Depleted Jets can't hold up against Whalers

It was supposed to be a clash of the titans when both the Hartford Whalers and Winnipeg Jets met up on Sunday night. However, injuries derailed the men from Manitoba who were without their top forward and top defenseman for the contest.  Both Joe Nieuwendyk and Don Sweeney were held out with injuries which meant Paul Stanton would be recalled as he is trying to earn a spot as the sixth defenseman, along with rookie Valerie Zelepukin making his season debut.

The start of the game went as anyone would expect with having such a hole in their line-up against the league's top team and Winnipeg fell behind 4-0 before the first buzzer sounded.  Bobby Orr was able to rally the troops in the second period as they scored three unanswered goals to bring themselves within one.  Amongst the goals was Zelepukin scoring his first goal since 1989, along with Gerard Gallant and Dave Ellett scoring his defensemen leading 17th of the season.

The Whalers would respond in the third with a pair to take the game 6-3.  Nikolai Borschesvky who was elevated in the line-up to fill in for Nieuwendyk recorded a pair of assists.  Winnipeg will have a night before their full line-up is expected to take on the San Jose Sharks where Evegni Nabokov is slated to get the start.