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Recap: Jets Bedevil New Jersey

The Winnipeg Jets (12-4-3) used a strong second period of five goals to defeat the Metropolitan Division leading New Jersey Devils (11-5-3) on Saturday afternoon.

The first period was devoid of penalties or goals, as the Devils lead in shots 13-11 at the first intermission.

The Jets got on the board first in the second frame, with Kyle Connor using some nifty hand-eye coordination to knock the puck in past Devils netminder Cory Schneider. The lead would be short lived, as the Devils scored just over a minute later when Brian Gibbons wired one in that was in and out so fast they had to review it. The goal stood, and the game was tied.

Seventy-four seconds later, the Jets took the lead. For good.

Patrik Laine deflected in his 10th of the season to give the Jets a 2-1 lead. Thirty-seconds later, the lead was extended when Jacob Trouba took a nifty feed from Connor and wristed one in. Exactly a minute later, Mathieu Perreault found Matt Hendricks out front and the former Capitals teammates combined to make it 4-1.

The Jets killed a pair of penalties, with more strong play from Connor Hellebuyck keeping it 4-1. Before the period was out, the Jets made it 5-1 when Hendricks returned the favour for Perreault.

Keith Kinkaid started the third period in net for the Devils, as the Jets chased Schneider with five goals on 22 shots.

The Devils got one back, when rookie Will Butcher got his first career goal by poking a lose puck in off the goal line.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

Nothin’

2nd Period

5:51 EV WPG 81 Kyle Connor (5) Assists: 26 Blake Wheeler (20) 55 Mark Scheifele (12)

6:52 EV N.J 39 Brian Gibbons (9) Assists: 40 Blake Coleman(2) 8 Will Butcher (14)

8:06 EV WPG 29 Patrik Laine (10) Assists: 27 Nikolaj Ehlers (5) 18 Bryan Little (6)

8:41 EV WPG 8 Jacob Trouba (1) Assists: 81 Kyle Connor (5) 55 Mark Scheifele (13)

9:41 EV WPG 15 Matt Hendricks (2) Assists: 85 Mathieu Perreault (3) 40 Joel Armia (3)

18:18 EV WPG 85 Mathieu Perreault (3) Assists: 15 Matt Hendricks (2) 40 Joel Armia (4)

3rd Period

7:14 EV N.J 8 Will Butcher (1) Assists: 13 Nico Hischier (12) 9 Taylor Hall (14)

Goalies –

WPG 37 Connor Hellebuyck 34/36 .944 60:00 (11-1-3 .931 SV%)

NJD 35 Cory Schneider 17/22 .773 40:00 (7-4-2 .917 SV%)

NJD 1 Keith Kinkaid 12/12 1.000 20:00 (4-1-1 .905 SV%)

Power Play

Winnipeg Jets – 0/0 (14/64 – 21.9%)

New Jersey Devils- 0/2 (14/61 – 23.0%)

10 Thoughts

  1. The first test of a number of upcoming games against top competition was handled quite nicely by the Jets. The Devils are a division leading team with a high powered power play that was shut down this afternoon. More challenges to come, including a tough road trip.
  2. Perreault, Armia, Hendricks, Scheifele and Perreault each had two point nights. The fourth line combining for six points was a nice touch, as Perreault’s return has lit a fire under a couple of guys not particularly known for scoring.
  3. Rather impressive that the New Jersey Devils went the entire game without a single infraction. Definitely didn’t trip Brandon Tanev, board Dustin Byfuglien and elbow Bryan Little within a few minute span. Nope.
  4. Hellebuyck, Connor. That is all.
  5. Patrik Laine is sitting on an eight game scoring streak, with six goals and three assists in that span.
  6. Toby Enstrom did not finish the second period, and missed the entire third after getting banged up in the middle frame. Hopefully his absence was just a precaution, but we will likely only find out on Monday.
  7. Kyle Connor had a very strong second period, scoring one, causing more chances and eventually setting up Jacob Trouba for his first goal of the season.
  8. Will Butcher isn’t getting nearly enough love at this point in the season. An initial fifth round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2013, Butcher is coming off a Hobey Baker winning season with the University of Denver last year. So far, the rookie has one goal and 14 assists in 19 games.
  9. I believe the save percentage and shooting percentage are higher than they will be at season’s end, but this has still been an overall strong showing from the Jets to this point in the year, and the odds of the team making the playoffs increase with each win. It’s amazing what an above average goaltender can do for you.
  10. I’m sure glad I don’t have to deal with downtown traffic right now.

The Jets now embark on a four game road trip, visiting the Nashville Predators on Monday, followed by a three game swing through California. Winnipeg will play the Kings on the 22nd, Ducks on the 24th and Sharks on the 25th.

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