Well, that game was as close to a snoozefest as one can get without abusing over the counter sleeping pills and nyquil, hey gang?
If you made it through that and are still awake at this point, you’ll know that the Jets lost against the Predators tonight for a final score of 2-1. I honestly thought this thing was going to overtime and all signs pointed to extra hockey tonight.
The first period was, as stated above, horribly boring. Mark Stuart ended up taking a couple of penalties to stop the Preds from having scoring chances and honestly that’s all I can recall from the first. Even my notes read: “This is Dullsville, baby. Population: All of us.”
The second was less dull as the Jets appeared to wake up just a little bit and get moving. Evander Kane had a bunch of nice chances, but nothing much came of them directly. His work on the ice did lead to an awesome short handed goal from Blake Wheeler though. There was a bunch of confusion towards the end of the second as the Predators appeared to score their first goal of the game. The referees determined it had been played with a high stick and called the goal back, but the Predators answered that with an actual, non-call-backable goal right off the faceoff.
The third was very similar to the second with both teams exchanging shots and some minor words and scuffles and what have you. The game seriously appeared to be heading to overtime when Kalle Jarnkrok (which may be one of my favorite hockey names ever) set up Craig Smith (which is such a boring hockey name, dude are you even trying?) with the Predators second goal with a little more than 2 minutes left in the game.
Ten Thoughts
1) Evander Kane was just trying so hard out there to get a goal and was rewarded with some chances and a resounding clank off the goal post. Poor kid, you'll get them next time.
2) Mark Stuart and the Penalty Parade: I am very torn on this situation. One part of me is all "WOO HOO! Stuart made a smart play and even though he took a penalty, the puck didn't go in the net and that is the point of this game." The other part is seething a little bit because had his puck management not been a thing of nightmares in the first place, he wouldn't have had to make the play to stop the other player from shooting and getting a goal. It worked well for him tonight, but that won't always be the case.
3) Preds score! No, they don’t. YES THEY DO: Mike Ribeiro would have had a goal tonight had the puck not been determined to have been played with a high stick in the second period. But guess what? That didn’t matter as right off the faceoff it was in the back of Pavelec’s net. Ho hum, Jets.
4) So, Chris Thorburn was back in the line up tonight after being scratched last game. Who was out? TJ Galiardi. You know the guy. Super impressive on the penalty kill Galiardi. That guy. He was out tonight. The reasoning that was given by those who are supposed to know these things, is that Galiardi was scratched to give Michael Frolik time on the penalty kill which is the kind of reasoning that scares me. Why not keep Galiardi in and give Frolik some time on the PK anyway? Why does Thorburn consistently have to be a thing with this team?!
5) Oh, my dear poor sweet Jacob Trouba. You've been having one heck of a rough go lately, hey bud? Just a bunch of hot mess all over the defensive end, hey? Insert sad sigh here. You could be so good, kid. You really really could. I hope whatever issues you're having currently work themselves out right quick because I really really want to have good things to say about you.
6) That being said, apparently young Master Trouba and his weathered D partner Mark Stuart were the top D pair tonight. Huh. What a world we live in.
@arcticicehockey Puck Possession stats.Scheif line was only good line tonight. And surprise,Trouba/Stuart best D pair pic.twitter.com/9OGR0PWjlM
— Claude Saindon (@amatoudi) November 16, 2014
7) Paging Mr. Byfuglien: Dustin Byfuglien was very quiet out there tonight to the point that I almost checked the lineups to see if he was even on the ice. Not that he’s the flashiest of guys out there ever, but it would be nice to see him make more of an impact out there. He has the size and the intimidation factor all going for him and apparently enough talent as forward to still be in that position, but he’s just not using it for whatever reason.
8) I am kind of at a loss for words right now honestly. I really thought that I'd still be sitting on my couch watching the game in overtime (and possible shoot out), but hockey is a fickle, fickle beastie. The Preds second goal came at the worst possible time for the Jets who couldn't get it together enough in time to force overtime. Slow and steady seems to be the way the Jets play best, but at times that turtle pace is not going to cut it.
9) Can’t go without mentioning Ondrej Pavelec though! It was nice to see a bit of emotion from Pavelec when the first Predators goal that actually counted went in. I was pretty mad too, Pavs. I know that feel. In all honesty though, he was the least of my concerns tonight with the Jets.
10) Olli Jokinen is a majestic, marvelous lion man and I’m sort of sad he’s not a Jet anymore because of hair reasons.
