Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec has resurrected his season in a way few thought possible

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This article was published 16/04/2015 (3833 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ANAHEIM, Calif — Ondrej Pavelec is a focal point of Jets Nation. The Beatles broke up. Neither is news.

There is something new about the 27-year-old goalie, however. He’s the focus in a different way as the Winnipeg Jets head for their first playoff series since the 2011 relocation of the franchise from Atlanta.

The Pavelec with the .949 save percentage and 9-2-1 record down the stretch is ready to take the ice tonight against the Anaheim Ducks. Game 1 at Honda Center goes at 9:30 p.m. (Sportsnet, TSN 1290).

The Pavelec who didn’t allow a single goal in 185 minutes of white-knuckle, playoff-spot-clinching hockey last week said he’s ready to go and, well, he’s feeling darn good about playing his first playoff game.

“It’s been an exciting week for us,” Pavelec said after the team’s practice Wednesday. “The second-last game in Colorado (the last time he played) I was really excited. We’ve enjoyed this; everybody’s enjoyed this. It’s nice to see the city, how excited they are.

“But Monday, we went back to work and like I said before it’s pretty much a new season starting tomorrow. For sure it’s exciting, but when we get closer to the game, guys are going to get nervous. I’m a little bit nervous every time so I don’t think it’s going to be any different. And I think we have to prepare, not do anything different. It’s just another game in the season and we’ll see.

“I always focus on myself, so that’s what I’m going to do tomorrow.”

Pavelec has always done one thing during his time in Winnipeg — provoke an opinion.

You may be surprised to find that after 15 months, Jets coach Paul Maurice’s has changed in the last three weeks.

In particular, the turn of events since Pavelec was victimized by Barret Jackman’s late-game outside-the-blue-line shot on March 10 has been dramatic.

“There’s one new element because it was a test that he had never had the opportunity to pass through,” Maurice said. “The goal against in St.. Louis, to his response, it was a new situation we wouldn’t have seen in the last 15 months. Clearly, you have to be very impressed with how he handled that, the mental toughness to come back and play some of his best hockey.

“My feeling on Ondrej — because of things that happened before I got there, I wasn’t there to witness it — the mood swings about him are far greater than the swings in quality in his game. The stats will move, that’s not necessarily directed at his play always. When a goalie’s save percentage goes in that rhythm, usually your hockey team’s playing about the same way.

“He’s been a far more consistent performer, in my mind, than I think that he’s been given credit for. At the same time there was a pretty defining event that happened to him because that was tough to take.”

Maurice said Pavelec was hurt personally by Jackman’s goal but the amount he cared about his teammates prevailed.

He knew the comeback they were on (in that game), so he repaid them in full and then some. But it takes a certain amount of character to do that

“We’ve got a lot of faith in him.”

Jets defenceman Tyler Myers said Pavelec’s influence is easy to determine.

“The way he’s played down the stretch, this last month, when you have your goalie playing like that, it gives you a chance to win every single night and that’s what you ask from a goaltender,” Myers said. “The confidence he’s shown back there in the net gives the guys in front of him a lot of confidence as well.”

Pavelec seemed quite pleased on Wednesday that Winnipeg has again stepped up its enthusiasm for the team.

“The city’s been excited all four years we’ve been in Winnipeg but it was something different, when you went to the grocery store or to Starbucks, everywhere you went,” he said. “I think even people who didn’t follow the team, they know we’ve made the playoffs and they cheer for you. A little bit more excitement for those people. You could tell everywhere you went.”

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Pavelec, finally in the Stanley Cup playoffs after being a No. 1 NHL goalie for six seasons, knows the last few weeks — his transformation — still mean zeroes on the scoreboard starting tonight.

And yet …

“The last few weeks we’ve played that playoff hockey, where we’ve needed every point, every win,” he said. “And I think it’s going to help us get to this series. We’ve been under pressure the last few weeks and it’s going to be the same tomorrow and all series. That’s going to help us for sure.”

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca

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