Jets’ big win nothing to get worked up over

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This article was published 25/09/2024 (382 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s the type of performance that makes you think the sky could be the limit for these Winnipeg Jets.

But at the risk of raining on any potential parade, a dominating 6-1 preseason victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night at Canada Life Centre should be taken with a significant grain of salt given the quality of opposition.

No Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. No Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse or Mattias Ekholm on the back-end. And, as it turned out, no chance against a stronger Jets squad that included plenty of star power.

Still, give the home side credit for taking full advantage of the situation. They flexed their muscles in all facets of the game and showed why, when firing on all cylinders, they can be a real handful.

“It’s all about good habits,” said defenceman Neal Pionk, who led the way with a goal and three assists. “So doesn’t matter who you’re playing in preseason, roster wise, doesn’t matter who you’re playing with. Got to create good habits and get into shape for the year.”

Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, Colin Miller, Brad Lambert and Adam Lowry had the other goals, while Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 26 of 27 shots he faced as Winnipeg improved to 1-1-1 in exhibition play.

Here’s a look at some of the key developments from this one:

1) Not bad for Brad: How do you keep Lambert off the opening-night roster if he continues to perform like this? It wasn’t his goal and an assist that stood out, although offensive production is expected when you’re skating in a top-six role and given power play time, as the 20-year-old was on this night.

But how about the nifty net-front drive that opened up all kinds of space for Ehlers to put Winnipeg on the board in the first period. By taking an Oilers defenceman to the side of the crease with him, Ehlers had nothing but time to convert on a terrific feed from Vlad Namestnikov. He also had a speedy chip-and-chase play that drew a penalty.

“Every time he steps on the ice, it’s a learning curve for him,” said coach Scott Arniel. “I really liked a lot of what he did. When he has the puck, he can be dynamic with it.”

There’s a good chance Cole Perfetti, fresh off signing his two-year contract extension on Monday, is going to get a shot playing with Ehlers and Namestnikov. But imagine a scenario where the versatile Namestnikov moves down the lineup and Perfetti, Ehlers and Lambert are given some runway.

2) Top line shines: The No. 1 trio of Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabe Vilardi were excellent in this one, controlling possession and zone time.

According to NaturalStatTrick, the trio had a Corsi share of 69.57 per cent to lead all lines. That’s really good.

Injuries to Vilardi and Connor last year meant limited playing time together, but Arniel obviously wants to see more.

Scheifele sprung Connor for a breakaway goal that made it 2-0, and they generated plenty of other quality looks and chances. Scheifele also went 15-for-19 in faceoffs, which meant they were almost always starting with the puck when he was on the ice.

“Puck possession. It’s one thing about them is they’ve got chemistry. When they have the puck, they’re hard to get it away from,” said Arniel. “They read off each other really well. Obviously that was the first game for them being together and you see that chemistry pretty quick.”

3) Offence from the defence: We all know Josh Morrissey can drive play from the back-end, as proven by his last two seasons (76 and 69 points). But the Jets will be a much more dangerous group if he can have a little help in that department.

Pionk, playing in his first preseason game of the year (along with Morrissey, Scheifele, Connor, Ehlers, Lowry and Dylan DeMelo), was a force in this one. After setting up Miller on the power play for the 3-0 goal midway through the second period, he scored one of his own on a nifty deke set up by Rasmus Kupari’s backhand pass.

Pionk, who had the secondary helper on Connor’s tally, then fed Lambert — again on the power play — to make it 5-0 early in the third. Add it all up and that’s a four-point effort from the veteran defenceman who is entering the final year of his contract and should have no shortage of motivation because of that.

Speaking of Miller, that’s now two goals in two preseason games for last year’s trade deadline addition who never seemed to gain the confidence of former bench boss Rick Bowness and barely played. It’s a different story under Arniel, and Miller seems poised for a big year with his big shot and mobility on that third-pairing.

4) Kaapo’s Crease: It wasn’t the best debut last Saturday as Kahkonen was beaten five times on 28 shots as the Jets lost 5-2 to the Minnesota Wild. When Eric Comrie followed that up with a 25-save effort the next night in a 3-2 overtime loss in Edmonton, you wondered if the competition for the backup goalie spot had taken a bit of a turn?

The fact Kahkonen got a second start in three games tells you the Jets are high on him, and he certainly showed plenty of poise and confidence in this one. He was 3:28 from a shutout before Connor Brown — one of the few regulars in Edmonton’s lineup — tipped a point shot past him.

With Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck set to play at least two of the final preseason games — and maybe more — it would seem like Kahkonen has likely locked up the No. 2 spot, with Comrie most likely destined for waivers and the Manitoba Moose.

5) Extra, extra: It was a great night for new assistant coaches Davis Payne and Dean Chynoweth, as the re-tooled special teams units they are in charge of both looked excellent. Payne’s power play went 2-for-3, with plenty of crisp puck movement and player rotation. And Chynoweth’s penalty kill not only went 5-for-5, but Lowry’s goal came shorthanded after a giveaway by Oilers goaltender Collin Delia (who had relieved Stuart Skinner after 40 minutes of play).

After drawing 13,787 for Saturday’s first home preseason game, a crowd of 12,367 took this one in. Winnipeg has one more home date, next Wednesday against Calgary, sandwiched in between road games against the Wild (this Friday) and Flames (next Friday).

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg