Final
Jets wrap up homestand against Senators
Mar 4, 2015 - 3:39 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Winnipeg Jets look to finish off a four-game homestand on a high note Wednesday night as they take on the Ottawa Senators.The Jets have earned five of the possible six points so far on the residency, rebounding from a shootout loss to St. Louis with a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.
Andrew Ladd had a pair of goals, while Drew Stafford and Tyler Myers -- two players acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in the Evander Kane trade last month -- also scored. Blake Wheeler added an empty-net tally in his return to the lineup from a lower-body injury.
Michael Hutchinson turned aside 18 shots in the win.
"I thought from start to finish we were consistent the whole game," said Myers. "Even when they got their first goal I thought we responded really well. We came back with one, and we didn't stop pushing even after getting one back. So I think it was a really good effort for a full 60 (minutes)."
The Jets own a four-point lead for a wild card spot in the Western Conference and are five points behind the third-place Chicago Blackhawks in the Central Division.
Forward Lee Stempniak is slated to make his debut with the Jets tonight after being acquired from the New York Rangers on Sunday. He skated on a line with Wheeler and Adam Lowry at practice on Tuesday.
"(Stempniak) is a really smart player. He picks things up quickly," Jets head coach Paul Maurice told his team's website. "He's already picked up what we're trying to do out there. He's shown that he can do damage around the net, so it's always fun to play with guys like that."
The Jets have lost all four of their games at home to the Senators since relocating from Atlanta and snapped a three-game series slide with a 2-1 shootout win at Ottawa on Nov. 8.
Mathieu Perreault had the winner in the sixth-round of the shootout and Ondrej Pavelec made 37 saves.
Hutchinson, though, has started six of the past seven games over Pavelec and could face the Senators for the first time in his career tonight.
Craig Anderson made 36 saves for the Senators in that loss and is expected to make his first start tonight since Jan. 21, having been out with a hand injury. He was activated off injured reserve on Sunday and is 11-2-3 lifetime versus the Jets franchise with a 2.40 goals against average and .935 save percentage.
With Anderson having been out and fellow netminder Robin Lehner sidelined as well due to a concussion, Andrew Hammond made his sixth start in a row on Tuesday night and suffered his first NHL defeat with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild despite making 36 saves.
Mika Zibanejad and Bobby Ryan scored for the Senators, who had their five-game win streak halted and are six points back of a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
"Huge point for us," Ottawa head coach Dave Cameron said. "We stuck with them."
The Senators are concluding a five-game road trip tonight.
- OTTAWA: 3
WINNIPEG: 1
Final
Mar 4 10:20 PM - OTTAWA: 3
WINNIPEG: 1
End of Regulation
Mar 4 10:20 PM - OTTAWA: 3
WINNIPEG: 0
End of 2nd
Mar 4 9:28 PM - OTTAWA: 1
WINNIPEG: 0
End of 1st
Mar 4 8:27 PM - OTTAWA: 0
WINNIPEG: 0
1st Period - 20:00
Mar 4 7:46 PM
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