First Period: No Tyler Myers for the Jets, so his minutes will have to be made up elsewhere on defense. Mike Hutchinson starts for the Jets coming off his shutout against the Avalanche, while the Sabres elect to start Robyn Lehner, who was back up to the Sabres Anders Nilsson during yesterday's shutout win. Turnover on a line change by the Jets causes a Buffalo scoring chance with little defense. Enstorm is teamed with Postma, Byfuglien is paired with Morrissey, while Chariot is with Stuart for defense pairings. First shot on goal by the Jets happens at the 16:38 mark. Ironically, keys to the game given by TSN is that the Jets have to find their legs early. No practice yesterday, as the Jets made their way back from Colorado, and with it being an early game today, their was no game day skate, so the new defensive pairings have had little chance to get it together so far. Lots of commentary chatter about the defensive pairings as Chariot and Postma are both playing on their offsides. Bogosian is playing for the Sabres, so maybe it's a bit of crytptic messaging to Jacob Trouba, if he's watching the game, that the Jets are moving on without him and that his teammates are willing to do whatever it takes to win, even if that means playing on the offside. Sabres' Gionta and Jets' Enstrom go off for offsetting roughing minors. Sabres' Okposo goes off for interference goes off for interference, so Jets go on the PP. Sabres' Okposo scores on his own rebound off the defensemen and the Sabres go up 1-0. Sabre's Gionta scores off a bawbled Hutchinson glove save, and it's 2-0 Sabres in short order. Line changes and coverage seems to be the Jets' kryptonite in this game. Jets control in the Sabres' zone for a good 2 minutes. Laine and Ehlers have changed lines, as Ehlers joins Scheifele and Wheeler, while Laine joins Perreault and Connor. The Jets aren't really a house on fire, but there's smoke as the team begins to get it together as the first period draws to a close.
Second Period: 9-8 are the shots in favour of the Jets. Odd man rush given to the Sabres as Gionta rings one off the iron. Jets on the PP as Moulson draws one on Scheifele. Sabres kill the PP with no real threat by the Jets. Morrissey with a good chance as the Sabres defense geos deep in their own zone to cover the speedy line of Armia, Lowery and Matthias. Starting to get chippy out there. Sabres' Ennis with the wraparound try. Jets' Armia with a shot on goal from his offside. Armia, Lowry and Matthias are starting to get their mojo going at the 11 minute mark. Jets' Tanev is an island with little support from Burmistrov and Thorburn. Ozzy's Crazy Train blasting thru the PA system at the MTS Centre in hopes of firing up the home crowd. Pace starting to pick up as a little Crazy Train seemed to work. Sabres can't get it out of their own zone for a full 3 line changes by the Jets. Burmistrov stood up by the Sabres' McCabe, then gets the puck back, but gives it up again at the Sabres' blue line during a line change. Oh my! Okpsos goes the other way and scores. Ouch! Sabres 3-0, Hutchinson is pulled for Hellebuyck. PoMo is pissed! Sabres' Ristolinen is given two minutes on a high head hit on Jets' Wheeler. Wheeler to the dressing room for the noggin diagnostic. Jets shell the Buffalo net to no avail as the penalty ends. Jets' Scheifele dipsy doodles his way in and draws another penalty as the period ends.
Third Period: Wheeler back on the ice to start the 3rd, so that's good news. The PP ends with Jets' Laine is a frustrated cat. Jets' Wheeler gets a high sticking call and the Sabres go on the power play, while PoMo is still pissed! Jets' Thorburn goes heavily into the end boards and is helped to the dressing room. Penalty is killed off. Jets' Ehlers scores on a slick bank pass by Wheeler and it's now 3-1 Sabres. Wakey Wakey Winnipeg! Laine with 4 shots on goal in the third alone. Scheifele and Okposo go off for offsetting minor penalties with 4 on 4 upcoming with 11:36 left. Morrissey helped to the Jets bench by Ehlers after taking a slapshot to the knee. Thorburn is back in the game. Lots of back and forth action and the play whistled down with 4:44 left. Sabres' Bogosian off for tripping with 4:20 left. @ 3:15, Jets pull the goalie with just over a minute left in the power play. Buffalo with 3 empty net attempts on the penalty kill. With the penalty over, the Jets call a time out. Another empty net try by the Sabres, but it's now icing. Again, empty net try, this time off the post. Icing again. Sabres crease scramble with 46 seconds left as Jets go on the PP. PoMo is still pissed!. Sabres try for the empty net again, which seems like their 6th try, to no avail. Game over. Sabres pull a 3-1 win out of the Winnipeg Jets
