Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Wounded Ducks host Jets

November 24, 2017, 3:23 PM ET [3 Comments]
Peter Tessier
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Anaheim Ducks have long been a thorn in the sides of the Jets. Like any bird in the sky all they would have to do to mess things up is hit the nose cone of a Jet and there was going to be trouble. That happened in the spring of 2015 during the first round of the playoffs and for many Winnipeg fans nothing has ever changed, and that four-game sweep has never been forgiven.


Today there's a chance to roast some duck, beat some fowl, and generally make life miserable for the home team. The Jets while playing their typical low event hockey are a far more complete team than in previous years even if that's simply because they have such dynamic goaltending right now.

Connor Hellebuyck will ge the start today as its expected Steve Mason goes in San Jose tomorrow night.

There are no expected line-up or line changes for the start this afternoon.

Taking away what we saw in LA on Wednesday night is there something to be learned from what the Jets did?

I think the double-shifting of Bryan Little in the first period before the Jets managed to get the lead is a key to some of Paul Maurice's thinking. Little has been off his game this year at least from a points perspective and giving him a boost of more ice and perhaps a more favourable set of opposition.

With the Ducks not having Kesler, Eaves, Getzlaf, Kase and Boll available, the Ducks are without approximately a quarter of the production by points from last season as a team. That's a huge loss considering Kesler and Getzlaf were one and three for them in production total.

This is a game where in the past it set up for most fans to worry about the Jets failing but that sentiment is slow fading away. After the LA game, while not a masterpiece the feeling brewing in Winnipeg is that this is a team that will 'find a way to win' unlike previous years where it was more likely to find a way to lose.

This road trip represents the first real grind for the Jets, 4 games in 6 nights and a game on Monday at home. The Jets now play every other night before a two-day break before hosting Chicago on December 14th. The grind continues until the Christmas break of three days and then right back at it until after the New Year starts. They will have two two-day breaks before the league mandated 6 day break for all teams. It's this run, which really started on Monday, that will either sink the Jets or keep them in the playoff hunt. 27 games in 53 days is a lot but if the Jets were to keep a points pace of .600 that would give them 32 points in that time.

If that were to happen the Jets would have 58 points at 6 games over the half-way point of 41 games. That would be a huge mountain to climb and the schedule becomes much more favourable after that, particularly in the month of February.

Needles to say that's looking ahead too far but the team is 3rd in the league after 20 games. It's fair to raise expectations and one of those is to beat a team as injured as Anaheim is. Let's see what happens.
Join the Discussion: » 3 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Peter Tessier
» Who are the Jets and time for me to let go...
» Jets bet Oilers in scoreless but exciting game.
» Digestion Problems: Jets edition
» Laine shines in 5-2 win over Wild
» Hellebuyck, Laine and Defense shine in 4-1 win over Penguins