The Jets pulled off a win last night with goals from Jim Slater and a tic-tac-toe play from Petan-Halischuk-Ehlers for the rookie's first NHL (preseason) goal. The game had more of the choppiness fans have become accustomed to in pre-season hockey but unlike the last game there was something different developing with the Jets, something interesting.

While I won't dare suggest that Paul Maurice reads this space, but in what is surely a coincidence Maruice's charges showed something different on the ice last night. It was something I was all but demanding to see in yesterday's column: change.

The Jets have speed and Maurice wants to use it but using speed as an opportunistic tactic also means a possible opening defensively if the transition game from own end into neutral ice fails. It did a few times last night but that's a good problem because somethign with this group is evolving.

When the Jets gained or battled for possession in their own end they had a winger sit on the half wall but usuall closer to the blue line than the end. It was done with frequency but with limmited success. The goal with this tactic was to get the puck up the ice faster and with control.

So the player who gained possession of the puck was to push it to that winger/player on the wall and then out. If you have ever watched the Canucks play the Sedins have used variaiotions of this method to great success where they get the puck in the neutral zone at speed.

The problem that the Jets had last night was the support was not getting up the ice fast enough to take the next pass or retrieve the puck if it was tipped out. To further complicate the process if the puck came back to a player at or before the blue line that Jets player was often being caugh from behind and having his 'pocket picked'.

This however is to be expected as the Jets are also trying to implement defensive system changes too. Parts of that strategy may have been seen too last night as on a few occaisions the C was dropping low in their own end in situations where there was not a puck battle on wall.

It appears the success of this change is for the forward players to read and see the play develpop before it really does. By that they have to start moving before the puck does so that the player on the wall has an option for outlet as the defense closes the gap on them at blue line. With the centre down lower who is that pass to go to?

There seems to be the process problem of this change. If the centre is hanging lower the far winger either has to move in, the centre was to make a different pass or skate sooner. It could be as simple as recognizing the play and timing it better or the one of the defense has to be part of the break out.

Last night was the first real noticeable example of this change but it seems to have only limited success. That could, and hopefully will, change but only within the confines of the defensive system.

If we saw some of those defensive changes last night did the help Pavelec (as itended too) or did he have an easy night in terms of work? One thing is certain those dissection Pavelec's game last night were wasting their time, there was nothing to criticize. Jets fans have to learn that whe he plays well he deserves the same energy in praise as is put into venom when he plays poorly. That starts in this space as well.

With two games left looking at the player alignment and spacing down low as well as the half wall, may provide some insight as to how the Jets are evolving under Maurice. The evolution will certainly take some time but it's a necessity with this group of players, none of which seem to be elite puck handlers or passers...yet.

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