The Winnipeg Jets are turning over several parts of their lineup for Wednesday night’s meeting with the Colorado Avalanche at Canada Life Centre, with changes coming up front, on defense and in goal.
Stuart Skinner is back in the crease after Clay Stevenson got the start in Winnipeg’s game Monday night in Pittsburgh. Skinner had started the Jets’ first two games and picked up his first win with the club in the 3-2 victory over Detroit on Sunday, when he turned aside 33 of 35 shots.
Up front, Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Cole Perfetti stay together on the top line, while Isak Rosén, Viggo Björck and Gabriel Vilardi remain the second unit.
The shuffle starts with the third line, where Alex Iafallo moves up alongside Morgan Barron and Adam Lowry. That pushes Brad Lambert down to the fourth line with Cole Koepke and Vladislav Namestnikov. Koepke is set for his first regular-season action of the year.
Winnipeg will also scratch Nino Niederreiter, with Haydn Fleury and Tyrel Bauer joining him in the press box. Bauer is out of the lineup after appearing in Winnipeg’s first two games. He made his NHL debut in Friday’s season opener and fought Keegan Kolesar in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Detroit.
The defensive pairs are getting a new look as well. Josh Morrissey will skate with Neal Pionk on the top pair, Dylan Samberg will be paired with Dylan DeMelo, and Mario Ferraro and Jack St. Ivany will make up the third pairing.
Skinner gets the nod in goal, and the rest of Winnipeg’s projected lineup looks like this:
Rosén-Björck-Vilardi
Barron-Lowry-Iafallo
Koepke-Namestnikov-Lambert
Morrissey-Pionk
Samberg-DeMelo
Ferraro-St. Ivany
Skinner
Healthy scratches: Fleury, Bauer, Niederreiter
Injured: Salomonsson
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