Jets blow away Hurricanes 3-1

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/11/2011 (5075 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

RALEIGH, N.C. — A big piece of the puzzle that is the Winnpeg Jets is falling into place.

“It’s pretty clear whose team it is,” proclaimed Winnipeg Jets coach Claude Noel on Friday night, not long after his captain, Andrew Ladd, had scored for the third straight game to help power a 3-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at RBC Center.

“You see the way he played tonight. It’s pretty clear that he wanted to win here. He’s played here, won a Cup here, so he’s pretty evident the way he’s been pushing. The way that our team is with our work ethic is not by accident.”

Ladd, who signed a new five-year contract in the summer, has slipped into the driver’s seat.

The 25-year-old from Maple Ridge, B.C., has points in seven of his last eight games (4-5-9) and now has three game-winners on the season.

Icing on Friday’s cake was that his second-period marker, when he outfought Canes defenceman Tomas Kaberle and his close friend Carolina goalie Cam Ward, for the puck in the crease for the goal, was the 100th of his NHL career.

“It’s nice to score it on Ward-o,” Ladd grinned after the victory brought the Jets back to .500 at 9-9-4. They are 4-0-1 in the last five. “I’ll have to remind him of that one.

“It’s great, always nice to come in this building, where someone traded you away, and play well and win the game.”

Ladd’s goal was a big response, coming 68 seconds after a goal by Carolina’s Jiri Tlusty that tied the game 1-1.

“Those are the types of goals you have to get in the NHL.” Ladd said. “Most of the goals are scored within that five-foot radius of the net, getting there and creating screens. And if you’re not getting the goal, it’s usually creating space around you for other guys, too.”

Before the Jets’ recent string of results began, Noel was free with some anger about his team’s play. He was equally praiseworthy of his captain on Friday.

“Usually it goes through your leader and your leadership group and you can’t say enough about the job that he’s done with our group,” Noel said.

Some of the spin-offs Friday included another perfect night on the penalty kill. Four Carolina chances — against just one for the Jets — were nullified, making it that way in five of the last six games.

Centre Bryan Little, who had such a hard time getting untracked, has also scored in three straight games after Friday’s emtpy-netter, and has points in five straight.

And the Jets are clearly playing as more of a team than they were a month ago.

“We’re starting to find our groove here, and figure out our identity and what we need to do to be successful,” Ladd said.

“I thought our first period, our skating. was real good,” Noel said of the road victory in which Winnipeg outshot the home team 30-21. “Our forechecking and our tracking the puck was excellent. We weren’t the same in the second but I was really happy with the first.”

Even with five defencemen out, the Jets got more valuable minutes out of the third pair of Mark Flood and Arturs Kulda on Friday.

As important was the return of veteran goalie Chris Mason, who last played Oct. 27 in Philadelphia, when he hurt his groin.

Mason was called on to help shut off two early Carolina power plays, then was sharp and in control the rest of the night.

“I think this started with Mase in goal,” said Jets defenceman Zach Bogosian. “He gave a hell of an effort back there, made some big saves. And I thought our penalty kill played really well tonight.”

It was Mason’s second win of the season.

“Even though I felt great in practice, I know that it can’t simulate a game,” Mason said of his return. “I’ve been there before, sat for a lot of games and then played, and I’m going back to my early days of those preparations that even when I’m not playing, I try to prepare like I am and it just makes it easy when the game-day comes.”

The Jets are in Boston tonight to end the three-game road trip, then wing home to play 13 of the following 15 games in the MTS Centre.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca

Zach Bogosian was sure he didn’t do anything wrong but was relieved this morning that he’d be in the lineup tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Bogosian had a hearing Thursday with NHL vice-president of player safetey Brendan Shanahan regarding his second-period hit Wednesday on Washington forward Cody Eakin.

Eakin dumped the puck into the Jets zone from the neutral zone and turned slightly before Bogosian came across and delievered a heavy check, knocking Eakin to the ice.

The NHL said it was satisfied Bogosian had commited to the check and that it was aimed at Eakin’s shoulder.

“It’s a good feeling knowing you’re not going to get suspended or fined or anything like that,” Bogosian said this morning at the RBC Center after the Jets’ game-day skate. “I’m happy with their decision and I’m just glad that they understood where I was coming from on that play.

“I’m not the type of player that would target someone’s head.”

No penalty was assessed on the play.

At this morning’s skate, defenceman Ron Hainsey, who returned Wednesday in Washington after missing 16 games with upper- and lower-body injuries, left the ice early and might not be available tonight.

Coach Claude Noel said Hainsey’s status will be determined at gametime.

Against the Hurricanes, the Jets look as if they’ll be inserting forward Tim Stapleton and defenceman Artrus Kulda instead of Jason Jaffray and Mark Flood.

As well, goalie Chris Mason will make his first appearance since Oct. 27. Ondrej Pavelec has made 13 straight starts for the Jets.