Last week, the Jets dropped a tough home game to Coulee Region, 1-0, before enjoying their last off weekend of the season. With four road games this week, it’s all business from here on out as the Jets tune up for the playoffs and get ready for a run at their first ever Robertson Cup. Their week starts tonight in Springfield.
SPRINGFIELD JR. BLUES
OVERVIEW:
Record: 25-26-3-1
Home Record: 14-11-2-0
Last Game: A 4-1 win over the Minnesota Magicians last Saturday
Goals For/Goals Against: 158GF/167 GA
Power Play: 16.7% (17th in the NAHL)
Penalty Kill: 78.9% (20th in the NAHL)
Leading Scorers: Matt Long (52GP – 16G – 33A – 49PTS), Brennan Blaszczak (53GP – 22G – 13A – 35PTS), Matt Cassidy (51GP – 14G – 21A – 35PTS)
WHO’S UP FRONT:
Brandon Puricelli: The former Jet had a big three points in the Jr. Blues’ home sweep of the Magicians last weekend. Five of Puricelli’s 28 points on the season have come in his last four games. The St. Louis native has torched his former club this season to the tune of eight points in 10 contests.
Matt Cassidy: The Quinnipiac recruit lit the lamp each night last weekend, and has scored in three of his last four games.
WHO’S ON D:
Mark Leach: The 6’3″ ’98 blueliner boasts a daunting combination of reach and physicality. In 11 games versus Janesville this season, Leach has racked up 32 penalty minutes.
WHO’S IN GOAL:
Jordan Greenfield-Flemon: The Jr. Blues feature a pair of talented goalies between San Jose Sharks draft pick Mike Robinson, with a .918 save percentage on the season, and Norwich (D-3) commit Greenfield-Flemon, who shut down the Magicians last weekend with a 68/71 combined performance. Each netminder has seen the Jets at least three times this season.
JANESVILLE JETS
OVERVIEW:
Record: 38-11-0-4
Road Record: 15-8-0-2
Last Game: A 1-0 loss versus Coulee Region last Thursday
Goals For/Goals Against: 201GF/135 GA
Power Play: 24.9% (2nd in the NAHL)
Penalty Kill: 82.6% (10th in the NAHL)
Leading Scorers: Peter Bates (51GP – 20G – 31A – 51PTS), Michael Maloney (52GP – 22G – 28A – 50PTS), Cullen Munson (49GP – 19G – 31A – 50PTS)
WHO’S UP FRONT:
Joseph Abate: On a Jets team currently struggling to find offense, the future Badger has been consistently generating scoring chances. Abate put four pucks on Joe Marcoullier last Thursday for the fourth straight game. Over his last nine contests, Abate has average four shots per game.
Kip Hoffmann: Hoffmann was robbed of the potential game-tying goal on Thursday with six seconds to spare. The goal would have snapped a four-game goalless drought for the Huntley, IL, native, but, like his team, Hoffmann has played good, physical hockey in the midst of a scoring slump.
WHO’S ON D:
Lordanthony Grissom: The reigning Jets’ Defensive Player of the Year snapped off five shots on goal in his second straight contest. With more than 160 games of NAHL experience, the alternate captain has stepped up to lead by example down the stretch.
WHO’S IN GOAL:
Derek Schaedig: The Harvard commit is nearing his return from an illness, and with four games in five nights, will have to turn in some work this week. We’ll see if Schaedig, who played well in Minnesota when relieving Barczewski as a victim of an equipment malfunction, will get the start tonight.