The Winnipeg Jets are Dreaming, but At Least They’re Not Tampa

I’m not going to sit here and tell you the Winnipeg Jets are sitting pretty. Sure, a win tonight evens the series with home ice advantage firmly in the Jets place.

But, you know, the Winnipeg Jets need to win tonight. Easier said than done, though they’ve looked better than they have in some time.

Are Paul Maurice’s changes for real, or will the team coast after a win and crumble as they often have this season.

The team is dreaming if they think they turned things around with one game. If they even the series, I’ll really take notice.

I liked the way they played. They threw the body like they meant it. Game 3 was a rock solid performance. But it has to continue. They have to continue to adjust and make perfect plays.

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Patrik Laine looks like he knows how to play hockey again. Dustin Byfuglien is playoff Big Buff. Kevin Hayes scored. Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele both have three points in three games.

But they’re still down two games to one. Hey, at least they’re not Tampa, having 128 points and a +103 goal differential and then going down 0-3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who had 98 points and a +26 goal differential.

Gotta say, I love John Tortorella. Master motivator, hell of a defensive coach. He has his boys, who, by the way, have never won a playoff SERIES, up 3-0 on pretty much the best team we’ve seen in a couple decades.

Could be worse, Jets fans. Maybe it wasn’t a brilliant idea to name the team after the cursed NFL franchise, but hey, mistakes get made. There’s still time to turn this ship around, and a win tonight gives you a nice reset.

Going to St. Louis down 0-2 and coming back to Manitoba tied at 2 would be a real nice thing. It’s still not over, not by a long shot. St. Louis isn’t going to lie down and give up. The Jets are dreaming if they think this fixes their problems.

But hey, it’s better than they’ve looked in some time. And a series win, at the very least, would be nice. It probably seals Paul Maurice’s job security, I can’t see him getting fired if the Jets hit round 2.

Tonight is the biggest night of the season for the Winnipeg Jets. Will they respond in kind?