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Jets look to spook the Wild tonight |
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It's these kinds of games that get fans and coaches nervous. The team comes off an easy win at home, one where everything seemed to go their way and now has to dive into some stiff competition from a division rival on the road. It's a quick trip as the Jets are back home to host Dallas and Montreal after so do they look at this game as important.
First off, of course they should 2 points now is just as important as 2 points any other time of the season but in this case maybe even more important. Right now only the Wild have a games in hand on Winnipeg, 10 vs 9 games played. This is an extremely unusual situation for the Jets as they rarely have had games in hand on anyone since they returned to Winnipeg and last year was by far and away the worst year. Thus getting a clean 2 points against a rival only helps the Jets, as wins seem to do, but it keeps them on pace with the division leaders too, Dallas and St. Louis.
Rick Ralph from TSN tweeted this out yesterday:
And I think it's important to understand it in the framework of the team and what Maurice has been preaching about speed and attack. From a tactical point the Jets, at least as Maurice is explaining it, are trying to improve their attack via speed so they can increase the offence. It would seem that by doing so the balance of possession would tilt the ice away from the Jets net and hopefully reduce the shots against.
Luckily for the Jets Connor Hellebuyck has stood tall in every game he has played and even Chris Mason appears to have improved his game based on his last outing. For goalies who have played in 7 or more games, Hellebuyck's total, he is 3rd in save percentage at .937 (in all situations) and and 4th in GAA, although that stat is less telling on him.
The question that most would expect to know in terms of goaltending is when/where does Mason fit in? It would not be odd for Hellebuyck to get the next two games it would see and see how Montreal fares before the game on Saturday in Winnipeg. Montreal plays in Minnesota before coming to Winnipeg so I'm sure the Jets will weigh whether it makes sense to have Mason in one of the next three games and will watch the opposition too.
In other Jets goaltender news it's been know that the Jets are taking calls on Michael Hutchinson who is doing duty on the Manitoba Moose in the last year of his two-year deal. With the Golden Knights losing their latest keeper, Oscar Dansk, last night it would seem the opportunity is there for Chevy to make a deal. Don't hold your breath for any significant return as it's likely Hutch would only be worth a low end draft pick, 5th or 6th given his play.
After the game vs the Penguins will the Jets shake up the roster? Lowry practiced in a yellow jersey recently and it's not sure where he stands for a return date but assume it's not tonight. If that's the case should Maurice roll his lines the same way as against Pittsburgh?
The old adage is if it ain't broke don't fix it but can we even say something is broke when it's hard to know what is the correct way of functioning?
That's where many Jets fans are right now as they try to explain the 5-1-2 record since losing the first two games of the season. They want to believe this is the turning point (Pittsburgh game) and that the team is finding their way to the system and standard of play that the coach wants and has designed.
I think that's a fair belief but a longer sample size needs to be observed and measured to know if the team is 'figuring it out' or simply getting some luck and riding a hot goalie. There's lots of good going on but the bigger picture of reducing shots against and creating more offence is still a long term concern. Until this start to edge from the extremes to the middle it will be hard to everyone to agree that the Jets are fixed.
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