Sometimes it looks like the Chicago Blackhawks are playing with an extra man even though there is no power play. That's statement is a testament to how well they execute their systems and from a positional standpoint is there a better team? You'd be hard pressed to find one by my estimation. That skill was on full display last night at the MTS Centre as the two division rivals had their first of 5 meetings this year.
When Sean McIndoe aka Down Goes Brown appears on his weekly segment on the TSN 1290 in Winnipeg he usually has a great quip about something with the NHL. This past week he referred to the Central Division games as a bar fight, with Colorado hiding in the corner and that's exactly what last night was. Thankfully Michael Hutchinson was stone cold sober in net.
Below is a great graph from the wonderful site War-on-Ice.com and it shows the scoring chances by team and it's how McIndoe is so correct in his analogy.
They traded shots right to the end until it looked like they almost knocked each other out at the same time but Winnipeg had won on the scorecard already.
Another picture perhaps paints a different picture and the importance of Hutchinson as he played last night.
In this case the Blackhawks just started landing blows after the Jets second goal and never let up but they could not do any meaningful damage.
That's the interesting thing about these central division games, they are tough, never say die battles and the game agains the Wild on Sunday was the same way.
Power Play
Last night the Jets PP finally clicked and it was because they moved the puck without hesitation and retrieved it well. In the second period the Jets hemmed the Blackhawks in and pushed them around with puck movement. The key being was there was no hesitation and holding onto the puck allowing Crawford and the skaters in from to see and track the Jets play. Ladd ultimately scored because Little got the puck and fired it and the rebound was uncontrollable because the Hawks were not in position due to movement. This is something the much maligned Jets PP need to show again.
NHElhers
Nik Ehlers also looked dangerous and was the set up man for the go ahead goal by Scheifele as he raced down the ice to get possession of a puck and then make the pass to the streaking Scheifele who wired it past Crawford. What most people are noticing about Ehlers is that he's aware of the little things that have to be done within a game.
Using terms like 'not afraid' or 'gets his hands dirty' are not accurate to what Ehlers is doing, those are the byproducts or results of the decisions he is making. He is looking to learn and you can see him talking and asking questions to all his team mates in an attempt to get better. Getting better and being a better players comes with knowing what to do, when to do it and how to do it first, then executing. Ehlers is showing that he understands the game is more than one type of dynamic.
Road Trip
The Jets embark on a road trip before a home game where they play 8 of nine games away from the MTS Centre. The first set of 4 games is back to back pairs, Columbus and Montreal and then Toronto and Ottawa. Think the rotation goalie rotation goes like this:
Pavelec Hutch, Pavelec Hutch? I wouldn't be surprised.
Jets have kept up with their central division rivals with 7 of 12 points at home over 6 games for a .588 pts %. That would work out to 96 points on the year. That might now be enough but there's still lots to of games left to play.