Jets end season on high note

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This article was published 07/04/2018 (2715 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was about so much more than the game, with the Humboldt Broncos bus crash tragedy weighing heavy on everyone’s minds.

But the Winnipeg Jets took care of the required business at hand Saturday night with an efficient 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks to close out their best-ever regular season on a winning note — with a loud portion of the crowd at Bell MTS Place chanting “Let’s Go Broncos” in the final moments.

“Everyone is kind of heartbroken. As players, every one of us has done what those players were doing. When things like this happen, you step back and you really appreciate what you have. Those guys were chasing the dream that all those players out there tonight and around the league have achieved. It just breaks your heart that something like this is possible,” captain Blake Wheeler said following the emotional game.

“The best thing we could have done tonight was honour those guys by working hard and continuing the journey that they were on.”

Several notable feats were set in the process. Winnipeg finished with a franchise-best 52 wins and 114 points. Wheeler recorded his 68th assist to tie for the NHL lead. And goalie Connor Hellebuyck broke Tom Barrasso’s record for single-season wins by an American goaltender, recording his 44th of the year by making 30 saves.

“I’m very excited about it. To be in the history books is something that I’m always going to look back and be proud of. The fact that this locker room has come together, playing the way we’re playing, now the city is behind us the way they are, it’s a fun time being in Winnipeg,” Hellebuyck said of the accomplishment.

However, he quickly steered the conversation back to the Broncos and honouring the 15 people who lost their lives Friday night.

“I think what we did was right. I hope they feel that we’re with them, that we’re behind them and we’re here to support them if they need it,” said Hellebuyck.

Coach Paul Maurice praised his goaltender for being the backbone of a team that exceeded even the most optimistic predictions coming into the year.

“He took those lessons last year hard, but got full value from them. All of the things that he went through were difficult. We knew they weren’t permanent, that he would grow with them. But all credit to him, for the summer he needed to do as a pro,” said Maurice. “Came in, definitely we gave him a better chance night in and night out in front of him. But that’s a big number. The gentlemen he just passed has an awful lot of hardware that says he was one of the greats in the game. So it’s a number he can be proud of.”

As well, Winnipeg’s ninth straight home victory is also a new franchise record, and they finish out the campaign with an NHL-best 32-7-2 record at Bell MTS Place.

Patrik Laine was held off the scoresheet and finished second in the NHL’s Rocket Richard Trophy race with 44, five behind winner Alex Ovechkin. And linemate Nikolaj Ehlers couldn’t pot his 30th goal of the year despite several chances.

Chicago, meanwhile, appeared to simply be playing out the string of what has been a miserable season. Winners of three Stanley Cups since 2010, they came up well short of making the playoffs for the first time in a decade with a disappointing 33-39-10 record.

This one was never really in doubt for Winnipeg.

Dustin Byfuglien opened the scoring late in the first period with the Jets on a prolonged five-on-three advantage. Laine fed Wheeler, who sent it back to Byfuglien for a big point blast. The helper on Byfuglien’s eighth of the year gave Laine 70 points.

Rookie Kyle Connor made it 2-0 just 34 seconds into the middle frame, stealing a loose puck from Chicago defenceman Brent Seabrook and racing in on a breakaway. That was his 31st of the year, which is tops among all first-year pros.

Winnipeg’s fourth line then struck twice, with Andrew Copp getting both.

First, speedy forward Brandon Tanev jumped on a loose puck, raced down the wing and dropped it to Adam Lowry, who fed Copp a perfect pass. Then Joel Armia sprung Copp on a shorthanded breakaway a few moments later.

Copp’s goals brought him to nine on the year, which tied a career-high.

Seabrook beat Hellebuyck midway through the second period with a point shot through a screen, but that’s as close as Chicago would get.

“It was a very sombre mood on the ice, kind of one of those things where it could have been any one of us. You kind of count your blessings. You kind of look to the guy to your left and right, they’re not usual teammates or brothers but you feel that sense of camaraderie and community with them,” Copp said of the game, which included a powerful tribute before the opening face-off in which players from both teams all wearing “Broncos” on their namebars gathered in a large circle for a moment of silence.

“Now’s a good time to reflect and understand that we’re kind of all in the same boat together. It was the poorest of circumstances but it ended up being a special moment,” said Copp.

Maurice said it was incredible to have more than 15,000 people in the building and “not hear a pin drop” at the start. But he felt his team responded to a tough day with a quality performance.

“We were good enough, hard enough. For what was surrounding the game I thought both teams still tried to make plays, still tried to be focused, do the right things. It was difficult. It was difficult to do,” said Maurice.

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Winnipeg will now enjoy a day off Sunday before returning to practice Monday to get ready for their first-round playoff match-up with the Minnesota Wild. Specific dates and times for the series, which will begin at Bell MTS Place, have not yet been announced. But it’s expected to begin next Wednesday.

YEAR-END AWARDS: The Jets announced a trio of year-end award winners. Hellebuyck was given the “Three Stars” honour for getting the most post-game accolades during the regular-season. Forward Matt Hendricks won the “Community Service Award” for his efforts. And defenceman Toby Enstrom won the “Dan Snyder Memorial Award” for perseverance, dedication and hard work.

STANDING O FOR SHARP – Chicago forward Patrick Sharp, who was born in Winnipeg but moved at a young age, was given a standing ovation by the crowd at Bell MTS Place Saturday night as he played his final game. Sharp is retiring after 14 NHL seasons, playing 939 games regular-season games with 287 goals and 333 assists. Most notably, he won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg

Mike McIntyre
Reporter

Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike.

Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.