5 things to watch for in Jets season finale against the Flames

If it were up to Jets fans, they'd probably choose to skip over the final game of the season — a tilt with the Calgary Flames Saturday afternoon at the MTS Centre.

After all, the Jets have already clinched a playoff berth and the hunger for that first post-season game in Winnipeg since 1996 can be felt from all four corners of the province.

But it won't be up to the masses, as the rules will prevail, ensuring that the puck will be dropped.

That being said, there will be lots to cheer about as fans get their vocal cords warmed up in what should be a glimpse of what's to come once the first round of playoffs begin.

With that, here are 5 things to consider heading into the game:

Hutch-is-in

Ondrej Pavelec is the designated hero in Jetsland right now. He's currently riding a three-game shutout streak and has received a fair share of the credit for the Jets' recent playoff berth.  

But had it not been for the play of backup Michael Hutchinson, who, minus his last stretch of starts, provided the Jets with some stellar goaltending this season, Winnipeg may not be where they are today.

Hutchinson will once again get a chance to show off his stuff, perhaps for the final time this season, as Jets head coach Paul Maurice announced Friday that Pavelec will be off during Saturday's game.

Hutchinson hasn't played since March 24, earning a loss after allowing three goals in a 5–2 game with the Vancouver Canucks. He's 20-10-5 this season with a 2.43 goals against average and a .913 save percentage.

On Saturday, backing him up will be Connor Hellebuyck, who was called up from St. John's early on Friday.  

Buff is Back

Dustin Byfuglien returns to the Jets' lineup after serving his four-game suspension for a crosscheck on Rangers' forward JT Miller in a March 31 match against New York.

The team has rallied around the adversity of having one of their leaders and best players out of the lineup.

The Jets collected seven of a possible eight points without Byfuglien, who stayed relatively mum about the incident when addressing the media for the first time Thursday.

"It is what is," he said.

"Lucky he wasn't hurt, [that] is a good thing. You don't ever want to see that happen."

Byfuglien will reunite with Ben Chiarot on the Jets' top pairing. Chiarot only recently returned to the Jets lineup after recovering from a broken hand, making it the first time the two will play together in more than six weeks.

Time for healing

The status of forward Mathieu Perreault still remains up in the air.

Perreault, who will not dress against the Flames and will be closely evaluated over the next few days of practice, is still reeling after suffering a lower body injury in Thursday's game against the Avalanche.

And with Saturday having no effect on the movement in the standings and the Jets in their fifth game in eight nights, it won't just be Perreault missing from action. Bryan Little will also be out.

"I'm going to take the guys out that I think could get better by not playing," said Maurice.

"There will be a fair number of guys that come out of our lineup."

The voids in the lineup offer an opportunity for some of the younger prospects to get some valuable ice time, most notably recent call-up Andrew Copp.

Maurice wouldn't confirm whether Copp will get his first shot since being signed to a three-year, entry-level contract two weeks ago, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the 20-year-old product out of the University of Michigan get a chance.

Making a point

It's not like the Jets have nothing to gain from this game. If Winnipeg is able to collect at least a single point they'll set a new franchise record for most points in a season.

The Jets are tied with the current record at 97 points, the same number the team collected in the 2006-07 season in Atlanta. That was the only other year the franchise has made the playoffs where they lost four straight games to the New York Rangers.

Flames still fighting

Like the Jets, the Flames also clinched a playoff berth Thursday night with a 3–1 win over the L.A. Kings. But unlike Winnipeg, they can still improve their position in the standings.

With 97 points, the Flames are just two points shy of the Vancouver Canucks for second place in the Pacific Division.

If they can win — and Vancouver loses to Edmonton in regulation — the Flames can claim home-ice advantage from the Canucks in the first round.