Winnipeg Jets Dismantle Blues in Third Period Barrage In Opener

The Winnipeg Jets scored first and coasted through the rest of the period and the next. The third? They decided they didn’t want to risk anything.

The Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues played pretty close hockey for two periods. I guess that was enough for the Jets, though, as the final score looks a bit lopsided at 5-1.

I predicted 4-3 and that Patrik Laine would score two. He did not, but he did get one. The first goal of the  season, in his typical fashion, too. On the powerplay, from the circle. What else would you expect?

Someone recently tried to tell me Laine’s production would falter because he scored too much on the powerplay last season. That’s what he does. He’s a powerplay specialist. He’ll be fine.

Anyway, that was four minutes in. Nobody scored again until St. Louis had a brutal powerplay sequence. Kyle Connor goes to the box. Tough moment for the Jets, who still hang on to the one goal lead.

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But Adam Lowry took a breakaway down unassisted for a shorty. Then, Kyle Connor comes out of the box, leads the rush, and passes to the crease for a Blake Wheeler tip in. Then, shortly after that, Connor scores his own goal.

Three scores in a 1:44 span, and the Blues were down 4-1. Brandon Tanev would later add a goal before someone on the Blues scored one in garbage time to ruin the shutout for Connor Hellebuyck.

Speaking of which, I know one game doesn’t mean much, but after all the talk about “Can Connor Hellebuyck repeat his success”, it’s nice to see him go out and make 41 saves in 42 shots. Good stuff.

Jake Allen was good, too, until the third period. If only the Blues had a real goaltender these past few years. Too many starts wasted on Brian Elliott and Jake Allen. Oh well. Not my problem.

Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Patrik Laine all had two points. Only one without a goal was Scheifele. Trouba had a point and skated really well,  I thought. Good game for the defense as a whole, too.

And last but not least, Kristian Vesalainen had an assist on the Brandon Tanev goal. I thought Vesalainen was kind of invisible, which is both good and bad.  But he had a nice outlet pass off the backhand, and Jack Roslovic took it into the zone and had a nice feed to Tanev.

Good to see Roslovic in on the action, and good to see Vesalainen get his first NHL point in his first NHL game. Anyway, the Jets improve to 1-0-0, duh.

They’ll take on the Dallas Stars, who won their first game, on Saturday. That is also the birthday of both of my grandmothers, so happy birthday grandma and grandma. But also, go Jets.