Jets blank Blues, keep hope alive

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This article was published 03/03/2017 (3373 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It may not mean much in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps it’s a case of too little, too late.

But let the record show that in their biggest game the year — at least until the next one — the Winnipeg Jets were up to the task on Friday night at the MTS Centre.

With their playoff hopes dangling by a thread, Winnipeg came out with one of their better all-around efforts of the season in beating St. Louis 3-0.

Goalie Connor Hellebuyck was perfect, stopping all 29 shots he faced one game after being pulled while surrendering five goals on 21 shots in a disappointing 6-5 loss to Minnesota.

“It’s huge. It’s a four-point game and we’re kind of chasing them right now. We do want to make the playoffs, and that’s our goal here so this is another good step in the right direction,” Hellebuyck said after posting his fourth shutout of the season. “I think we’re all feeling good now and we can kind of carry this.”

How important were the two points?

A regulation loss to the Blues would have put the Jets seven points back of the final wildcard spot with just 17 games remaining on the schedule. In other words, turn off the lights and say good-night.

But Friday’s victory has the Jets just four points back of that last post-season ticket — currently held by the Los Angeles Kings. A tall order still, for sure. But not impossible — and worth noting Winnipeg still has another game left against both St. Louis and Los Angeles this season.

“The key here is to stay in the fight as long as possible and keep yourself in shouting distance and anything can happen,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler.

He was quick to credit Hellebuyck with a “good bounce back” effort while adding the entire team made better defensive play a priority.

“After that Minny game, there was a sour taste in the room. We didn’t really play our best game but had an opportunity to try and salvage something. This time of year you can’t miss out on those opportunities,” said Wheeler.

Jacob Trouba’s return certainly helped the cause. The defenceman was back in the lineup following a two-game suspension which was dragged out by the Jets having their mandatory bye week in the middle of it. He didn’t show any signs of rust, leading all players with six hits, chipping in an assist and playing nearly 25 minutes. Coach Paul Maurice called him a “dominant force.”

“Those are the games you have to enjoy playing and want to play in. As much as we can score goals, you don’t want to play in games that are 6-5 and 5-4. You want to play low-scoring games, when you’re consistent and know what you’re bringing every night,” Trouba said Friday night. “It’s a little step. We needed this one to give ourselves a shot and we did that. I don’t think we’re there by any stretch of the imagination. We’ve got a long way to go, but we gave ourselves a chance.”

After a scoreless first period, Wheeler got the offence going when his power play point shot beat a screened Carter Hutton. It was the first goal in six games and just the second in his past 12 for Wheeler.

Winnipeg nearly made it 2-0 late in the period when Nikolaj Ehlers was sent in all alone, but Hutton won that battle. Ehlers, for all his dash and sizzle this season, has been positively snakebitten on breakaways it seems.

Hutton was the story of the second period, making 19 saves including several of the spectacular variety. He also got help from his posts, as both Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien rang iron.

Hellebuyck was no slouch himself. His biggest save of the period came on a shorthanded breakaway to keep his team in the lead.

St. Louis got a great chance to tie it with just under 14 minutes left in the final period and Wheeler in the penalty box for running into Hutton. But Hellebuyck came up with a couple key stops, and Toby Enstrom was pivotal in two shot blocks — one of the painful variety — to keep the Blues off the board. Enstrom finished the night with a team-high five blocked shots.

Winnipeg sealed the victory late in the period when both Wheeler and Bryan Little scored into an empty-net.

Now the trick for the Jets is to maintain a playoff-style intensity going forward. Winnipeg is 3-1-2 in their past six games, with the lone regulation blemish being that Minnesota loss.

“To be honest with you, I think we’ve been in that mode for a while. The game after the break was a bit of an aberration. We still put up five against Minny, the best team in the Western Conference. We didn’t have any of the rhythm that this game had. Everybody coming off the bench, that’s what’s good about these games. Higher pressure, higher intensity which means you have to have all four lines,” said Maurice. “We’re on the right track with the style of game we’re playing.”

Winnipeg continues to make hay in their own division. The Jets are now 15-8-1 against Central opponents, including a perfect 4-0 against St. Louis. They’ll see another familiar rival when they host Colorado on Saturday night at the MTS Centre. Puck drops at 6 p.m.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

 

NOTES:

RAISING KANE

Move aside, Evander Kane. Patrik Laine’s 31st goal of the season earlier this week knocked the former #9 out of the Winnipeg Jets 2.0 record books. In the six years since the Jets returned to Winnipeg, no player had scored more goals in single-season than Kane’s 30 during the inaugural 2011/12 season. Laine has now set a new benchmark, one that is surely to keep climbing with 17 games left in the season.

Laine had his six-game point streak come to an end Friday night.

PETAN SITS

Nic Petan found himself in an unfamiliar place Friday night — parked in the press box. The speedy forward had his run of 30 consecutive games come to an end when he was made a healthy scratch. With Andrew Copp and Marko Dano returning from injury, and coach Paul Maurice electing to keep some toughness in the lineup in the form of Chris Thorburn, Petan was the odd man out.

Petan has put up one goal and 11 assists in 43 games this season, most of it spent on the fourth-line with some occasional power-play time.

“I wouldn’t say there’s been a fall off in (Petan’s) last few games,” said Maurice. “He’s been reasonably good. He’s done some good things. We are still waiting for a little bit of production… There hasn’t been a big enough payoff on the power play. Also I think we’d like to get Patty Laine unleashing that shot a bit more and to do that a better net front presence will help us, and Marko Dano is very, very good in front of the net. That’s how all those pieces fit together.”

PAVELEC OUT

Ondrej Pavelec declared himself “100 per cent healthy” earlier this week — and was expected to be in the lineup for the Jets on Friday night for the first time in nine games.

But earlier in the day, Maurice said the veteran netminder just wasn’t ready. As a result, it was Hellebuyck making his ninth straight start in goal with Michael Hutchinson on the bench.

“Pav got through his on-ice (work) but he didn’t get through his off-ice to my liking,” Maurice said. “So I don’t have him backing up.”

As for Hellebuyck, Maurice didn’t hesitate to go back to him after a tough Tuesday’s tough outing.

“He’s gotta get right back on the horse,” Maurice said prior to the game. “He was such a critical, critical piece to us playing so very, very well on the road trip. I put his game against Minnesota in the exact same bucket that I put the rest of the team in. We were quite a bit off what we expect from him.”

Blake Wheeler scored twice and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 29 shots for his fourth shutout of the season as the Winnipeg Jets edged the St. Louis Blues 3-0 in NHL action at the MTS Centre Friday night.

Winnipeg improved to 29-30-6 and pulled to within four points of the Los Angeles Kings, who occupy the final wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Jets led 1-0 at the period breaks.

Carter Hutton made 37 stops for the Blues, who fell to 31-27-5 and are one point behind the Kings.