in the season opener, will start if Halak is unable to play.
3. The Jets close out their four-game road trip with back-to-back games against the Islanders and New York Rangers on Tuesday before taking on Calgary in its home opener on Friday.