In Blake Wheeler’s 1000th NHL game, the Blake Wheeler’s squared off against the Not Blake Wheeler’s. If you predicted the game devolving into an absolute dumpster-fire of chaos, goals, and vacant officiating, you got your money’s worth. The Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs started the night playing hockey and finished the evening in an MMA cage-match. Amidst the wreckage of human bodies, the Jets emerged victorious 6-3. What can we takeaway from tonight’s absolute madness?
Seven Takeaways
- The Jets were full value against Toronto. Sure, the Leafs were on the second half of a back-to-back. All that said, Toronto’s a true Cup contender and had been on a hot run of form. Crushing them at even strength was a surprising turn from Winnipeg.
- Winnipeg scored power play goals. Power play goals! They also conceded some, but never mind that nonsense. The Jets 5v4 units scoring is nice, innit?
- The Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler line got obliterated. They struggled to create much of value offensively and got thrashed in the defensive zone for most of the night. The rest of the line-up fared significantly better.
- Svechnikov finally scored again, a much-deserved goal for his hard-working shifts and creativity. Give the man more ice-time, Mo.
- The refs lost control of this game quickly, and there will need to be suspensions that follow. Pionk and Spezza should both be sitting for their part in the crapshow.
- The third line put out a defensively-suffocating performance. Vesalainen adding offensive skill (and getting to use it more frequently) is only good news for the Jets.
- For the W.
