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Noel's Move sets Joker Wild!

December 3, 2013, 12:38 PM ET [13 Comments]
Peter Tessier
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • RSSArchiveCONTACT
It was a typical start, at least as Jets fans with short memories think, last night for the Jets. A poor breakout pass to no one by Ellerby led to another first goal of the game against the Jets and the concerns on Twitter started to mount.

The Jets came into the big apple after a somewhat horrendous showing in the city of brotherly love three days earlier. To compound matters #thenatural Evander Kane was out with the all-encompassing ‘lower body injury’ so Chris ‘Sniper’ Thorburn was promoted to the second line with Jokinen and Setoguchi. The critics were out in full force once that was known, but the stage was also set for a different story line.

One thing that gave Jets fans a positive feeling in a rather dreary first period was Anthony Peluso dropping the glove and pounding Falk to near submission. It was a rare start for Peluso, a figure many think deserves a bit more time on the ice simple because he has not lost a fight as a Jet. To be frank the guy’s hands are like hammers and I’m pretty sure every opposition player looks like a nail. Yeah he’s tough.

It was the second period where things turned around for the visitors. Who knows what was said or consumed between periods, but the fire was burning hot in the bellies of the Winnipeg Jets. Devon Setoguchi opened the scoring with a nifty blast from the high right slot and tied the game. Soon after, in what would be a near fairy tale event, Dustin Byfuglien caught an errant Rangers pass and turned up the ice before feeding a streaking John Albert. Who? The guy called up from the AHL St. John’s Ice Caps to play some fourth line minutes in the wake of the line shuffling due to Kane’s injury.

So what happens next? Albert gets in past the defense and rips a shot up over Talbot and into the corner Kane has missed about 6000 times this season. It was his first game and his first goal in the NHL all in front of his parents and family who had driven over 8 hours to see him play.

The Jets and Ranges traded chances in that period with the visitors falling out of flavour with two posts behind the Rangers goalie. Eventually the home team tied it up as Trouba could only stop so many whacks at the puck as Pavelec laid sprawled out after his initial saves.

It was the third period where things went wild, that is Jokers Wild. Olli Jokinen first took a pass in the slot and ripped one past Talbot and oh look Thorburn on the fore check grabbed the first assist, and his second on the night. Then six minutes later Trouba brought the puck into the zone before feeding it to Jokinen who cut across and fired a snapshot that slithered in behind Talbot to give the Jets a rare two-goal lead.

Trouba played another role as a key helper as he helped win the puck battle in the Jets zone and rushed up the ice before dishing to a wide open Blake Wheeler who scored the empty netter and his first goal in over 10 games. Trouba had a shot but played it safe and unselfishly by dishing to Wheeler in what as another strong game of poise and effort from the rookie defenseman.

So what went right lat night, especially for the second line, one that seems to be missing more often than it is seen? It wasn’t the addition or rather the loss of Kane but let’s not discount what Thorburn did, and believe me when I’m surprised as anyone to write that.

The one thing known about Jokinen is that he is a shoot first player, as is Setoguchi and as is Kane. When on a line together they are prone to go to the shooting areas, but if no one is going to tough spots or the doing the grunt work how do the shooters get the puck? Enter Chris Thorburn, yeah really.


Thorburn was a wild card move. One that stymied the logic of many observers and one that simply seemed to only reiterate the lack of depth the Jets have. What we learned was that perhaps the lack of depth is not as bad as some may say but more importantly there’s not the right dynamic. No one is saying Chris Thorburn is the answer to a slumping second line but he might be a clue as to what can improve it.

Regardless, Noel played his card and sent Joker wild! It won him an important game and the valuable two points in the pot and that’s all the matters now. There is a clue though with the success of Thorburn on the second line as it may explain why the Jets have scouts in some unusual places lately. That’s another topic but at least we’re talking about something different with this team instead of the same old narrative.
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