Winnipeg Jets Shot Down by Blackhawks
By RJ Beaulieu
On Friday night the Winnipeg Jets entered into Chi-town having won 6 of their last 7. Could they make it 4 in a row and avenge their 5-1 loss in December?
The Winnipeg Jets have been a scoring machine lately. They are 5-0-1 since the loss of Mark Scheifele with captain Blake Wheeler taking over his duties at center. However, the focus of the night was on Chicago Blackhawks new acquisition Anthony Duclair. The rumored to be disgruntled young winger was shipped to Chicago for Richard Panik late Wednesday night. But would his speed be enough to help the Hawks against the high-flying Jets?
Connor Hellebuyck would get the nod yet again. While Chicago would start 32-year-old Jeff Glass.
1st Period
You know a netminder is in the “zone” when every one of his saves looks easy. Hellebuyck took it a degree beyond that and looked bored with most of the shots he faced in the first 10 minutes. Chicago came out flying and generated some prime scoring chances, but Connor was there for all of them. The Jets did a good job in their own zone getting sticks on the open man to keep the more dangerous shots from getting to Hellebuyck.
Marko Dano had a golden chance alone in front on a feed from Nikolaj Ehlers. However, Glass was able to fight the shot off and stop the second chance with his left pad. The Wheeler line got a lot of zone time, but most of the quality shots were blocked or wide and high. A trend that would continue to play out over most of the game for Winnipeg.
A rare “Covering the Puck” penalty by the Hawks Vinny Hinostroza gave the Jets their first power play. But solid penalty killing by Chicago kept the scoreboard clean.
Winnipeg began to tilt the ice in their favor as the period went along. Credit the Jets neutral zone play as they just walled the Blackhawks at all 3 lines and forced turnovers.
The best Jets chance for Winnipeg? Anthony Duclair.
A delayed slashing call on Dustin Byfuglien saw Chicago goaltender Glass rush to the bench. Just after, a back pass off the board by DuClair soared toward the open net. Gustav Forsling‘s made his best bid for the Olympics as he speedskated back and swiped the puck away at the last second.
Connor was good, and Glass was good enough. No score after 1.
2nd Period
The period started off with a prime scoring chance by Patrik Kane, and another positional save by Hellebuyck, making it look easy. Sadly, it would not be Connor’s best save of the period as the Blackhawks would turn up the heat in the 2nd.
The new Alex DeBrincat–David Kampf–Anthony DuClair line looked dangerous in the first period. They would prove it in the second when Kampf re-directed a Connor Murphy shot from the point for his first NHL goal.
A holding call by Dmitry Kulikov on Patrick Kane gave the Blackhawks their second power play of the night. The Jets would kill it off and get a chance to respond on a Chicago Too Many Men on the Ice penalty that saw 6 Hawks players in the Winnipeg zone all in the play.
Mathieu Perreault had the chance of the period for the Jets on the ensuing power play as he rushed wide open into the slot. Glass had to make his best save of the period to keep the Jets scoreless. He was not done as he had to face a 2 on 1 by Kyle Conner and Shawn Matthias that was broken up in the slot by a diving Jordan Oesterle. Only to be followed up by a 1 on 1 from Conner again not long after.
Chicago counters on a broken play along the boards that sees Jan Rutta take a bad angle shot that somehow finds its way through Hellebuyck. DuClair gets the primary assist for his first point as a Blackhawk.
Hellebuyck had to work this period, Glass begins to settle in. 0-2 Hawks.
3rd Period
An obvious Perreault hooking call opened up the third with the Jets clogging up the center in front of Hellebuyck to kill it off. Chicago, however, would continue their momentum with several scoring chances throughout the final period. But the Winnipeg Jets would begin countering with their own chances more as the clock dangerously waned.
Duclair would make another bid for a goal on a breakaway that forced a big save out of Hellebuyck. The Chicago push would be blunted by another penalty call, this time on Jonathan Toews, who until this point had been surprisingly quiet in the game thus far. Bryan Little had his only chance of the game right in front of Glass on the power play. But Glass was hitting his stride at this point and locking things down.
Then the Winnipeg Jets Woke Up
With time waning Patrik Laine would rush up the right side wall and unleash a laser that hit off the goalpost. Toews would then make his presence felt after getting out of the box by darting into the Jet zone. He would make an impressive cut through both of Winnipeg’s defensemen and put a shot in on Hellebuyck right in the crease. Connor would keep the game within reach, however, shutting the door.
Winnipeg, now wide awake and having fully digested all that deep dish Chicago Style pizza they looked like they ate before the game, pressed hard.
Laine with under 4 minutes left would give the Jets hope. A solo effort with an amazing shot over Jeff Glass, off the top crossbar, and down into the goal would bring them within 1.
Hellebuyck would then be pulled with 1:41 left on the clock. Laine would once again load up his one-timer from the circle, but Glass was able to get a right pad on it. A few plays later Kane would go for the empty net, missing it off the outside post.
A timeout by Paul Maurice with just under 1 min left would give the Winnipeg Jets time to catch their breath and try for a set play. It would almost work as the Winnipeg Jets pressed hard and Wheeler dented the goalpost with 30 seconds left.
Post Game
Chicago wanted it more and got it. Jets had their chances but looked dangerous only in the final 5 minutes.
Glass had to be good. However far too many Jets shots were wide, high, or into legs and skates.
The backup was not tested enough early and Glass settled in and took over by the 3rd.
Not enough playmaking. Scheifele was missed, Little was quiet.
The Jets had trouble with Chicago’s young speedy lines.
Tough loss, but the team needed to play better. You cannot just rely on talent and last-minute heroics to get you through. If they played in the first period like they did in the last 10 minutes of the third, they would have gotten a different result.
Next: Despite Poor Play, Steve Mason Takes Too Much Blame
White Out’s 3 Stars
Jeff Glass – The Hawks played well in front of him giving him a chance on each shot. The few times he was tested he was up to the task. Great rebound control.
Anthony Duclair – An assist and +2 in his first game as a Hawk. Was a difference maker with his speed and effort.
Connor Hellebuyck – Was not bad at all. The first goal was a redirect he had no chance on. The second had eyes as it found a way through him somehow.