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Jets Do Everything but Score Against the Blackhawks |
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It’s the winnable games that Winnipeg hasn’t been winning, and Thursday’s encounter with the Chicago Blackhawks ended up just like that. In the second game of a back to back, the Blackhawks worked hard enough to get 4 pucks past Connor Hellebuyck, while Robin Lehner kept just about everything out.
It wouldn’t take Chicago long either when, following a Jets 2 on 1, Patrick Kane chased the puck into enemy territory and fired a perfect cross ice pass to Alex Nylander rushing in for the tap in. And 59 seconds into the game, the Jets are down. Both Toews and Kane would follow up with great cycling plays, continuing to test Hellebuyck early and prove that they still got it.
Roslovic would then carry the puck into the Hawks zone with some authority and dish it over to Ehlers firing it just high and wide. It seems these two have developed some chemistry playing together on Wheeler’s line. If we do see Little come back this year, starting him on the 4th line and allowing 26,27 & 28 to continue doing their thing might be for the best.
Luca Sbisa would get his bomb off, but without traffic in front, Robin Lehner snagged it with obvious ease. Coming right back, the recipient of soft pass, Brandon Saad puts one on Hellbuyck who has to be quick with the pad to direct his shot into the corner. Back and forth it went until some dirty dealing in the Hawks zone led to zone Ehlers sliding one through Lehner’s pads from behind the net, out to Wheeler in the slot, just to have it intercepted from him as he is about to get one off. Nuts!
Next, it would be Tucker Poolman streaking down the right side and leaving a drop pass for Ehlers to get a decent shot off. I have been tempted to write something about Poolman in almost every game I’ve written about. The guy does so many little things that are crucial to winning and yet they are not always easy to relay in a recap. Seeing him rush down the ice confidently with the puck seemed to be the moment to immortalize in this recap. Of course, he would go on and do something much more recap worthy. But for now…
Awarded a late first period powerplay, the Jets were unable to get one past Lehner, and after 1, shot attempts were 29 – 17 in their favor. Ehlers, getting the period started right, would get a quality shot off, followed by the 4th line wreaking havoc in the Blackhawks end. The top line would also create a chance, as Connor took the feed from Scheifele in an attempt to go back door, only to be fleeced by Lehner. The forechecking was there in the 2nd and so were the chances, including another great set up by Scheifele, this time to Laine in the slot, turned aside again by the dialed-in Lehner. This really was the story of the night as the Jets had a 56 – 26 shot attempts advantage after two periods and were starting to look flustered.
Chicago’s second goal would sting a little bit, as Mark Scheifele gets stripped of the puck by Kane, who deftly slides a pass through the defense to Dominik Kubalik with the backhand forehand finish between the legs. Ouch! That’s a goal allowed within the first minute of each period played.
The Jets would get one back in the form of the foreshadowed Tucker Poolman plot. A nice sequence for him, reading the play off the boards and getting into the perfect position to wire the Ehlers pass home.
Don’t look now, but Poolman is on pace for 30 points, averaging 17 minutes a night, killing penalties and making up one half of your top pair, all for the bargain basement price of $775,000. He’ll do that next year as well. Talk about value.
The Jets would get some more good looks, but Lehner was just not giving anything away last night. That and the Blackhawks were dedicated to blocking 19 shots. By the end of the game they had even improved their shot count, still trailing the Jets 30 – 37. A late, and might I say weak, too many men call would accent a night where not much went right for the Winnipeg Jets. To add insult to injury, Kane would take the biscuit away from some urgent Winnipeg players, and cruising through the neutral zone, stare down Hellebuyck earning his 4th point of the night. Woof!
Mason Appleton was rather noticeable in his first game back from injury, crashing the net for rebounds and hounding the puck. He would finish the night with 2 shots in just over 10 minutes of ice time. His attempt to redirect a pass five-hole on Lehner would be the last quality opportunity before it was time to hit the showers and wonder, if in fact, Dustin Byfuglien could be encouraged to return this year. Wouldn’t that be something?
Next up, another divisional foe in the Minnesota Wild, who are climbing back to relevancy in the standings, now just 3 points back of the Jets. It’s a Saturday afternoon game, and the Jets are good at those, right?
Winnipeg Jets Blogger • 
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