Hellebuyck, Jets remaining confident heading into Game 5

WINNIPEG - As the Winnipeg Jets made their way through the airport on Tuesday, all eyes were on the injured players - Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Josh Morrissey, and Cole Perfetti.

Could they possibly be an option, as the Jets fly to Vegas with plans to avoid elimination in their best-of-seven series?

Head coach Rick Bowness had some clear updates. First, it stands to reason that Cole Perfetti - who hasn't shed the non-contact jersey as of Monday's morning skate - still isn't an option. Bowness also said that Morrissey, injured in Game 3, also won't play.

But that's where the certainty ended.

"I just talked to Mark and he is feeling better than he did last night. So, he's definitely on the day-to-day," Bowness said. "Let's put him in the hopeful category for Thursday. Nik Ehlers will skate with the team and we'll see where he is."

So, you're saying there's a chance?

More information on Scheifele and Ehlers won't come until Wednesday's practice at T-Mobile Arena, but for now, it's a piece of optimism that the Jets can build on heading into the same building they earned a victory in to begin this series. 

"We have to be confident. We have to be. And we will be," said Bowness. "We're going to have a swagger to us that says if we go out, it's going to be one tough fight. When we play with that attitude, then I like our chances."

Speaking of chances, one look at Natural Stat Trick shows just how close this series between the Jets and Golden Knights has been.  

The high-danger chances at five-on-five are dead even at 33. The shot attempts are slightly in the favour of the Jets at 212-204, while the expected goals lean toward Vegas by a (rounded) 53 to 47 percent margin.

It's razor thin. Just ask Connor Hellebuyck.

"Some good tips. Some random tips. Some bounces off our own guys. Screens. Some random bounces off me," he said. "At the other end, I think we've hit about eight or 10 posts. You've got to imagine this is all going to kind of switch, and when it does, it's going to go really well from there."

Video: TRAVEL | Rick Bowness 

Those are the types of plays Bowness wants to see his team try to generate more of. On the power play, Winnipeg is 5-for-12, but they want to see a bit more success at five-on-five.

"If you look at their two goals, their second and third goal, one off a skate, one off a tip. Those are the goals we have to find a way to score," said Bowness, reflecting on Game 4. "We're not going to score a lot of pretty goals against them, like they don't against us. Just have to find a way to get greasy goals and keep going to the net, put pucks down by the net and make plays when they're certainly there." 

Despite Morrissey's injury necessitating some changes to the defensive pairs, Hellebuyck was complimentary of the group in front of him.

"They're great, blocking shots and paying the price," said Hellebuyck. "Anyone that can go in and out of the lineup and not miss a beat, that's huge. That says a lot about how hard those guys work."

The flight to Vegas is roughly three hours, and Bowness and his staff might spend a good part of it coming up with different line combinations for Game 5.

Video: TRAVEL | Connor Hellebuyck

That all depends on the personnel available to him. Scheifele in or out? Ehlers in or out?

As one reporter offered on Tuesday, it sounds about as challenging as a Rubix cube.

"I could never figure out that Rubix cube. I was never smart enough," Bowness said with a grin. "The lines are a lot easier because you can throw around different looks in different situations. That's a lot easier for me than a Rubix cube."

However the lines are put together, the Jets will make full use of the practice day on Wednesday before suiting up with their season on the line on Thursday.

"At this point, you just take it one game at a time. We don't need three. We need one and we'll go from there," said Hellebuyck. "I like our team. I like how we're playing. A bounce here, a bounce there and things can go well." 

ICE CHIPS

David Rittich, who couldn't back-up Hellebuyck in Game 4 due to a lower-body injury, is also on the trip (along with goaltenders Oskari Salminen and Arvid Holm from the Manitoba Moose).

His availability to back up in Game 5 is still up in the air.

"We'll find out tomorrow if he's able to put a skate on," said Bowness. "He's got a lower body thing going on. We'll see."