Jets check every box in Game 2 masterclass against Blues
The Winnipeg Jets always say they try to win games 2-1. They just did that on Monday, exhibiting a masterclass performance that epitomized ‘Winnipeg Jet hockey’ en route to taking a 2-0 lead in their first-round series against the St. Louis Blues.
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WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Jets always say they try to win games 2-1.
They just did that on Monday, exhibiting a masterclass performance that epitomized ‘Winnipeg Jet hockey’ en route to taking a 2-0 lead in their first-round series against the St. Louis Blues.
‘Winnipeg Jet’ hockey boils down to four things, which are painted on their dressing room wall:
Structure
Embrace hard areas
Win 50/50 battles
10 per cent more
They ticked each box in Game 2.
Structurally, the Jets completely clogged up the slot, limiting St. Louis to just one high-danger shot and three high-danger attempts during five-on-five play. Connor Hellebuyck would’ve had to have made more than 21 saves if it weren’t for his teammates nullifying potential rebound chances.
“We weren’t giving them much ice, and we were just being patient with it, making them come through us,” Cole Perfetti said. “We didn’t give the middle of the ice away. I think it’s frustrating to play against when you play like that. We were able to keep them on the outside, and when they did get a chance, like at the onset there, Bucky made a great save. It was a great defensive performance.”
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Embracing the hard areas of the ice and winning 50/50 battles? That was the Jets’ bread and butter. Eight of Winnipeg’s 17 five-on-five shots came from high-danger areas.
“They’ve been harder at the net front than we have offensively,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “And that’s net hunger.”
The team’s slew of north-south, meat-and-potatoes players weren’t the only ones with an appetite. It was everyone, notably the team’s top line of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Alex Iafallo. Scheifele’s net front drive to open the scoring was a perfect example of a skilled player putting his work boots on and driving to the net, even if the goal wasn’t the prettiest.
“Our compete level is where it needs to be for playoff hockey,” Jets coach Scott Arniel said.
The puck battles weren’t coin flips.
“I thought our puck battles were real strong tonight. It started in the first period — on the walls, net fronts, off faceoffs — there’s a lot of areas where we were certainly a lot stronger,” Arniel said.
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And the 10 per cent more trope? Yet another third period where Winnipeg was above and beyond the better team.
“Winnipeg has made one more play than us. Both games,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “Shots are dead even, so they’re just making one more play, and their best players are making them.”
Two wins down. 14 to go.
Playoff Scheifele
Joel Hofer may want to be careful next time he toys with Scheifele.
The Blues’ backup goaltender, the last one on the ice for warmups, has been shooting pucks from his end of the ice into the Jets’ net in each of the first two games. He continued as the clock struck zero, a queue for everyone not named Scheifele to exit the ice. Number 55 is always the last one off the ice, especially at Canada Life Centre.
Scheifele even waved at Hofer to get off the ice at one point.
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Way to go Joel, you awoke the beast.
Scheifele played with a vengeance tonight. He was leveraging his strengths — protecting pucks along the wall, threading the needle with his passes — and he had some snarl. After scoring the game’s opening goal, he was jawing at Brayden Schenn from the bench. He was dialled in defensively, finishing hits with authority and batting down opponents’ passes with precision.
Here’s the thing about Scheifele — his game is tailor-made for the playoffs. He loves creating offence off the cycle, is excellent at pinpointing narrow seams, and has the clutch gene, too.
Dating back to the 2017-18 playoffs — where he scored 14 goals in 17 games — Scheifele is tied for the third most playoff goals per game among players who have played at least 30 post-season games (0.58).
The Hammer and the Sword
Winnipeg’s third pair of Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn deserves a nickname.
The Hammer and the Sword.
Stanley, the hammer, can instantly change a game with a bone-crushing hit. Aside from the two goals, Canada Life Centre didn’t get any louder than it did when the six-foot-seven defencemen obliterated Jordan Kyrou.
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Schenn, the sword, demonstrates procession when taking time and space away. He may not lay a guy out in open ice — although he does leave players black and blue along the wall — but the way he can box players out and pin them against the wall is a work of art.
The hammer and the sword were excellent on Monday.
“Those are two intimidating guys out there,” Arniel said. “When we’ve got Luke there, and it’s the same as Stan, we want people to go the long way around to get to the net front. And if they’re going in the corners to get pucks, we want to make sure they know it’s not going to be an easy ride.”
