Some one better put apply heat on Dustin Byfuglien as Evander Kane is more than willing to step up and take lead role when the spotlight is on a teammate. Kane had two goals tonight both of them from wicked shots but it's how he worked to position which is what should be noted.
Kane has a quick release wrist shot with impressive velocity, it flies hard but it flies high. His shot needs positioning and in the past two games he has gained position at the perfect opportune times to release it and score. Kane could have had a hat trick had he not fired a shot so high it careened off the crossbar, beating Neuvirth, ricocheting up into the netting in the first period.
The Jets came alive after the tied the game up and if not for the odd penalty they controlled most of the play despite being down on a 5-on-3. As asked by coach Claude Noel, and reported by many, the '20-man' effort was front and center again for the Jets. The Jets gave up one particularly bizarre odd man rush, if you can call it that, when on the power play the puck bounced and gave the Capitals a 2 on 0 rush. In what could be described as 'Timbits Frustration' the Capitals skated with 3 feet of each other and missed the scoring chance. Ondrej Pavelec played the unlikely advance as well as any coach could hope and still kept the puck out.
What happened next should be TSN's HON. The puck was recovered by the Jets and fired up the boards to a streaking Blake Wheeler who beat the defense and cut a hard angle almost parallel to the goal line before darting out and slamming the puck under and past Neuvirth. If there was any way to break a slump that was it and Wheeler almost made it look routine. It was also done in front of Pat Sajak, from Wheel of Fortune fame, who was put on the big screen immediately after. Serendipity?
What transpired tonight was a top NHL team taking a bottom feeder far too lightly. After a first goal, which seemed almost all too easy after an earlier failed attempt, (near duplicate play but this time Pavelec was faked out of position before the goal) the Jets responded and never looked back.
Therein lies the difference, a bit of confidence but more importantly a committed and dedicated effort from all the players. They stood up, they battled and they didn't back down from anything or anyone the Capitals threw at them, a true '20-man effort'. If the demeanor and body language of Bruce Boudreau and his staff after the game were any indication, there were more than a few obscenities coming towards the Capitals due to this lopsided affair.
The Jets are a longs ways from being complete but the biggest difference is the scoring results are there when the full team effort is as well. It's a synergy and connection which cannot be unnoticed by players and coaches- this team is creating opportunities now rather than waiting for them to appear. Two wins do not make a season but how the Jets have changed their play and effort could very well go to defining this inaugural season.
While Winnipeg is a small market and certainly a small part of Hockeybuzzz I was proud to be a part of a between periods segment regarding the issuance of Winnipeg Jets license plates. Myself along with a senior government minister, Andrew Swan, MPI CEO Marilyn McLaren and CEO of True North Sports and Entertainment were pleased to show all in attendance the new Winnipeg Jets license plate for Manitobans. While being far from a 'made for TV' spectacle it was a pleasure to be a part of the presentation and I think the Jets for making it happen.
The results speaks for themselves and the Winnipeg Jets have believe that with a 20-man army they can conquer any opponent. Taking down two offensivley talented opponents is a sure sign something is working, turing that 'something' into consistency is the next challenge. With the next game against the opposition from 'goal-fest' in the Flyers there is no better time to see how far the Jets can push this new work ethic and identity.
Thanks for reading.
Follow me on Twitter
HERE! for all sorts of hockey thoughts and random musings
KINDLE USERS: Please subscribe to Jets Buzz; a one-stop feed for all things Jets-related on HockeyBuzz. Content is updated each time a new Jets-related blog is published. For more information,
click here.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
Join the Discussion:
»