Recap:
They say all good things must come to an end. Such was not the case with the Winnipeg Jets recent winning streak tonight as they escaped with a 5-4 shootout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
With their third consecutive victory, and a white hot record over the past three weeks, the Jets now sit alone atop the Southeast Division thanks to a Carolina Hurricanes loss at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Jets won’t have much time to savour the victory as they will make their way to the Nations Capital to visit the upstart Ottawa Senators tomorrow in hopes to pad their hold on third place in the NHL’s Eastern Conference.
Ten Thoughts:
- Oh hey, Joffrey Lupul. You were gone quite sometime (26 games) with that arm/wrist injury. Glad you could announce your triumphant return by scoring on your first shot. /not
- Fitting that UFC 158 also took place tonight as the punches were flying early and often in this game. Unfortunately for Toronto, the affect it had disappeared after the first and the Jets came out with a vengeance.
- Speaking of vengeance, holy second period, Batman! Winnipeg came out on a mission and didn’t stop until they had registered four straight goals. Blake Wheeler had his hands all over tonight’s game with two goals in the frame and one more in tonight’s shootout.
- Wheeler would be an NHL 94 goal scoring wizard with his wraparound moves. Unfortunately a late period collapse meant they would only lead 4-3 to start the third.
- Coming into the game, the Jets were 10-1-0 were when taking a lead into the third period. Make that 11-1-0 now thanks to a great shot by Zach Bogosian in round one million of tonight’s shootout.
- The Jets are in the midst of playing their sixth game in nine nights. That’s a crazy stretch of hockey and fatigue started to show at points tonight, predominantly in the third after the Leafs tied things up.
- You hate to use the word “deserve” in professional sports, but no one deserved a goal more tonight than James Wright. It was good to see him hit the score sheet.
- Phil Kessel continued his cyborg ways with the game-tying goal early in the third period for the Leafs. If the Jets can ever contain him for a complete game, I will be thoroughly impressed.
- James Reimer came out to start the third period. He faced only five shots in the third period, stopping them all. The Leafs did a fantastic job carrying the momentum of the frame and made Winnipeg travel the full 200-foot sheet of ice to establish offense with their dump and chase game.
- Dustin Byfuglien is going to need an IV, some orange wedges and anything else he can use to replenish his energy for tomorrow’s game against the Ottawa Senators. He played an unconscionable 31 (!) minutes tonight.
