Jets Soar over Blackhawks
It’s usually not a disappointment when these two teams meet and tonight at the MTS Centre they had their first meeting of the season. The game was not a tentative affair and they usually aren’t when these two teams meet. The possession battle was somewhat even through the first but the Jets took the lead after an amazing series of passing starting with Jets rookie Patrik Laine. It began the Jets zone with Laine getting the puck and skating up before passing to Ehlers who fed into a streaking Scheifele who looked up and saw Josh Morrissey coming in from the point. Morrissey fired a wicked slap shot that Crawford caught but eventually dribbled past and over the goal line.
It was 1-0 after one and through the second period the Blackhawks picked up the pace and threw everything at the Jets and Connor Hellebuyck. The goalie held firm and despite giving up far more chances, the Jets held onto the one goal lead after two periods.
The third period started off much the same but sometimes you see luck pass you by and sometimes it lands in your lap. The Jets worked the puck up to the point from the corner and Paul Postma fed Chris Thorburn back down on the half wall. The veteran foward and franchise leader in games played turned from the outside and whipped a shot towards the net. It hit a stick and sailed over the far should over Crawford who simply had no idea.
Not long after Dustin Byfuglien wound ‘it’ up and took the puck in and around the net on a drive. Instead of feeding it out front he attempted a weak shot/wrap around attempt but who was there to tip it up and in- the NHL goal scoring leader Patrik Laine. That was number 12 for the rookie.
Before the faithful in the MTS Centre could catch their breath Marko Dano made a very nice zone entry before feeding a steaking Nic Petan who whiffed on the first attempt but pushed it by Crawford to make it a 4-0 lead. That was it for the goalie as Darling came in and that was it for the Blackhawks as well. They never recovered and the Jets cruised in for a 4-0 win over the top Western Conference team.
Is there something fans and observers can take away from this game with such a dominant win?
The Jets are starting to look more and more ‘for real’. How real is another issue but they can play with anyone and this is also a team missing five starters too.
How much should Jets fans and management put into the current combinations that are playing so well? Is there a chance that with the team getting healthy, there is a set back trying to reintegrate some of the players who have been injured?
If there is concern for the above issue, can it be solved in the short term? If so, how?
What role is Trouba playing in the Jets improved play? Now with three games played can he be seen as making that next step despite missing 15 games to start the season?
Anyone else notice that in his last five games Hellebuyck has one 1.000 .931, .920 .933 and .750 and now sits with a season .916 save percentage?
The Jets are now 50.26% for Corsi on the season, that’s a far cry from being at 46% a few weeks ago. They are still low on PDO at 98.95 but not far off from being even.
Remember when this team had no fight in the third period a few seasons ago? They now lead the league with 25 3rd period goals.
Last season Nik Ehlers had a .507 points per game scoring rate. This year through 18 games he’s at .777 and only looking stronger.
It’s a good feeling to beat a key division rival and top team in the West but there’s still more for the Jets to prove- both to the fans and themselves. They go on a five game road trip staring Thursday in Philadelphia with stops in Boston, Carolina, Minnesota and Nashville before facing Nashville at home right after. Come through that trip with even or positive points and this team might have won over even the harshest critics, at least for the short-term.