The Nashville Predators managed to open scoring about a minute in and never looked back. The Winnipeg Jets once again looked discombobulated and out of sync. This has been a problem for the Jets and it is almost like the Predators are the Jets achilles heel.
Teemu Selanne came from Anaheim to cheer for his old team and even his presence could not help the Jets over the hump. Oh well, I blame whatever Jeremy Roenick was wearing for there being no Teemu magic tonight.
Before game seven the Jets have to be able to figure out how to break the trap. However, there has been a pattern that Pekka Rinne cannot string together two good games and neither team can string together two wins in a row buoys well for the Jets.
I’m off to finish my Neo-Citron. Have no fear, I am unable to watch game seven so my curse is lifted.
Ten Thoughts:
- Only a minute in and the Nashville Predators draw first blood and it was on a lovely tip from Viktor Arvidsson. Due to time constraints I do not watch as much hockey as some people, but a couple years ago my good Twitter friend Olivier thought Arvidsson would be a good to great player in short order. He was right, as always. Listen to Olivier.
- I have one complaint about the CBC broadcast: they have Wes McAuley of “you can’t do that” fame and you do not go to him every time he announces something? What kind of monster are you?
- The Predators got called for three legitimate penalties in the first period. The Jets failed to capitalize on any of them and their power play looked disjointed most of the time. That said, the Jets should not be due for a penalty or the Predators be immune from being called for a penalty because of this. That is not how penalties work.
- Paul Stastny has to score on one of his glorious chances. He might have been surprised that the first pass came through, but this game would have been so much different. Way to go, Paul!
- I know it is harping at this point, but whenever Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot are on the ice, the Jets are at a disadvantage. The fact Maurice has not changed this pairing up is horrible. He should have swapped Chiarot out for Joe Morrow a long time ago. Yes, Morrow might score an own goal, but he also might score a goal for the Jets.
- Toby Enstrom has looked so great since game one this series. He has been breaking up two on ones like it is his day job and then he has been starting the offence in his understated Toby way. This is the man I dubbed the Prince of Defence all those years ago (and once dedicated an entire recap to). Love this version of Playoff Toby. Long may he reign.
- Connor Hellebuyck has been fine this game. Strong and solid; making the saves he needs to make. The Jets need him to remain this steady if they want to win the series. He looks like a Vesina candidate once again tonight.
- The Jets just look flat right now. They have had far too many games of looking flat this series. That is one part of them maturing as a team: learning to fight through when things are tough. They will get there though, I promise (and so does Teemu Selanne).
- On point eight: some of that is coaching and I think Paul Maurice is a coach that can get teams to the playoffs, I do not think he is a coach who will lead a team to the Stanley Cup. He is more like Michel Therrien then Dan Blysma. That is a problem for the Jets. While it would be hard to justify firing Maurice this off-season, does a change have to be justified if the entire goal is to have a staff that can lead you to the promised land?
- I talked to On the Forecheck about the great Seth Jones for Ryan Johansen trade, but the Filip Forsberg trade might be the greatest trade of all time. Martin Erat for Filip Forsberg kick-started the Predators rebuild in a big way. And it is a fun blunder for all non-Washington Capital fans.
