Ducks at Jets
Veteran Ondrej Pavelec no longer is the long-term goaltending solution for the Winnipeg Jets, but he has stabilized a shaky situation with two strong performances since being recalled from the minors. The Jets host the Anaheim Ducks on Monday in the third contest of a four-game homestand after Pavelec guided the team to victories over Arizona and St. Louis.
Pavelec, an unrestricted free agent at season’s end who was demoted in training camp, has stopped 64-of-70 shots in his two games – tying a franchise record with 25 saves in the second period of Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Blues. The Ducks are 8-2-1 in their last 11 games, entering Sunday one point ahead of San Jose for the Pacific Division lead. Anaheim lost goaltender John Gibson to an upper-body injury five minutes into Saturday’s 5-3 loss at Minnesota, and Jonathan Bernier allowed three unanswered goals in a 1:59 span of the third period. The Ducks had held opponents to two goals or fewer in nine consecutive games prior to Saturday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, KCOP-13 (Anaheim), TSN3 (Winnipeg)
ABOUT THE DUCKS (26-14-9): Anaheim has allowed just 24 goals in 14 games since Christmas – tied for third-lowest in the NHL entering Sunday. Gibson, who has posted eight wins since late December to help fuel the Ducks’ recent surge, took a shot off his chest in the first period against the Wild and, after being assessed by trainers, left the ice. Defenseman Cam Fowler scored his 10th goal of the season Saturday, matching the career high he set in 2010-11, while captain Ryan Getzlaf has recorded one point in seven of his last eight games after notching an assist.
ABOUT THE JETS (22-23-4): Winnipeg entered Sunday having surrendered the most goals in the league since the holiday break (46). Mark Scheifele recorded a goal and an assist Saturday, giving the team's leading scorer (21 goals, 45 points) six points in his last four games. Captain Blake Wheeler and Nikolaj Ehlers also registered a goal and an assist apiece against St. Louis, while Bryan Little scored twice to give him three goals and an assist in his last two contests.
OVERTIME
1. The Ducks played Saturday without fourth-leading scorer Jakob Silfverberg (29 points, 13 goals) due to an upper-body injury.
2. Winnipeg 18-year-old rookie Patrik Laine (concussion) skated in Friday’s practice and before the game on Saturday, raising hopes that the 21-goal scorer can return this week.
3. Jets RW Drew Stafford, filling in for Laine on Winnipeg’s top line, left Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury.