Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
The Winnipeg Jets and Boston Bruins tried to show who’s in charge early as Chris Thorburn and Zdeno Chara squared off for a fight and then a few minutes later James Wright and Matt Fraser dropped the gloves. Late in the game Mark Stuart and Adam McQuaid had a third fight. No one was hurt and all fights were pretty even with Wright and Thorburn with take downs to end the fights.
The Jets opened the scoring on an unassisted goal by Dustin Byfuglien his 9th of the year. The Bruins answered back 4 minutes later with a goal from Daniel Paille, his 6th from Torey Krug and Gregory Campbell to end the first.
After being outshot 10-9 in the first period, the Jets held a significant advantage in the shot department in the second period 19-12, but the Bruins got the only 2 goals of the period off the stick of Krug who got both goals his 9th and 10th of the season assisted by Paille on the first goal and McQuaid and Soderberg on the second goal. They headed into the 3rd period with a 3-1 lead.
The third period was a pretty evenly played period with the Jets out shooting the Bruins 9-7 for a game total of 37 to the Bruins’ 29. The Bruins got the only goal of the third at 9:59 by Reilly Smith his 15th assisted by Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron.
Some missed chances by the Mark Scheifele, Evander Kane and Michael Frolik line, Frolik hit the post and missed an open net and had some great chances but couldn’t get one. They combined for 7 shots, six for Kane but couldn’t find the net. That line is creating chances almost every shift out there and were clearly the best line again.
Onrej Pavelec just seems to be on the wrong side of the score lately, he has been good but only one goal from your team isn’t going to get you many wins. Allowing 4 goals won’t win you many games either.
Next up: the Jets head to Pittsburgh to play the Penguins for another afternoon game. Game time is 12 noon.