First Period: No Trouba, so it stays Postma and Chariot as the third D pairing. Hellebuyck gets his 4th straight start. Yotes counter with Domingue. Strong "True North" shout out during the national anthem. Puck drops and we're off and running. The Jets keys tot he game via TSN is short shift length. Yotes with the early pressure. If Trouba wants the big bucks, he needs to put up Ekman-Larsson numbers…just saying. All lines are into the game by the 17 minute mark. Jets are scrambling and running around, roadrunner like. Good chance for Wheeler from Petan. Vrbata either likes the desert or he's a glutton for punishment, as it's his 3rd spin with the Yotes. Copp breaks in after a bit of a gaffe along the boards by Yotes' Doan, and scores. Jets up 1-0. Scheifele and Enstrom with the assists. Yotes' Chychrun gets away with tripping. Connor with the nifty touch and go pass with Laine. Ehlers to Scheifele to Myers who finds the post. Jets have really settled down in the second half of the period. Yotes' Vrbata was Johnny on the spot as he finds the puck in the Jets's zone and shoots the puck up and over the right shoulder of Hellebuyck. 1-1 tie game. Connor has been bumped around quite a bit so far, and it's only 10 minutes in. If I must say, Connor might be a Moose player once all Jets are healthy. Yotes' Martinook for McGinn with a shot on Hellebuyck. Postma for Burmistrov with a fluttered one timer. Yotes' Reider for Schenn, blocked by Copp. Yotes' have a great break out pass system going as Dvorak is sprung but broken up by Enstrom. Yotes' White didn't read the memo on Byfuglien. Thorburn struggles along the boards with the puck. Jets unable to get the cycle going in the Yotes' zone with 2 minutes left in the first. Fefe springs with the puck, but Yotes' Domingue meets him half way and poke checks the threat away. Buzzer sounds and it's a 1-1 tie this far. Time for a pepsi!
Second Period: Yotes lead in shots (8-3) and hits (11-9) after the first. Jets' start with Lowry, Copp and Tanev. Laine, Scheifele and Ehlers line cycles the puck well in the Yotes' zone. Brumistrov with the dunp in and Dano on the doorstep as Domingue gloves the puck with play whistled down. Yotes' Richardson off for interference on Tanev. Jets on the PP. Yotes with penalty kill pressure, but Laine saves the day. Yotes' kill off the power play, as Connor seems to control the play in the last half. Thorburn stood up by Yotes' Murphy! Duclair in alone but Myers catches up as Duclair gets the shot off on Hellebuyck. Pace picks up now. Wheeler, then Postma with chances. Yotes' Chychrun goes off for holding and Jets back on the PP. Petan to Wheeler, and Wheeler breaks a scoring drought. 2-1 Jets. Yotes' Schenn decides to waltz with Thorburn. uh, I'll give it a 5/10. Buff is grinning ear to ear, then blasts a shot towards the Yotes' net. Jets now up to 9 shots for the game. Yotes' Domi and Buff chat and chirp. Yotes' Domi and Chychrun team up for a chance. Laine coughs up the puck in his own zone and Yotes' Duclair given a chance on Hellebuyck. I wonder what song is constantly playing in Hellebuyck's head…I mean, he makes movements with his arms prior to the face-off, making it look like he's doing the chicken dance or something. Yotes with a few chances as the second period winds down, highlighted by 3 post pings. Jets up 2-1 so far. Time for a bathroom break.
Third Period: Yotes lead on shots 19-12 so far. Ehlers suddenly takes up figure skating as he does two twirl -a- whirls. Scheifele then Laine receive hit sticks that aren't called. Yotes' Reider breaks in and tries to go back hand. No go. Yotes' Domingue slow to stand after a Dano shot. Ehlers with a quick, high shot. Lots of back and forth action. Buff with the shot, then gets it back and tries to drill it thru Yotes' Domingue's sturnum. Jets treat the Yotes' defensive zone as a shooting gallery. 7-2 are the shots in favor for the Jets in the this period. Yotes' Vrbata with the quick shot. Laine with Ehlers on a two on one, no go. Yotes come right back and Byfuglien hits Yotes' Dvorak, taking a 2 minute penalty for attempted murder. Jets on the PK. Jets kill off the penalty with clearing by Enstrom and Thorburn. The Big Buff Machine fights off two Yotes defenders while protecting the puck behind the Yotes net, and then gets the puck in front. Morrissey with the great defensive play. Wheeler and Yotes' Crouse each take a hit and both head to the bench. Thorburn to Dano, creating a scrum in the Yotes' crease. Scheifele hits the iron! Yotes' White knocks down Myers, then Enstrom, as White tries to goon things up! Laine knocks down the puck, and Ehlers snaps it past Yotes' Domingue. Jets now lead 3-1 with 3 minutes left. Laine with the assist. Wheeler now out with Petan and Dano. 15 – 5 are the shots this period for the Jets. Yotes pull the goalie with a minute left. Jets kill off the remainng time until Yotes' Reider scores making it 3-2 Jets with one second left. Jets win 3-2. Remember to Thank a Veteran!
