Game #8: Winnipeg Jets vs Arizona Coyotes

After submitting the story from the previous game, somehow or other, the 3 game point scoring streak of Nikolaj Ehlers was accidentally left out of the story’s game end notes. Apologies to Mr. Ehlers for that blunder. He, along with Patrik Laine, are both on three game point scoring streaks while Andrew Copp and Adam Lowry are each on two game point scoring streaks coming into Saturday afternoon's action. But that does beg the question, when would the Jets start getting a positive team streak to put on the chalkboard along with these amazing streaks?

Still hungry for their first consecutive wins in the regular season, the Winnipeg Jets came out with fire and determination against the Arizona Coyotes, who were, once upon a time, the Winnipeg Jets of old. Though the two teams have common roots—each originally being NHL expansion teams of their times later moved to other communities—there was no love lost between the two teams, as a hard hitting and tight checking game ensued. However, when all the ice shards had settled, the Winnipeg Jets came out on top with a 5-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes.

This game also saw the second start between the pipes for Laurent Brossoit. The end to end action during the first five minutes of the game saw multiple chances and pressure at each end, putting both Brossoit and the Coyotes’ goaltender Antti Raanta to the test. This was especially so during the first two consecutive penalties the Jets had to kill off. After not drawing any blood during the two consecutive power plays, the Coyotes’ Christian Fischer got one past Brossoit while the teams were at even strength at 15:37.

Best Spot to Be for a Nifty Redirection

However, the Jets were not at all willing to be cowed by this. After some physical play which saw coincidental minors assessed to the Coyotes’ Lawson Crouse and the Jets’ Mark Scheifele at 17:24, there was extra room on the ice for the Jets to be able to work in the offensive zone. At 19:13 of the period, Adam Lowry redirected the rocket of a shot blasted from the point by Josh Morrissey, to tie the game up at the end of the first period.

The first 90 seconds of the second period saw a flurry of action in the Arizona zone, including one of the Jets’ players being shoved into the goalpost of the Arizona net. Rather than explain it, here is the play (and excuse the vocals in the background):

Just to add to the confusion of the calls and non-calls being made by the referees, Tyler Myers was thrown into the sin bin at 2:16 for tripping. It should be noted that there were a lot of physical plays being thrown both directions, many being ignored but not all, leaving a very uncertain and unsteady feeling as a player. Thankfully, the Jets’ penalty kill stayed mighty as the Jets, along with Brossoit, kept the puck out.

No Stick? No Goal!!!

In fact, at one point, Brossoit lost his stick, but managed to keep the puck out with his arm. Then, at 9:07, the Coyotes finally got a penalty as Jason Demers hooked up Nikolaj Ehlers. On the resulting power play for the Jets, although they did not score, their team posturing on the ice was incredibly solid, with many quality chances by many of the players.

But then, the boys from the Blueline came together to get a few goals into the Arizona net.

At 14:28, blueliner Tyler Myers potted his first goal of the season, with the assist by fellow blueliner Jacob Trouba. Then, the Jets got another power play thanks to an interference penalty called against Dylan Strome for crosschecking captain Blake Wheeler.

A Crosscheck Leading to a Goal

As a result, the Jets’ Josh Morrissey, from a crouching position, shot the puck in, putting the home team up by 2 at the 17:34 mark on the power play. The goal was also Morrissey's first of the season.

From bent knee, Morrissey made a very poetic looking goal.

This was how the score remained until the 3:50 mark of the third period, when the Coyotes’ Clayton Keller potted an even strength marker, pulling the visiting team within one.

Less than 2 minutes later, the Jets’ Mathieu Perreault snapped in a shot from directly in front of goaltender Raanta. The Coyote’s head coach Rick Tocchet challenged the goal, alleging there was goaltender interference by the Jets’ Brendan Lemieux. After a brief consult with the video goal judge, the goal was allowed, giving the Jets’ the two goal lead again, and crediting Perreault with his first goal of the season.

Celebration and Relief on the Jets' bench

11:53 saw the Coyotes’ Keller pop in his second of the night, bringing the visitors within one yet again. A high sticking penalty was given to Wheeler at 14:22, but thanks to the penalty killing expertise of the four skaters in blue, along with goaltender Brossoit making an absolutely brilliant glovehand save at 15:48, the score did not change.

Desperate to tie the game up, the Coyotes’ decided to pull their goaltender at 17:55 in the third. Although there were chances for the Coyotes, Wheeler managed to pop in an empty netter at 19:18, ensuring the win for the Winnipeg Jets.

FINAL THOUGHTS: The first collective team streak started tonight with this being the first time during this early season that the Jets have won two games in a row. Currently the Jets are at a 5-2-1 record. Once all the ice shards settled, ADAM LOWRY’s point scoring streak was still alive, now having played his third consecutive game with points, tallying 3 goals and an assist during that time. Captain BLAKE WHEELER is now on a two game point scoring streak, with a goal and an assist over the last two games. Also deserving huge recognition are the MULTIPOINT MEN of the night, all of whom are cornerstones of the Jets’ defense, with JOSH MORRISSEY & TYLER MYERS each with a goal and an assist, and JACOB TROUBA with a trio of assists. It is always great to see when the blueliners are just as dangerous around the opposition's net as the forwards, as it makes the game that much more less predictable for the opposition. The game was a hard fought gritty one, and watching how the Winnipeg Jets are developing this season certainly tells the learned and experienced hockey watchers, fans and journalists alike, the 2018-2019 season is going to be as unforgettable, if not more so, than 2017-2018.

The Winnipeg Jets shall be playing game five of their six game home stand this coming Monday against the St. Louis Blues. Though the Blues have a 2-3-2 record, this afternoon, they took on the role of giant killers in their 4-1 routing of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The game starts at 7 PM Manitoba time at Bell MTS Place.