Well, that happened. I think that game was okay. The commentary was bad and distracting, but the Jets played well and won so that’s good.
On the Jets: they lost Matt Hendricks to injury and it did not seem to really impact their game. Nikolaj Ehlers continues to use his speed to positively effect the game, and Blake Wheeler almost snapped a goalless drought if it wasn’t for Jack Roslovic’s butt. Oh, and Hellebuyck played well and got a shutout. Is he possibly in contention for the Vezina?
Ten Thoughts:
- The Winnipeg Jets power play is looking a bit more like it did earlier in the year. Using Jack Roslovic on the PP has been great as he brings the offensive element that the group lost when Mark Scheifele went down. He has been a solid addition to the group.
- The Jets third line this game looks bad. It’s more than Andrew Copp being better with Adam Lowry, it’s that Brandon Tanev and Joel Armia are not going to help elevate Copp like Lowry does, but when Kyle Connor and Marko Dano are on the fourth line…maybe upgrade your third line.
- Thank god the NHL rounded the glass where there used to be stanchions because Roslovic could have been hurt badly on an innocent hit otherwise. Sometimes, the most innocent plays cause the most damage.
- Both teams are losing bodies like it’s nobodies business. For sure both Nikita Zadorov and Matt Hendricks left the field of play and it seems as though Hendricks is done for the night. Maybe we will have a second third line all of a sudden.
- The Jets second line has been their best line for a while now. All three players are buzzsaws who create a lot with a strong forecheck and lots of skill. Appreciate them.
- Nikolaj Ehlers really struggles on breakaways which is a shame because he’s so fast. Find someone who is good at them and pay them to teach him how to score on them. The Jets will make that money back tenfold.
- It will be interesting to see if Nic Petan gets called up before the end of the year. He is at 86 NHL games meaning 14 more games will make it so the Jets are only able to send him down if they place him on waivers. It will be interesting to see how the Jets handle this developing situation.
- The Jets struggling to finish in close this game is probably more a reflection of how Semyon Varlamov is player rather than their play itself. I miss the days of Retto Berra, starting goalie.
- Not sure how the Nashville Predators are doing with their part of the Matt Duchene trade, but Samuel Girard and Colin Wilson have been noticeable in the good way. Duchene of course is on a bad Ottawa Senators team.
- After all that, the only conclusion I have gotten from this game is that butts are important in hockey, especially when it comes to scoring goals.
