LGD – Game 79: Jets @ Leafs – Stayin’ Alive

After Winnipeg’s playoff hopes were dashed following Thursday’s loss to Pittsburgh, the Jets will arrive in Toronto looking to play spoilers as the Leafs continue their uphill battle for the East’s final wild card spot. Way to go Winnipeg… You’re already a disappointment to one fan base, now you gotta get all up in Toronto’s grill? Lame, bro.

And it’s not like they haven’t done it in the past. The last time the Leafs played the Jets, Winnipeg came away with a 5-4 victory – a game in which James Reimer was chased after allowing four goals on 19 shots. 

Reimer, who will get the start tonight, will need to be sharp. That’s not to say the whole team shouldn’t be sharp, but we are talking about the Leafs, and we know the only way they win is with good goaltending. A victory tonight, and the Leafs could jump ahead of Columbus and in to the final playoff slot. As the lovely and talented Cam Charron wrote earlier today, the Leafs still have a chance.

James van Riemsdyk – Tyler Bozak – Phil Kessel

Mason Raymond – Dave Bolland – David Clarkson

Jerry D’Amigo – Nazem Kadri – Troy Bodie

Nikolai Kulemin – Jay McClement – Paul Ranger

Carl Gunnarson – Dion Phaneuf

Cody Franson – Jake Gardiner

Morgan Rielly – Tim Gleason

It looks as if Joffrey Lupul will miss his second straight game with a lower body injury. Carter Ashton is still with the team, though as it stands now he may sit in favour of Paul Ranger as the 7th defender. Jonathan Bernier, as we all know, is out for three weeks with a strained MCL.

Andrew Ladd – Bryan Little – Michael Frolik

Dustin Byfuglien – Olli Jokinen – Blake Wheeler

???????? – Eric O’Dell – Matt Halischuk

Anthony Peluso – Jim Slater – Eric Tangradi

Mark Stuart – Jacob Trouba

Tobias Enstrom – Paul Postma

Adam Pardy – Zach Redmond

The Jets will be without the services of Mark Scheifele, Grant Clitsome, James Wright and Chris Thorburn. Zach Bogosian, Keaton Ellerby, and Al Montoya are all day-to-day. Also, this hilarious little tidbit…

It’ll be James Reimer versus Ondrej Pavelec backstopping their respective teams. Reimer, who is amazing and awful depending on who you ask, sports a .908 SV% and a 3.39 GAA heading into tonight’s game. Pavelec on the other hand carries a .901 SV% and a 3.03 GAA. So, yeah, another 5-4 game sounds about right.

It’s future Winnipeg head coach Randy Carlyle up against future Toronto head coach Paul Maurice tonight. Advantage: Probably neither?