WINNIPEG — That was a textbook win.
Friday’s 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars — tying the second-round collection at 1-1 — noticed the Winnipeg Jets test off nearly each single field.
Each particular groups items delivered, beginning with a power-play aim from Gabriel Vilardi on the 16:25 mark of the primary interval. The penalty kill went three-for-three, limiting Dallas’ man-advantage to only one high-danger shot.
Winnipeg’s checking strains supplied offence in the way in which they do greatest, with Adam Lowry scoring the third aim of the sport on the heels of a superb fourth line shift that hemmed the Stars in their very own zone.
And the Stars’ high line — Roope Hintz, Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund — was utterly nullified, producing simply two shot makes an attempt throughout five-on-five play.
It’s no coincidence {that a} efficiency like that got here in a recreation the place the Jets had a completely wholesome roster for the primary time since March 23.
“When you’ve your roster like that, all people will get form of aligned of their spots,” Jets coach Scott Arniel stated post-game. “Having your top-four defenceman. Having your top-six offensive guys. Then two checking strains, two heavy strains. We’re again to trying, lastly, like we have regarded for many of the season.”
For all of the speak about Dallas’ depth, tonight was a reminder that the Jets are certainly as deep as they marketed themselves throughout the common season.
And when this workforce’s on their recreation, they’re a ache within the butt to play in opposition to.
“Once we get within the forecheck, we get the pucks under the tops of the circles and get into our cycle recreation, it is to our benefit,” Arniel stated. “I believed we performed approach quicker. I believed we obtained out of our finish fast and it allowed us to get down there and once we strain, whether or not that is within the O-zone or that is within the D-zone, that’s the concept to assist work to get the puck again.”
Hellebuyck didn’t face lots of rubber however man, he was magnificent.
“He makes very troublesome saves look very simple, routinely and sometimes,” Josh Morrissey stated. “You would inform he was feeling it tonight. When he’s feeling it like that, it offers the gamers in entrance of him, defencemen, forwards lots of confidence.”
The most important takeaway from Hellebuyck’s recreation? He’s discovered his mojo once more. He’s calm, composed and seeing pucks by chaos. Courting again to the second intermission of Sport 7 final spherical, Hellebuyck has saved 55 of his final 58 photographs confronted.
“There have been stretches within the first spherical the place I actually preferred my recreation, simply wasn’t (proven) within the outcomes,” Hellebuyck stated. “However, constructed it again higher. I like the place we’re at.”
What we’ve seen from Hellebuyck over this final little bit is what the Jets have wanted. Peak Hellebuyck, able to stealing video games and shining when the strain is at its highest.
Don’t overlook the Jets’ Cup odds if he retains taking part in at this stage.
• Properly, Nikolaj Ehlers lastly delivered within the playoffs. His two targets might haven’t been spotlight worthy — the primary banked off Esa Lindell’s skate, the second was a clear-out from the Jets’ zone that went into the empty web — however he was engaged all evening. He additionally added an help on Vilardi’s aim.
“He was dominant. He had the puck so much,” Arniel stated of Ehlers, who completed the evening with a team-high six shot makes an attempt throughout five-on-five play. “I preferred the truth that he attacked the web a bunch of instances with the puck. We want his line and we’d like him doing what he did tonight. We’re a more durable menace when we have now all of our items going like that.”
• That was, bar none, the most effective recreation we’ve seen from Morrissey in these playoffs. Even earlier than his newest harm, he hardly regarded 100 per cent. He wasn’t weaponizing his edges as a lot as he normally does, nor was he becoming a member of the frenzy as usually. However on Friday? That was a ‘Norrissey’ efficiency.
“He is a giant minute man for us,” Arniel stated of Morrissey, who logged a team-high 22:39 minutes. “He performs in opposition to the opposite groups’ high strains. Then you definitely noticed what he can do, each quarterbacking that energy play and likewise the offensive aspect, him leaping, him within the offensive zone. He is a tricky man to focus on. He is a tricky man to form of shut down when he has the puck up there. Preferred lots of what he did. And positively having him again is an actual good feeling for our group.”
