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Jets must recover quick after emotional Game 7 |
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IF you are one of the few who were lucky enough to get a ticket to the ‘free’ Winnipeg street party downtown during game one of the Western Conference finals tonight count yourself lucky. Somehow between the city and other invested entities the free party has now been commoditized and being there is worth something. This is the hangover from beating Nashville in game seven on Thursday night.
The bigger problem, the one that should matter to Jets fans, is this: are the Jets hung over from their efforts and now face a fresh and rested Golden Knights, a team that seem to have no rest for the weary?
There are a couple of issues to consider as the sun makes it’s way up on game day. The visitors in this series are playing as the underdog, at least by record for the first time. The Golden Knights have to do something a bit different- start away from home. Although does it matter? This team has being doing everything with hockey a bit differently since the season started. Then there is the Jets, the number two seed in the league, who just beat the top seed by winning 3 games on the road.
While some may begrudge the two day turn around start date for the series it might be better for Winnipeg to get back ‘at it’ rather than rest and wait as Vegas has had the luxury of doing. Momentum can be a good thing when used properly and given the methodical way the Jets went about game seven and deconstructing the Predators having the chance to do so again might be a positive as the intensity and distractions increase.
The Jets have had scouts at the Vegas series vs San Jose. They have been watching both teams, as teams have to prepare further out for what happens after you move on. There will be systems to breakdown, player behaviour to watch, along with other individual nuances of the Vegas team.
What will the Jets prepare for? Speed. The Knights play a relentless system of pressure that pushes the opposition into a bit of a track meet and making reads at an increased rate. The other thing they will have to address is Marc Andre Fleury, the expendable goalie who is basically about to set new records in the playoffs with his play.
The topic that many will focus on will be roster/personell and who is in vs who is out. The Jets can match the Vegas speed through most lines and with at least three of them they can match pressure but compared to the cult that is Vegas they aren’t quite as dedicated. What the Jets can do is provide a level of opposition through four forward lines and three defense pairings that LA and San Jose could not. The Jets and Knights split their season series 1-1-1 so expect these games to be tight, simply because that’s how they played in the regular season.
If the roster and optimization is important to how you see the series going one question that might come into mind is bringing back in Roslovic and dropping Armia. Perreault Little Roslovic adds a speed and tenacity that isn’t quite the same as having Armia, although the latter played well in game seven.
With last change for the majority of the series will Maurice opt to try getting some match ups at preferred times? Now the gamesmanship is amped up a little more and will Maurice play with it?
One interesting storyline that those in Winnipeg will know is that prior to the season TSN broadcast and former Winnipeg Free Press columnist Gary Lawless took a job with the Golden Knights as there director of communications and doing game day media. The Golden Knights also took Shane Hnidy from TSN as well who was part of the broadcast crew for TSN. Welcome back home gents.
I’m still on the road and skidding back into town today at 3- just in time to shower and get ready for game 1. Loud and proud Winnipeg, something special is happening.
Jets in 6
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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