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Jets Soar in Nashville in key divisional matchup

January 18, 2019, 9:54 AM ET [40 Comments]
Peter Tessier
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • RSSArchiveCONTACT
It was pretty easy to see that these two teams were going to trade punches and lots of them early. The home team came out firing, looking to take the visitors and divisional rival out early yet it was Brendan Lemieux the often criticized 4th liner who took a puck in the neutral zone and came in around the behind Rinne and pulled if a wrap around to opening the scoring.

The Jets thought they had moved ahead 2-0 but Blake Wheeler's goal was called back due to a review on the zone entry. Now, not long after a penalty to Jacob Trouba had expired Blake Wheeler was called for a hook but that's not what anyone in Winnipeg thought when Mark Scheifele got up bleeding.

Take a look at this sword-swing move from Forsberg.





That wasn't the only rogue stick move from a Predator




Needless to say this was an intense game and the players felt it. BTW one penalty on those plays.

Perhaps the best goal of the night came when Mason Appleton saw a lane open up and drove to the net like the Kool Aid man went through brick walls. Standing alone the rookie got his first NHL goal as Joe Morrow fed him a pass to the stick for the easy redirect in.

Let's talk about Morrow and his partner Sami Niku for a bit. They both played arguably their best games of the season yesterday combining for 5 assists and some very effective play in their own zone as well. Niku managed to create a breakaway for himself while chipping away a puck and out skating the opposition. Sadly Finnish is only in his nationality.

The Preds came within one as Arvidsson scored an easy tap in as we was left alone as the four Jets followed the puck off a blocked shot/rebound and left the red hot forward alone. That however was as close as the home team would get.

Another player who had a strong game, skating with purpose and creating chances and plays was Patrik Laine and on the Jets third goal he was paramount. The Jets had to tag up to get onside and they did a very efficient move before Laine took the puck from Roslovic on a quick re-enter and rather than trying to find the perfect shot he ripped one clean. That's important because few goalies are stopping and controlling a Laine shot and sure enough Rinne could not so Bryan Little was there to score and make it 3-1, extending his point streak to seven games.

In the first two minutes the Jets scored again when Sami Niku fired a puck from the low point into traffic and it went off Branden Tanev to beat Rinne, who was clearly blinded on the play standing still. The Jets marched on thoughts and late in the game after thwarting attacks from the Preds Brendan Lemieux scored his second of the night.

For those who did not know this was the annual father's trip with the team and the Jets dads, or brothers or friends who could come had a grand night. Certainly former NHLer and 4 time Stanley Cup Champion Claude Lemieux did as I'm sure Mason Appleton's dad did as well.

Now the Jets did not win the possession battle but it was close. Certainly some score effects entered in the third but by period shot attempts at 5v5 looked like this

19-16 Preds
17-15 Jets
14-10 Preds

However shots on net favored the Jets at 5v5 30-28. The Jets also had the advantage in scoring chances and high danger attempts as well. Oh they also had the advantage in net.

Just when the team had all the ingredients to have a goalie controversy Connor Hellebuyck played his most complete game of the season. In some ways he was a mirror image of his backup and friend Laurent Brossoit from the Vegas game. Calm, well-positioned, tracking the puck confidently Hellebuyck was only beaten on a goal he could never stop without some sort of witchcraft. In his post game comments Hellebuyck said he feels confident in that building and it has 'good memories'.

The Jets and their dads left for Dallas after the game to conclude the road trip before their break and the NHL All-Star Game. With that win and being 4 points up on the Predators with 2 games in hand the Jets stand at the top of the Central with 64 points in 47 games and second in the west behind Calgary with a game in hand. For reference last year they were 2nd in the Central with 61 points after 47 games and 3rd in the West.

After two big wins against the best of the west how are fans feeling now? Is that sense of 'waiting for more' still there or did we see it in the last two games?
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