Uh-oh, more goalie worries

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This article was published 29/09/2014 (4323 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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EDMONTON — If it’s true NHL pre-season games mean both zero and diddly — and, officially, they do — then some advice for Winnipeg Jets fans:

Put down the torches and pitchforks. Save your angst, your concern, your questions about the club’s goaltending situation for a spell.

At least, until next week when the regular season begins.

The Jets fell 3-1 to the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place Monday night in their fourth of seven pre-season contests and, in the process, the ongoing debate about the state of the team’s last line of defence was sparked up again.

Michael Hutchinson, who was so solid in a three-game audition at the end of last season and is pegged as the No. 2 man behind Ondrej Pavelec — the team’s No. 1 goaltender and pin cushion — was iffy in the loss to the Oilers, surrendering three goals on 14 shots before being replaced by Danny Taylor in the second period.

 

The numbers

For what it’s worth, Hutchinson — who did backstop the Jets for their lone exhibition win — has surrendered seven goals on 58 shots in parts of three preseason games so far for a save percentage of .879. Pavelec, who is expected to get most of the work in the final pre-season games, is at .895. Worth noting: three of the four goals Pavelec surrendered were while the Jets were short-handed; the fourth came on a penalty shot.

Still, the numbers mean the Jets puck stoppers have hardly wrapped themselves in glory in the pre-season — although Taylor stopped all the shots he faced in relief before being pulled for an extra attacker late.

By comparison the Oilers, who had their own net issues last year, added Viktor Fasth in the off-season and he was steady in Monday’s win.

 

Young guns update

A quick take on each of the four prospects in the Jets’ lineup Monday:

D Josh Morrissey was paired with Grant Clitsome and was on the ice for two Oiler goals. Looked solid on the power-play, but didn’t really jump off the page, either.

C Nic Petan worked on a line with Nik Ehlers and Eric Tangradi and also had his moments, including a nifty little spin-o-rama in the offensive zone. He did struggle in the face-off circle, winning just two of 12 draws.

Ehlers didn’t have the same jump he showed Saturday in Minny and, frankly, a downward spike in his energy shouldn’t be all that surprising. The Danish Dynamo has dressed for all four pre-season games — this after the Young Stars tournament in Penticton.

LW/C Adam Lowry: So this is going to sound like a broken record (kids, ask your parents), but Lowry offered up the latest in a series of all-round efforts that scream out for him to stick with the NHL club. He drew an assist on the Jets’ lone goal and continues to make all the little plays coaches crave.

 

Two Jets who stood out

C Mathieu Perreault scored, was creative and flashed some of the sneaky-quick speed that head coach Paul Maurice noted during camp.

D Adam Pardy played big and when he simplifies his game can be a guy who really is in the mix for that sixth-seven spot in the lineup.

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait

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