Jets Win- 4 Games for Backes? Magic Number 2
The Jets won last night with Ondrej Pavelec posting a consecutive shut out in back-to-back games.
Let that sink in for a minute.
Now another…
…then a few more.
Who was that idiot who wrote that Hutchinson should get the start last night?
Pavelec did what Jets fans have been waiting since 2011, not the shut outs rather, the winning, almost single handedly of games that had massive significance. These two wins and the fashion in how they were won (holding on for dear life) were the panacea for what has ailed the Jets down every stretch dive.
How’s that for a hot take?
Frankly looking at the inner workings of the win(s) don’t really matter because even with the eye-test they have not been pretty but take nothing away from this group right now, it’s different. Even in the two losses last week to the Rangers and Blackhawks the Jets were in each game, never down and out, resolute to a fate.
Now they sit closer than ever to the post season and need just two points in any fashion to clinch that long elusive spot in the post season. So how does this all break down with the Jets, Flames and Kings all playing tomorrow?
If LA beats Calgary tomorrow night and the Jets lose the Flames and Kings sit tied at 95 points with the Flames sitting inside due to ROW.
Flames-95 WIld- 98 Jets-96 ———— Kings-95
If the Flames beat the Kings clean and the Jets lose then the Jets are in as LA has one game and cannot catch them
Flames- 97 Wild- 98 Jets- 96 ———— Kings 93
If the Kngs and Flames play to a 3 point game with LA winning and the Jets losing then LA has a shot as do the Flames if both win Saturday. This scenario is the worst possible outcome for the Jets on Thursday night.
Flames-97 Wild- 98 Jets- 96 ————- Kings-95
However, if the Jets earn a point on Thursday and Calgary beats the Kings clean it then the Jets are in:
Flames-98 Wild-98 Jets-97 ———— Kings-93
The Jets would also be in if Calgary beats LA in OT or the SO and the Jets earn a point:
Flames- 97 Wild-98 Jets-97 ————- Kings- 94
If LA wins and The Jets win it matters BIG TIME on Saturday either as Calgary is playing for a clean win or point against the Jets.
Flames-95 Wild-98 Jets-98 ———— Kings-95
Saturday’s game if the Flames win and Jets earn a point (Jets lose Thursday) and LA wins would make the standings look like:
Flames- 97 Wild -96 Kings- 97 ———— Jets-97
Finally if the Jets win on Thursday it matters not what the others do - they are in. In fact even if LA wins the next two games clean the Jets must earn two points combined against the Avs and Flames to get in. That’s how big a solid the Oilers did the Jets last night.
Win and you’re in has never been more important for the Jets than tomorrow night in Denver, cheering for a clean win for Calgary too wouldn’t be an awful idea either as that would be the final nail in LA’s coffin.
Back to last night.
That was as violent a game as many have seen in some time and it would be foolish not to give Mark Stuart some props for his effort. He took a lot of abuse including a helmet to skull shot from Oshie along with a ‘double Byfgulien from Backes.
While the 8 games suggested last night seems a bit high should Backes not receive the same 4 games as Byfuglien did for his across the neck chop?
Backes already had Stuart down, was looking at him and for the puck that was within the scramble in and under Stuart. He could not get the puck so he came down again on Stuart with the same two handed cross check across the shoulders/neck area. The only difference between his action and Byfuglien’s was the point at which the attack was started, Buff was higher up.
The problem for NHL Player Safety is that they have a precedent they have to deal with and no injury to use as a reason for a longer suspension. All fans want from the department is consistency and this is that time to present that there is true accountable consistency. Stuart was not hurt, thankfully, but just like Miller had the chance to be brutally injured. That’s why Byfuglien was suspended.
“To summarize, this is cross checking and Miller remained in the game and completed it…
If the 4 games is because Byfuglien is a repeat offender, meaning he has been suspended before, compared to Backes being clean, then there are bigger questions. Other than the Alzner hit where Backes was ejected from the game what part of not handing out an identical suspension makes any sense?
Backes knew where the puck was and chose to cross check the neck of the player below him in a more dangerous spot than the first time he did it. He could not get Stuart to move with his first cross check so applying another one, harder and in a more vulnerable area is a deliberate, calculated attempt to assault a player to get him to give ground and move with a method that is illegal.
Seems pretty cut and dry right? Remember this is the NHL, and nothing is ever as it seems and Jets fans, or NHL fans should want some consistency so probably expect none.