A higher spot in the standings on the mind of the Winnipeg Jets as they face Nashville
Including Tuesday night, there are five games left for the Winnipeg Jets in the regular season.
The playoffs have been booked, but the team still has plenty to play for. Winnipeg currently sits third in the Central Division, two points back of second – which is occupied by the Colorado Avalanche.
"We want to push for the division title. Until we can't do it, we're going to keep pushing for it and make sure our process is right, make sure our game is in the right spot," said defenceman Dylan DeMelo.
"You don't pick who you play in the playoffs, you just try to pick up as many wins as you can and kind of let the chips fall where they fall. But obviously, if you can get home ice, it's a big advantage. Obviously, one for the travel, but getting matchups and things of that nature. And obviously, the White Out, to have more games at home is always better."
They are also trying to fend off their Tuesday night opponent, the Nashville Predators. The Preds are in the top wild-card spot, six points back of Winnipeg.
Nashville has been one of the best teams in the NHL since the calendar turned to 2024. The Jets know it won't be easy to grab the two points – especially in Nashville's building.
"They've been playing really good hockey for the second half of the season, and they always seem to play good here too. It's a tough building to play in and the crowd gets into it right away. So these are fun games at this time of year."
"It feels a little bit more like a playoff game," said defenceman Logan Stanley. "We're going to have to be ready to go, we know they've been playing well lately, and they got a good team over there. We're both trying to get our team ready for the playoffs and it should be a good one."
The Jets have lost two of three games against the Predators this season, and Head Coach Rick Bowness said they need to have early success if they want to get a win.
"Get the faceoff, get the puck in deep and establish our forecheck so they can't be coming at us. So that's key for every line, we get out there the first six, seven, eight minutes, first, second, third shifts you're out there, go north, go north, and go hard, and not let them establish that game that they want to play," said Bowness.
Bowness provided more details on how Nino Niederreiter has been progressing since he was injured last week. He suffered a deep gash in his leg on Monday against the L.A. Kings after being cut.
He joined the team for a morning skate on Tuesday, with Bowness saying he skated "very lightly."
"We'll put him back on the ice on Thursday and go from there, practice Friday. The timeline is impossible to say. I know I talked to him and it was a little sore, a little sensitive as you would expect. But it's just good to see him on the ice. But a timeline, no idea."
Connor Hellebuyck will be getting the start for Winnipeg, with puck drop at 7 p.m. CT.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.