Minnesota Wild head coach knows Jets are favoured

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This article was published 11/04/2018 (2748 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Minnesota Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau never fails to amuse when he speaks to a roomful of inquiring reporter types.

The Wild skated Wednesday morning in preparation for Game 1 of the team’s best-of-seven NHL opening-round playoff series with the Winnipeg Jets.

Boudreau said his squad is well aware of its underdog label.

“You’d have to be blind not to see it, especially with Canadian TV everywhere, but I’m sure we know where Winnipeg stands, and rightfully so,” Boudreau said. “They’ve won nine out of (their last) 10. They’re second overall in the league. I can see why teams are picking them all.

“We’re here. We’re going to play this game. We’re glad we’re invited to play, so we’ll give it our best shot.”

Winnipeg (52-20-10) finished second in the Central Division and second in the league behind only the Nashville Predators, while Minnesota (45-26-11) was third in the division, 13 points back of the Jets.

The Jets also posted three wins in four matchups during the regular season with their closest neighbours.

Boudreau has been an NHL head coach coach for 12 years, including the last two in Minnesota. He was behind the Anaheim bench three years ago when the Ducks swept the Jets — coached by Paul Maurice — four straight in an opening-round series.

He sees a battle of wits with Maurice as a saw-off.

“I don’t know if there’s (any benefits). He knows me as well as I know him. I think I know the way he changes lines and what he does there, and I’m sure he knows my tendencies as well as far as the coaching aspect goes,” said Boudreau. “But all I know is his teams are always prepared and they’re ready to go. If I’m not on the ball, they’ll take advantage of us.”

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Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk has a simple plan to stop the Jets marksmen, particularly 44-goal scorer Patrik Laine.

“You have to be a little quicker getting over to him,” he said.

Dubnyk was victimized twice by Laine in Winnipeg’s 4-3 victory over visiting Minnesota on Oct. 20 and knows just how lethal the sophomore winger’s shot can be.

“His area to one-time pucks is probably two or three times the size of most guys. All the best shooters are like that. If a puck’s going over to him and it doesn’t necessarily look like he’s going to be able to get a quick shot off, you have to get over and get set because he’ll grab it from back here and whip it at you. Or, if it’s in front of him, he’ll make a small adjustment and manage to get a pretty hard shot on you,” Dubnyk said.

He’s counting on his Wild teammates to impede the Jets’ high-flying ways

“They have a lot of threats. I think the most important thing is you don’t want to give them rush opportunities, that good feeling of flying up and down the ice. That’s what they feed off of. All four lines are great skaters and capable of really getting going,” he said. “We need to be good on the forecheck. That’s our strength.”

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The Jets have already captured the 2018 Stanley Cup, according to EA Sports.

The video game giant ran its annual Stanley Cup simulator and Winnipeg needed seven games to knock off the Boston Bruins to win the league championship.

Patrik Laine scored a third-period goal that proved to be the winner in a 4-2 Game 7 triumph and was also named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP.

Manitoba hockey fans might view the news as a major jinx, however, the Jets haven’t given the simulation results a second thought.

“(It means) nothing… it’s a video game. Obviously, it’s cool. But it doesn’t mean anything in our minds,” said Mark Scheifele.

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The Jets recalled goalie Jamie Phillips Wednesday morning, but his positioning on the depth chart hasn’t changed.

Phillips is with the club to take shots during game-day skates and practices, particularly when Connor Hellebuyck opts out on mornings when he’s starting in the evening.

The 25-year-old from Caledonia, Ont., is the right option, with Michael Hutchinson and Eric Comrie sharing the netminding duties for the playoff-bound Manitoba Moose.

He’s excited for the chance to around the group amidst an intense playoff atmosphere.

“It’s a great opportunity and I’m really thankful. It’s nice to have some real time around the NHL team. I just want to soak it in, enjoy the opportunity, face some of the best shooters in the world and work with a great goalie coach in Wade Flaherty,” said Phillips.

“I just want to improve my game as best I can. My job is to help support the guys in practice. Playoffs are a grind and if a goalie needs a break, my job is to fill in at practice, stay out as long as I have to and go out as early as I have to help these guys get better, and in exchange I get better.”

Phillips was drafted by the Jets in the seventh round (190th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft.

He has a 6-7-0 record with the Moose this season with a 2.76 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. He also played 16 games (3-11-0) for the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca  Twitter: @WFPJasonBell