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Jets ready to deal with the Devils

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The Winnipeg Jets’ tour through the NHL’s Metro Division continues in New Jersey on Thursday night.

The Jets are flying through a five-game road trip – picking up wins against the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers thus far.

The 4-2 victory at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night was punctuated by a Mark Scheifele hat trick and kept the Jets atop the hotly contested Central Division.

Winnipeg’s hockey club will be without head coach Rick Bowness for a second straight game. On Tuesday, the team announced he had returned to Winnipeg for a “minor medical procedure.” Assistant coach Scott Arniel is filling in behind the bench for the time being.

“It’s not like changing any strategy, or even our vocabulary, or our approach to meetings or games. Everything’s pretty much status quo,” Arniel said Wednesday. “We just keep rolling forward and that’s what we’ve tried to do from the very beginning at the start of the year.”

Thursday’s game is the second and final game between the Jets and Devils this season. Winnipeg took the first matchup 6-3 at Canada Life Centre on Nov. 14.

The Devils are coming off a 5-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins and head into Thursday’s game six points out of a playoff spot.

“New Jersey isn’t out of it. They made the coaching change, they have guys playing hard for positions, and beat that Pittsburgh team [Tuesday night] pretty soundly,” Arniel said. “You can never underestimate any of your opponents."

Forward Tyler Toffoli will suit up in his 800th NHL game on Thursday against the team that traded him to Winnipeg on March 8. Arniel said Toffoli’s experience and talent have been a tremendous asset since the winger came to Winnipeg.

“You play that many games, win the Stanley Cup, you’re going through experiences that other guys haven’t,” Arniel explained. “Just being in that room calming guys down in certain situations.”

Defenceman Neal Pionk will sit out Thursday’s game after missing practice on Wednesday. Colin Miller will slot in on the second pairing with Brendan Dillon.

Laurent Broissoit is expected to start in goal.

Puck drop from the Prudential Center in New Jersey is slated for 6 p.m. CT.

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