Walking into the building of the top team in the league is never easy. When it’s mid-January and that team hasn’t lost in regulation it’s downright imposing. The Jets looked the part of scared little team early on being dominated in every facet of the game. While running around Jacob Trouba would take a penalty and Cam Fowler would capitalize on the ensuring PP. It looked to be business as usual for the Ducks.
However less than 2 minutes later Blake Wheeler would take a wrister quick from the outside with no screen that would hand cuff Ducks starter Jonas Hiller to even the score. It was the Jets first shot on net. Jets would slowly turn the momentum around as the period wore on getting the shot count back to just 15-7 for the Ducks by the end of the period. With less than 2 minutes to go a mad scramble in front of Hiller would result in Andrew Ladd scoring his 11th of the year to take a 2-1 lead.
Ducks would continue to pour on the pressure in the second. However with 4:17 left in the period – during an Adam Pardy penalty – Evander Kane would come streaking down the left side and beat Hiller high to the glove side. This would prove to be the end of Hiller’s night after making just 8 stops and allowing 3 goals.
In the 3rd the Ducks were relentless. They would end up pouring 16 shots on net in the period. Nick Bonino would bury the rebound of a Jacob Silverberg shot mid-way through the period to pull to within one but it was the closes the Ducks would get.
Ducks out shot Jets 42-21. Ducks directed a stunning 94 shot attempts at the Jets net, with the Jets responding with just 40. The Jets blocked 36 shots to the Ducks 4. Ondrej Pavelec would finish the night with 40 stops on 42 shots on net.
10 Thoughts
1) Ondrej the Giant tonight. Love him or hate him, he played a great game tonight. Biggest difference was no lazy rebounds kicked back to bad areas.
2) Ladd-Little-Frolik line was better tonight than they have been in the past few. Particularly in the first period they were cycling well and making plays happen.
3) Jacob Trouba just keeps impressing. His poise with the puck is just unreal in any player, nevermind a 19 year old rookie. Makes so many great reads, this kid is the Winnipeg Jets future.
4) Evander Kane showed no rust in his return. His skating and ability to drive the net were clearly missed. Still makes bad decisions with the puck too often, but you take the bad with the good. Kane offers more good than bad normally.
5) Mark Stuart needs to be scratched. The late delay game of penalty is something a veteran like him cannot do. If he cannot even make the smart plays beyond his lack of skills, really what’s the point?
6) The problem with this is Ellerby and Pardy are not an improvement. Both got benched in the 2nd half of the 3rd period and for good reason. Pardy in particular was hugely exposed by the Ducks speed. Defense is a real area of concern for this team.
7) 36 blocked shots. Wow. Amazing. Great job by everyone particularly Enstrom, Trouba and Stuart (in this area) leading the team with 5, 4, and 4 respectively.
8) Anthony Peluso showed why he in my opinion does not belong in the NHL. His inability to get the puck out directly cost the Jets a goal tonight. This is not a new thing for him. He consistently makes horrendous decisions at both bluelines. If your 4th liners can’t get the puck out and can’t get it deep, they need to be replaced as soon as possible.
9) Scheifele continues to be the Jets most consistently dangerous offensive forward. All around the net, making plays happen. His upside is getting higher by the day.
10) Corey Perry continues to be, well, Corey Perry. Love seeing the Jets go after him after his ridiculous late shot.
**Update**
Roll Call!!!
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<th width=20>#</th><th>Commenter</th><th># Comments</th>
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<td>1</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Forget%20Teemu">Forget Teemu</a></td><td>80</td>
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<td>2</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/TJ%20Maughan">TJ Maughan</a></td><td>61</td>
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<td>3</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Sasukespecialman">Sasukespecialman</a></td><td>47</td>
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<td>4</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/J-CA">J-CA</a></td><td>37</td>
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<td>5</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Padre">Padre</a></td><td>28</td>
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<td>6</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Derek%20Gagnon">Derek Gagnon</a></td><td>22</td>
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<td>7</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/HappyCaraT">HappyCaraT</a></td><td>16</td>
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<td>8</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Daniel%20Lipson">Daniel Lipson</a></td><td>15</td>
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<td>9</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/alexmac77">alexmac77</a></td><td>12</td>
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<td>10</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Angy">Angy</a></td><td>8</td>
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<td>11</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/garret9">garret9</a></td><td>6</td>
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<td>12</td><td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/TheDragonReborn">TheDragonReborn</a></td><td>2</td>
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</table>
Forget Teemu, you're a beaut
