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Big Game but Simple Approach is Necessary

May 7, 2018, 5:42 PM ET [38 Comments]
Peter Tessier
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • RSSArchiveCONTACT
For game six tonight at the Bell MTS Centre there might be some pressure but it's almost equal for both teams. Certainly Nashville is feeling it given a loss and they are eliminated in the second round after winning the Presidents trophy and being a favorite for the Stanley Cup all year. For the Jets it's because this game may be the biggest and most important game in their NHL history. I've said this a few times on Twitter but it's worth repeating. At now time in the NHL history of the Winnipeg Jets did they play a game that mattered as much as this one does. Sure game 7 against the Oilers was huge given that they were up 3-1 in the series but tonight, at home, this game puts the Jets in uncharted territory as an NHL franchise- the conference finals if they win.

To achieve the win is another issue altogether though and if the Jets could bottle what they did on Saturday night and drink the formula and execute it all over again they would, but that's not possible. However, a few of the underlying principles of that game are and the Jets need to keep it simple, manage emotion and nerves, and dictate the pace and flow of the game.


Easier said than done.


1. Something is amiss with Nashville's vaunted defense and more than a few NHL pundits are beginning to question it and the effect of the players on it. If you read the last blog the Jets countered the heavy use of Subban-Ekholm and Ellis-Josi by grinding them down on shifts. That's the difference in depth, even more so now that Perreault is back. Given that Perreault is second line player on 95% of all NHL teams he wreaks havoc when playing down on the 4th line, particular when paired with Little, another second line calibre player and any of Armia, Roslovic or other.

If Laviollete decides to run his top four in the same manner as game five he risks a real problem with Maurice having last change and the depth to wear them down. It's simple really- keep putting pressure on miss-matched lines with forwards and Laviolette may have to cover them with using his top four. It's not that they are playing so many minutes at 5vs5 it's that none of them are now easy minutes.

2. Drive the play. While many Jets felt they played a decent road period to open the game on Saturday, it was the cool and collected Hellebuyck that kept the score 0-0 despite the efforts of Nashville offense. The Jets have to push forward and have the drive when opportunity presents to push the play back at Nashville. There can be no tentative start by the Jets with a wait and see approach to the game, it needs to be full steam ahead from the opening face-off.

3. Manage the shots against. Again, if you saw the blog from yesterday you will know that the Jets did an efficient job of allowing shots from low dangers areas while containing the shots against from the higher danger areas. The Jets have allowed more shots but they have been ones Hellebuyck can manage and control.

4. Don't engage in the shenanigans that will happen. The Jets cannot afford to be drawn in by Hartnell or Subban to chase them via retaliation. The pressure is on the Preds and they have to rise up and play hockey at some point- make that difficult for them by not letting them draw penalties.

5. Play difficult hockey. When the Jets are driving the play, running a cycle and basically creating mayhem around Rinne is when the Preds falter. Make those minutes the Nashville top four play hard minutes so if they have played 22 mins each at 5 vs 5 it feels like 32 and they are gutted at the end of a shift and then do the same thing over. That's what happened on Saturday and it's the exact same thing that the Jets should do tonight.


The whole thing about series clinching games is that there's pressure to go around, but when you have a team back against the wall, particular the President's Trophy winner, you have to be smart and cautious. That's not to suggest a team should sit back and feel out the game, rather it means be smart and do not give them any opportunity. That's when the Jets are best, they simply push the other team to the brink of effort and when they do that, they are the best team in the league.

It's going to be a thriller tonight in Winnipeg. It's 30C (86F) out, it's May, the entire city is in white and people are ready to celebrate. Now the team just has to do their thing.
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