The Winnipeg Jets are for real. Hard to think of it any other way.
With a record of 16-6-4, they are chasing the top spot in the Central Division and playing with character and patience; qualities that have been rare in Winnipeg over the last few years.
Patience, or lack thereof, has hindered the character issue.
Not so this season.
On Friday night, the Jets found that extra gear and stopped the Vegas Golden Knights, 7-4.
Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele struck for goals and three points each and rookie Kyle Connor had two goals on the night.
“I don’t think that we’ve peaked,” the Jets’ Blake Wheeler said. “I think we have a way to go. Our team, we’re learning how to play fast and kind of on the fly and I think we can play faster. With the way the League is going, that’s an exciting thing. There’s no back-slapping. We’re enjoying winning, which is kind of new to our group, but we’re not fitting ourselves for rings or anything like that.”
Wheeler had three assists on the night.
The Knights had a 2-1 lead coming out of the first period but after quiet middle frame, the Jets hung five goals on the sheet to run away with the match.
“We can’t sit back on our heels,” Vegas’ Alex Tuch said. “When we forecheck, I think we’re one of the best forechecking teams when we are forechecking with five men. But if we only have one, two or three forechecking guys at a time, it doesn’t work, honestly. It has to be a connected unit. That’s what made us so successful at the beginning of the season.”
Vegas’ goals came from Cody Eakin, William Karlsson, Erik Haula and Colin Miller.
“I definitely don’t think we were our best tonight,” Miller said. “It’s unacceptable.”
Connor Hellebuyck made 27 saves to pick up the win.
Tyler Myers, Matt Hendricks and Nikolaj Ehlers also scored for the Jets.
“We ( Wheeler and Ehlers) were playing really well as a line for two periods but didn’t get rewarded even though we had some great chances,” Laine said. “Our power play was really good in the third period. [Ehlers] got a huge goal. It wasn’t a very good pass from me, but he’s a great scorer and he can score on that.”
[WATCH: All Golden Knights vs. Jets highlights]
Maxime Lagace made 31 saves in the loss.
“Going into that, they’re great on the power play, they got really skilled guys that move the puck around really well. We knew that going in. We just need to stay out of the (penalty) box a little more, that was it. Power plays can win you the game. They thrive on theirs,” Vegas’ James Neal said after the game.
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