"To be honest with you, it's more about playing for each other and your fan base.” Those were the post game thoughts from Andrew Ladd after he scored his second goal of the night in overtime to give his team the win and keep southeast division rival the Florida Panthers from clinching the division title.
While it may be a small consolation for the Winnipeg Jets and their fans, Ladd’s words show the kind of leadership and drive some have expected of the captain with far greater frequency. It’s the case of ‘actions speak louder than words’ and last night the Jets did all the talking on the ice.
But words were said as after the first period the Jets were down 2-0 and showing almost no interest in the game. The ‘sunburn’ jokes were bursting through on Twitter and many of the fans were seeing a team content to ride out the season in any fashion.
"I said a lot of things, but I don't want to repeat them right here," Noel said. "It wasn't too crazy, but we had to be better in a lot of ways and then we went out at the start of the second period and gave up an early goal on the first shift, so what I said couldn't have worked very well." (courtesy NHL.com)
Blake Wheeler echoed this statement from the coach in his post-game comments, which were part of broadcast. Wheeler used one phrase more than once, “Some angry words were said,” as he was asked about any conversations between periods while interviewed.
Whether it was Noel, the captain or other team leaders perhaps the team realized it has recently had the most important teachable moment; that they have to play with passion and desire every night. With the sting of missing the post season still being felt there may have been enough raw emotion between coach and players to snap the ‘sleepwalking’ malaise that has affected the Jets far too many times.
The results speak for themselves as the Jets showed the have pride and care about how they finish this season for the fans and each other. One can be critical about the timing of a lesson learned and there will be no shortage of thoughts but the following question has a far more complex answer. Is this a lesson which has to be repeated next year for those players who return with the team?
With only two games remaining there is far too little sample size for conclusive observation but for some players these last games could be enough to earn a contract in Winnipeg or elsewhere.
The Jets have to move away from the disheartening end of this playing season and look ahead but they cannot forget the hard lesson learned or they are bound to make some of the same mistakes again. The question that will linger on everyone’s mind is will nearly five months away from hockey be enough to time to forget the most important lesson the Jets learned all year?
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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