Winnipeg Jets Face Colorado Avalanche Without Injured Captain Adam Lowry

DENVER – The Winnipeg Jets will be without their captain, Adam Lowry, for an extended period due to an upper-body injury sustained during Monday’s 5-2 loss to Utah. Head coach Scott Arniel confirmed that Lowry, who missed the final two periods of the game, will be out week-to-week. The injury occurred when Lowry fell behind the net early in the first period.

“It’s obviously a big blow,” Arniel said. “He played the rest of the period, but it really affected him in a lot of what he needed to do.” Lowry, 31, has been a key player for the Jets this season, contributing 11 goals and 26 points. Defensively, he leads the team with 415 defensive zone draws, far ahead of the next closest player, Rasmus Kupari, with 177.

The Jets face a tough challenge against the Colorado Avalanche (28-19-1) without their captain. Arniel emphasized the need for a collective effort to counter the Avalanche’s top players, including Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. “Everyone is going to sooner or later end up against those guys,” Arniel said. “We have to be real responsible in how we’re playing them.”

Mason Appleton, who has spent much of the season on Lowry’s right wing, acknowledged the difficulty of the task ahead. “They have one of the most deadly lines there is,” Appleton said. “It’s going to be a collective effort to shut those guys down.”

Injuries have forced the Jets to adjust their lineup. Alex Iafallo, who has played over 313 minutes of five-on-five time with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor this season, will need to step up. “I’m just going to keep playing my game,” Iafallo said. “I’ll talk with them before the game, go over some plays, and keep getting to the net.”

Despite the setback, there is some positive news for the Jets. Appleton and Haydn Fleury are set to return after missing 11 and 12 games, respectively, due to lower-body injuries. “It always feels long,” Appleton said of his recovery. “I’ll just try and build my game and get going. I’m excited to be back for sure.”

Both teams are looking to rebound from recent losses. The Jets (31-14-3) started their two-game road trip with a defeat in Utah, while the Avalanche lost 3-1 to Minnesota. Arniel is confident his team can move past the disappointment. “We go by the 24-hour rule here,” Arniel said. “We can’t worry about Utah. We need to be good against this Colorado team.”

Iafallo echoed the coach’s sentiments, emphasizing the need for a strong start. “We have to get back to playing our way on the road,” Iafallo said. “We’ve talked a lot about it the last couple days. We have to push the pace early.”

The game is set to begin at 8:30 p.m. CT, with the Jets aiming to secure their third win in the four-game season series against the Avalanche.