Bruins no match for high-flying Jets

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This article was published 22/12/2023 (655 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Maybe the only thing that can stop the scorching hot Winnipeg Jets right now is the NHL calendar.

With their biggest crowd of the year looking on, the Jets came up with one of their best all-around performances on Friday night, dominating the Boston Bruins in every facet of the game and skating away with a 5-1 victory.

That would be the same Bruins who entered play with just five regulation losses in 30 games, and the second-best winning percentage in the league. They proved to be no match for the mighty Jets, who improve to 20-9-3 — including 8-1-1 in the last 10 — and sit on top of the Central Division heading into their four-day Christmas holiday break.

“We were ready to go right from the drop of the puck,” said defenceman Josh Morrissey. “Measuring stick games in December I don’t really believe in but I felt we knew and respected the type of opponent we had and we didn’t give them too much respect and came out and played on our toes and play aggressive. It’s a huge win for us.”

The Jets have now gone an incredible 22 straight games without giving up more than three goals, further extending a franchise record. They are getting elite goaltending, outstanding five-on-five play and contributions up and down the roster, even with leading scorer Kyle Connor shelved with a serious knee injury.

All of which raises a simple question: Is playing against Winnipeg now the kind of “litmus test” we’ve used in the past to describe their matches against heavyweights like Boston, the Colorado Avalanche and the Los Angeles Kings — all teams the Jets have beaten soundly in the last couple weeks.

It sure seems like it.

“Regardless of what other people think about us or measure us, we just measure ourselves against ourselves. Our standards,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said of downing the Bruins, who are 19-6-6.

“This is how we want to play. This is the Winnipeg Jets hockey team and we just measure (by) our standards to ourselves. We don’t compare ourselves to anybody else or measure (against) anybody else. We have high standards here. We have a good hockey club. We believe in ourselves and that’s all that matters.”

Let’s take some measurements on what went down at Canada Life Centre, where 14,405 fans were in a festive mood — with the exception, perhaps, of those who dusted off their old brown and yellow jerseys for Boston’s annual appearance in the city.

1) WE HAVE A GOOD GOAL: Morrissey looked like a man on a mission in the opening period, with all kinds of timely reads and sharp plays at both ends of the ice. And it looked like his hard work was rewarded just a few minutes into the game when he went hard to the net and buried a puck behind Jeremy Swayman.

There was just one problem: Morrissey used his skate, not his stick, to light the lamp, and there was definitely a distinct kicking motion. Officials immediately waved it off, and the call was upheld following a quick video review.

But if at first you don’t succeed, try again. And Morrissey made sure everyone in the building — including the referees — knew his tally with eight seconds left in the first period would count, making an emphatic “good goal” signal with his hand as he celebrated. His sixth of the year sent the home team into the locker room feeling good, setting the tone for the rest of the game.

“Dominant. Dominant,” Bowness said.

“He can take over the game. Both sides of the puck. He loves the challenges. He just loves to be challenged. And he rises to it. He wants to be out there. Like I’ve always said: He wants the ball. He wants to be out there in all those key situations. He wants to play against the best lines on the other team. He loves those challenges and, more often than not, he answers the bell.”

Morrissey, who is now up to 29 points in 32 games, was quick to spread praise around the room.

“What sticks out to me is just our commitment and buy-in throughout our locker room to our team game,” he said.

“We’ve tried to pride ourselves on being a tough team to play against without the puck and a team that doesn’t give up a lot out there, so I feel like we’re doing a good job, we’re committed to the system and we’ve got buy in and contributions throughout the lineup. Everyone is pulling on the rope in the same direction.”

2) MORE MACARENA: The Jets, and their fans, can’t get enough of the earworm that is Gabe Vilardi’s goal song. And for the fourth straight home game, the Macarena played in the downtown rink after Winnipeg’s rapidly emerging superstar scored yet again (the fifth straight game he’s done so) to make it 2-0 midway through the second period.

Predictably, it came after some terrific passing with linemates Nikolaj Ehlers and Mark Scheifele, who are red-hot as well.

With Vilardi and Scheifele assisting on Morrissey’s goal, the top line trio now have combined for 30 points in the past five games. Vilardi (six goals, six assists), Ehlers (four goals, six assists) and Scheifele (three goals, five assists) are simply taking over games these days.

“I love how they’re committed to the team play and playing the right way,” Bowness said of his top line, which he is using in all situations these days including best-on-best. “They’re a dominant line every night and I love how they’re playing.”

3) FEEL THE POWER: For all the great things the Jets have been doing lately, their work on the power play is not among them.

Winnipeg entered play in a 1-for-21 rut with the man advantage, and it looked like that might just continue. Not only did they whiff on their first attempt against the Bruins, with nary a shot to show for the two minutes of five-on-four, their second chance appeared headed in that direction, too. But then things got a little strange.

First, a hectic sequence around Swayman resulted in a Jets penalty shot, as Bruins defenceman Parker Wotherspoon clearly closed his hand on a flying puck in his own crease during a goal-mouth scramble. Scheifele was tasked with taking the breakaway chance, but his deke attempt was stopped by Swayman.

However, just 25 seconds later, the Jets cashed in as Nate Schmidt fed a terrific cross-ice pass to Nino Niederreiter, who buried his ninth of the year to make it 3-0 at 17:41 of the middle frame.

Niederreiter would add another on the power play in the final minute of the game, after a nice pass from Cole Perfetti, to become the fifth Jets player to hit double-digits this season.

“I think we came out wanting to win the game and go into the Christmas break with a good feeling,” said Niederreiter. “I think we left it all on the line. I think we gave ourselves the feeling that we can compete against anyone.”

The fact Winnipeg was 2-for-3 on the power play against the NHL’s No. 1 penalty killing unit will no doubt raise the joy level and perhaps get things headed in the right direction.

“It’s nice to see a couple go in,” said Morrissey. “You saw some more movement, you saw some nice plays out there and just contributions throughout the night.”

4) THE CAPTAIN CHIPS IN: Winnipeg’s so-called third line of Niederreiter, Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton may have slowed down in recent games when it comes to point production, but they are still a very effective trio often used by Bowness against the other’s team’s best.

However, it’s nice to get an offensive payoff every now and then, and Lowry put this one to bed when he scored his sixth of the year, following a great pass from Appleton, just 85 seconds into the third period to make it 4-0.

Lowry also showed his physical side when he crushed Bruins defenceman Charlie McAvoy with a big hit that got the fans going once again.

5) EXTRA, EXTRA: Hellebuyck’s shutout bid was foiled with just under six minutes left in the third period, as a turnover in their own end proved costly. Brandon Carlo took a shot from the point that appeared to hit Jets defenceman Brenden Dillon on the way past a surprised Hellebuyck. That would be the only shot to beat him, with Hellebuyck stopping the other 24.

At the other end, Swayman turned aside 29 of 33 pucks.

Winnipeg’s penalty kill, which has also struggled for much of the year, had a second straight perfect outing. After killing off a pair of minors against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday, the Jets had another 2-for-2 night at the office.

Players will now spend the next few days with family and friends, with the team not reconvening again until Dec. 27. They’ll face the Chicago Blackhawks that night in the Windy City.

“It’s fun to be a part of this right now and we’re just continuing to build and want to keep that going after Christmas,” said Morrissey.

“In a way you want to keep playing since we’re playing as well as we are. But at the same time, you know, we obviously understand how good that team is over there and the type of seasons they’ve put together the last few years. Maybe that game being the last game before the break is a good thing just knowing if you don’t come out ready to go they can make you look bad. I thought from the drop of the puck we were skating aggressive and just trying to play our game.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg