VANCOUVER – The Winnipeg Jets were feeling good about themselves after a big third period come from behind win on the weekend at home over the Avalanche and were riding some momentum into Vancouver to face the Canucks. They received some bad news when they found out that all star Dustin Byfuglien would be out of the line up with the flu but they came together and played one of their best games of the season with a 5-2 road win.
Michael Hutchinson got the win in Vancover Monday night – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Michael Hutchinson got the start in goal for Winnipeg and he stopped 26 of 28 Vancouver shots to get his eighth win of the season.
The Jets got two goals from Marko Dano, his third and fourth.
“I’m getting more comfortable with every game, every shift,” Dano said. “Trying to get the chemistry going, that’s key for a new guy in the room.”
Tyler Myers his ninth, Alex Burmistrov his seventh and Mark Scheifele his 23rd also scored for Winnipeg.
“I like that challenge,” Scheifele said. “I want to play again the best. It makes you a better player and shows you what you’ve got. I’m happy to be playing with those guys (left wing Drew Stafford and right wing Blake Wheeler). Each night, I want to come out and be on the better side of it.”
Dano was buzzing all game as he had a three-point night and was named the game’s first star, his linemates Burmistrov and Mathieu Perreault had two points each and were dangerous all game.
“When I came here, I was trying to impress and I was probably trying too much,” Dano said. “When you’re trying too much, the goals (won’t) come. When you stop thinking about it and play a simple game, the goals come and you don’t even know how.”
The Jets controlled the play for the most part of the game and have been getting there identity back as a hard hitting physical team that creates things with their speed and strength.
The Canucks got goals from Jared McCann his eighth and Jake Virtanen his seventh.
“We just didn’t play an honest game,” Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins said. “I just think we were cheating a little bit. … We hoped, we wanted it to come, so we were leaving the zone early and the pucks weren’t coming out. We just didn’t have our best game, and for us to win, we have to play well. That’s just how we are built right now.”
Julian Melchiori who was recalled from the AHL ‘s Manitoba Moose and was playing in place of Byfuglien had a strong game playing almost 17 minutes and looked very good for a guy who got to the rink a couple hours before game time.
With the win over the Canucks the Jets got out of the Western Conference basement and also stopped Vancouver from gaining ground in their chase of the final Wild Card spot.
The Jets will travel to Calgary to face the Flames on Wednesday night.
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