Another great performance from the Winnipeg Jets, who top the Nashville Predators 6-4. This team is starting to wake up, and surprisingly in the absence of their captain and top-line center, who are both still in the NHL COVID Protocol. Players like Pierre-Luc Dubois, Kyle Connor, and other players all through the lineup are really stepping up. Kristian Vesalainen buried his first of his career in his 22nd NHL game, and Connor Hellebuyck was able to hold on for his second win in a row.

While the game didn't start exactly how the team would have liked, with Colton Scissons scoring on the first shot of the game, off of a failed clearing attempt by Andrew Copp, and poor coverage from Nikolaj Ehlers, they were able to bounce back well from that. After Dylan DeMelo makes a fantastic diving play in the neautral zone to make the pass, Adam Lowry is sprung on a breakyaway where he shows off some great stick skills and slides the puck between the legs of Predators goaltender, Juuse Saros.

It was a sloppy game to start, as it seemed the Jets were losing every puck battle and couldn't keep strong posession, but neither goalie made a save until Connor Hellebuyck made his first, 5:24 into the game. Once the game started to pick up more speed, the Jets looked much more comfortable. Near the end of the first, the Jets had a lot of pressure and momentum, and hoped to carry that into the next frame.

Quickly into the second period, Dubois nets his fourth goal of the year, putting the Jets up 2-1, followed by Paul Stasny scoring just 1:23 later to put the Jets up by a pair. Pierre-Luc Dubois has been really standing out every game after the first one. He has really found that drive, built off of frustration from last year, to become that dominant center he has shown he can be. Scoring his fourth of the season in just six games is quite impressive for the 23 year old. Kristian Vesalainen ends the period by scoring his first career NHL goal to put the Jets back up by two after a Nick Cousins goal. Vesalainen has been quiet in the NHL, but after parking himself in front of the net, where magical things happen, he tips a shot from Nate Schmidt and it goes in. Stasny tips home his second of the night shortly into the third period, followed by yet another Kyle Connor goal, putting him at six on the year in his first five games.

The offense this team has been bringing to the rink, including seven points from the back-end in this game, has been fantaastic. I would like to think that Head Coach Paul Maurice would consider keeping the Connor-Dubois-Svechnikov line together, as they are red hot at the moment, and try and change some things up when Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler return. Putting Nikolaj Ehlers on the top line would be a great idea, and many have mentioned they would like to see Wheeler in a reduced role, and though I think he, and the team could benefit from that, I am not sure who would replace him on that top line should Ehlers play alongside Scheifele.

Again, the defense wasn't fantastic, and I think it still comes down to the structure of things. A lot of offense is being generated, and the transition game has been played well, but positioning, and covering the open man are things this group is struggling with. There were a few times that the defenseman just didn't have the communication and same mindset on a play that cost them.

This team will look to repeat the offensive dominance they have shown these last few games as they head back to California to take on the Anaheim Ducks for the third time already, on Tuesday.

Thank you for stopping by, let me know your thoughts on the game, and what kind of lineup you would like to see with the teams full roster back.

Jacob Billington

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