WINNIPEG – The Jets closed out the 2015 portion of their home schedule with a match against the Detroit Red Wings and got another strong sixty-minute effort in a convincing 4-1 victory.
The win puts the Jets back at the .500 mark at 17-17-2 on the year and has them sitting seven points back of a wild card spot in the playoff chase.
The Jets saw themselves in trouble early as Adam Lowry clipped Henrik Zetterberg under a minute into the game and was given a four-minute high-sticking penalty.
The Jets had the best chances during this power play as they had a breakaway and a couple point blank shots.
After a huge penalty kill the Jets were given a too many men on the ice penalty and were once again shorthanded.
This time they took advantage as Jacob Trouba ripped a laser beam top shelf for his third goal, a shorthanded marker.
“To get back in this thing, we need to get rolling here and get on a streak,” Trouba said. “This road trip coming up is very important, and we’re going to need a lot of the same style of game.”
Later in the first, on a 5-on-3 power play, the Jets did some great passing and captain Andrew Ladd ripped home his 10th of the season; it was 2-0 Winnipeg after one.
The Jets kept the gas on as Alexander Burmistrov did some nice work and ripped a shot past Jimmy Howard for his third of the year.
Trouba scored his second of the game and fourth of the season to make it 4-0 for the Jets.
Howard’s night was done as he gave up four goals on 14 shots.
“I think you’ve just got to continue to grind through it,” Blashill said. “We talk about hard work and perseverance. You’ve just got to find a way grind through, keep working on your game and the next opportunity you get, you’re going to gain confidence when you’re stopping pucks.
“I’m not worried about Jimmy. I think he’ll be just fine in the long run here.”
Petr Mrazek came in and stopped 11 shots in a period and a half of work.
“Not good enough,” said Howard, who was pulled for the second consecutive start. “Simple as that. I wasn’t good enough.”
The Red Wings broke the goose egg early in the third as Pavel Datsyuk scored his fifth a power play marker.
The Red Wings were 1-for6 on the power play and this was probably the difference in the game.
“Our special teams let us down enough early, especially when we had a power play there when we had an opportunity to change the game,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said.
Connor Hellebuyck was once again almost unbeatable as he stopped 33 of 34 shots and for the second straight game he was named the game’s first star. He improves to 7-3 on the year.
“I thought the team played really well in front of me,” said Hellebuyck, who has stopped 63 of 64 shots in his past two games. “Getting that early lead is huge. We set the pace from there.”
Blake Wheeler had a couple helpers tonight and Bryan Little had a three point night as they continue to be the Jets’ top dogs night in and night out.
The Jets will head out now on the road for a five-game trip that could tell the story on their season. They will need another strong outing on Thursday as they ring in the New Year against the Arizona Coyotes.
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