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Minnesota gets the Calls and the Win |
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After a game in which the Jets put 48 shots on the opposing goalie and lost, it appeared they would return to their usual strategy of being outshot while scoring more. Didn’t quite work out. A game well played for the Minnesota Wild but, they aren’t winning that game without a number of very favorable calls and non-calls.
1st Period
The Wild started quickly in this one, and you could tell that the 6-0 drubbing they received last time these two teams met was still firmly ingrained in their skulls. Just a 1:12 into the game, a beautiful play beginning with Kunin cruising into the Jets zone and dishing to Eriksson, who found Foligno cross ice with the tap in. Nothing Hellebuyck could do on that one. The defense maybe, but hey, nice play Minne.
Wheeler’s line was looking active early and throughout the game, which was nice considering they weren’t much of a factor during the last one. Recently announced AHL All-Star Jansen Harkins made a solid shot block continuing his dedicated effort to remain an NHLer. The kid has impressed, and enough to start the game on the third line at the expense of Bourque. All in all, it’s a better look for Borky anyway. Can't help but wonder if Harkins will even make that All-Star game when he kind of looks like a Jet already.
Pionk would take an interference call, and then immediately upon exiting the penalty box, be sent back in, because apparently both skates must touch the ice before the puck is played. I wonder what that rule attempts to mitigate. Ah well, might as well get used to it…
On the ensuing penalty kill, Tucker Poolman did a fantastic job standing the Wild up at the blue line twice and making a crucial block. He sure seems more at home in the kinds of games that aren’t played at a million miles an hour.
The period would end with Hellebuyck making a couple dynamite saves off chances in tight, which was great to see after getting the hook last game.
2nd Period
A little Ehlers embellishment would assist the Jets in getting onto the powerplay that would take seconds to produce the tying goal. And what a goal! Wheeler, hanging out on the half wall, scans around and then decides to make the almost impossible pass through a maze of bodies to Scheifele, who absolutely nails it short side. Thing of beauty, that one was. (Why am I writing like Yoda speaks?)
I hope a few bags of ice were waiting at Sbisa’s stall after the game, because he took a couple big hits that left him on his rump. Not easy to do to the big guy. Going the other way, Laine made a sensational no-look, backhand pass just inside the Wild blueline, to Connor streaking in. If not for the full body pokecheck by Dubnyk, no doubt the Jets take the lead there.
A weird sequence in which the Wild took a 4 minute penalty for highsticking Scheifele, would turn into a 4 on 4 after Laine interfered with the Wild defense, and then a 4 on 3 for Minnesota when Poolman hooked his man breaking in alone. The Jets would go back on the powerplay after killing those two penalties, but wouldn’t get it done before the period ended.
3rd Period
Going into the third still up a man, the Jets set up quickly, and with some fancy puck movement to get the puck to Connor behind the net, he proceeded to saucer one over to Wheeler walking in from the half wall for humdinger of a one-timer. Gotta love that powerplay right now.
The Wild poured it on after that, and it appeared that the Jets were content to try and ride out their one goal lead. And they might have been able to with a little bit more attention on the part of the refs, because shortly after Morrissey got smoked in the numbers up against the boards, Foligno would make a spin around pass to Kunin for a spin around shot that Hellebuyck couldn’t quite get the handle on, and we were all knotted up.
The refs would proceed to miss both, an obvious highstick and knee on Ehlers. Ahh… ok. As the time wound down to under a minute and Harkins was still out there on the ice in a 2 – 2 tie, it occurred to me that maybe he was already a Jet. Tough to say once Little and Copp return. Who are you taking out?
OT
… so now that we’re used to it, with the Wild breaking out, Wheeler stick checks Zuccarello and because he cannot hold onto his stick, it’s a 4 on 3 for the Wild. So, here’s what I want to know, are stick checks legal only if a guy holds onto his stick? They sometimes call that a penalty, and sometimes they don’t. What’s the criteria? Really tough one to take after the three missed calls to end the third period. But I digress.
On the 4 on 3, a point shot would remain in front of Hellebuyck, and with Parise mucking it up, Staal would bury his team leading 16th of the year. Maurice would challenge for goalie interference, but who are we kidding? It’s bad business to send 17,954 ticket purchasing fans home with the taste of a loss in their mouths. I'd post the video, but even the Wild Twitter feed would prefer to just take the 2 points and forget about how it all went down. C'est la vie.
You have to admire the restraint that both Maurice and Wheeler showed in their post game interviews. Classy guys. Next up, the Jets have a chance to redeem themselves against a Canadiens team that defeated them fairly handily just prior to the Christmas break. I hear they’re bringing their new $700,000, Russian secret weapon along. Should be fun. Game starts at 6:00 pm Monday.
World Juniors Update
Similar fates in very different games befell the Jets prospects today in the World Juniors tournament. Beginning with Gustafsson and co. losing a heartbreaker to the Russians 5 - 4 in overtime. Gustafsson would add another assist to his totals on a faceoff win that Maple Leafs prospect Rasmus Sandin wired home to give him a goal and three assists through six games. He’ll play Heinola and the Finns tomorrow for the bronze.
As for Heinola, tough day, the Finns were absolutely bombarded by the Canadians in a 5 – 0 shellacking. Being entertained by the Jets precluded me from seeing how he played in the game. Suffice to say, not as well as he hoped. Still, as a fan of the tournament, you couldn’t ask for better match-ups as Finland – Sweden and Canada – Russia are age old rivalries that only get better with time. Should be fun.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger • 
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