Jets hang on to end preseason with win

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This article was published 04/10/2024 (368 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The final dress rehearsal for the Winnipeg Jets won’t have fans clamouring for a curtain call — it’s preseason hockey, after all — but there was enough about their performance to at least earn polite praise.

A 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Friday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome featured the closest thing we’ve seen to regular NHL lineups since training camps opened in mid-September. As such, the takeaways from this type of tilt can carry at least a bit more weight.

Here are a few noteworthy ones as the Jets wrapped up the exhibition slate with a 3-2-1 record.

Connor’s crease

Safe to say Connor Hellebuyck’s preseason finished better than it started.

After getting shelled for eight goals in 40 minutes during his debut in Minnesota, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner looked more like his usual stellar self in his next two outings.

Hellebuyck stopped 17 of 19 shots last Wednesday in a 5-2 home victory over the Flames, then followed that up by turning aside 32 of 34 against a beefed-up version of the same team, just 48 hours later.

You’ve got to be good to be lucky, and Hellebuyck had a bit of early help in this one as Calgary rang iron twice in the opening period. (Although goaltenders will always say a post is just the product of not giving the opponent anywhere else to shoot).

Winnipeg got a bit of a scare in the first period when Hellebuyck came out to play a puck and was tripped up by Calgary’s Adam Klapka in some skate-on-skate contact, but he quickly popped up without issue.

The only two pucks to beat him came courtesy of nifty net-front tips by the Flames, both in the third period. He stood tall in the final frame when the Jets (who entered up 2-0) were outshot 21-4.

 

Depth scoring

One of Winnipeg’s strengths last season was depth scoring, with 11 forwards hitting double-digits. Defenceman Josh Morrissey also joined the club, and Brenden Dillon came two goals short.

In other words, they had a lot of offensive weapons.

Coach Scott Arniel will love the fact Friday’s first two goals came from third-liner winger Nino Niederreiter (linemate Mason Appleton won a race to a loose puck and found him wide-open in the slot) and third-pairing defenceman Colin Miller, who was set up by fourth-line centre Rasmus Kupari.

The 12 skaters who notched at least 10 last year are all back for Winnipeg, and it says here Miller has a legitimate shot of being in that mix as well. He’s got a rocket of a shot and ended up lighting the lamp three times in the preseason.

 

Clutch scoring

It’s nice to have a few game-breakers on the roster, and top-line winger Kyle Connor is certainly in that category. He scored with 3:09 left in the third period to snap a tie, beating Flames goaltender Dan Vladar after Gabe Vilardi fed him the puck off a scrambled draw in the offensive zone.

Connor ended up with three goals in three preseason games, which was tied for the team lead with Niederreiter and Miller.

After 34 goals in just 65 games last year — he missed 17 with a knee injury — Connor might just threaten his career-high of 47 if he can stay healthy. Dare we say 50?

 

Special teams

The power play had some great chances despite going 0-for-2, but the penalty killing was the real story. Winnipeg killed off five minors, including a 6-on-4 in the final minute of play which included huge shot blocks from defencemen Dylan DeMelo (off his visor/face) and Dylan Samberg (off his shin pads).

 

Waivers worries

The Jets breathed a sigh of relief on Friday as four players sent packing from training camp all cleared waivers.

Defenceman Simon Lundmark and forwards Axel Jonsson-Fjalby, Dominic Toninato and Mason Shaw were all bypassed by the other 31 clubs, paving the way for them to remain in the organization and join the Manitoba Moose. They’ll give the AHL team a major boost while also serving as insurance for the Jets.

 

Extra, extra

The following skaters were scratched from the lineup: Forwards Brad Lambert, Nikita Chibrikov, David Gustafsson and Jaret Anderson-Dolan. Defencemen Elias Salomonsson, Dylan Coghlan, Ville Heinola and Logan Stanley, and goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen.

The Jets flew back to Winnipeg following the game and will take Saturday off. Sunday will be spent away from the rink doing some team bonding while coaches and management work to get down to a maximum of 23 healthy players by Monday’s deadline.

The team will skate on Monday and Tuesday before heading to Edmonton for the season-opener against the Oilers on Wednesday.

 

Captain Yager

Brayden Yager had an eye-opening first training camp with the Jets, which included scoring a goal on future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury in preseason action. The 19-year-old was sent back to junior earlier this week but had a nice consolation prize waiting for him.

Yager was named the new captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors, the defending Western Hockey League champions who should be a force again this year. There’s a good chance the Saskatoon product could also be part of the leadership group for the Canadian World Juniors club this coming holiday season.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg