WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets were looking to build some momentum on this three-game home stand after losing six straight; so far so good as the team is two for two after grinding out a big 3-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. The Jets struggled after opening up the scoring but battled back and got a gutsy win against one of the teams they are battling to get back over the playoff line.
The young, skilled Coyotes bring a different game than most of the Western Conference teams as they rely on speed and skill as most rely on that down low physical heavy game. The Coyotes still have big physical guys but have injected some very talented speedy guys into the lineup with the likes of Max Domi and Anthony Duclair. They still have their Captain Shane Doan who brings that mean hard work attitude so they are no push-overs.
Ondrej Pavelec started the game for the Jets and stopped 20 shots before a collision in the second period with Doan forced him out of the game after forty minutes.
“I [was] trying to get to the net,” Doan said. “I know I dove for the puck or it hit my skate, and I kind of lost my balance. I got pushed. I was almost on the ice when we hit.
“I just said [to the Jets] that I really didn’t mean to run into him. Once I was going down, there’s not much I can do there. Obviously it wasn’t intentional.”
Michael Hutchinson came in and played the third period stopping seven shots to get the win. Pavelec was seen leaving the rink on crutches but no word was given on his status.
Winnipeg got goals from Mark Sheifele who ripped home his eighth, Dustin Byfuglien scored his sixth after a beauty set up by Andrew Copp , Chris Thorburn scored a shorthanded marker his third that turned to the winner.
“I’m just proud of our team the way we battled,” Thorburn said. “There were times where things weren’t pretty, but we stayed with it and came up with two points.”
Coyotes scored a couple goals on the power play as Doan tipped in his sixth and Connor Murphy scored his first.
Thorburn who is one of the most popular players in the Jets locker room is known for his hard work and physical play had a great shift killing a penalty when his work paid off as he stripped the puck from Michael Stone and made a slick move to put a backhand past Anders Lindback.
“He does the same things whether he plays three minutes or 15 minutes,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “He’s such a good pro here. He has been very, very consistent. His game has been good for us all [season].
“We’ll take [that] goal from anybody, but it’s really great when you can get a heart-and-soul guy scores a goal like that. (It was) just all effort.”
Lindback wasn’t busy but had to be sharp stopping 20 of 23 for Arizona .
This game got nasty at the end when Doan took a run at Jets center Bryan Little as time expired and Blake Wheeler and Byfuglien went right after him in the end everybody was separated and the Jets got the two points they were looking for and now have two straight wins.
Follow me on Twitter @hrank94
You must be logged in to post a comment.