Maurice reserved on Jets’ success against Coyotes
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/10/2014 (4302 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — For all the plotting and planning, it’s rare on most nights that an NHL teams gets its own way.
There are always two teams on the ice.
Thursday night in Glendale, Ariz., was one of those times a team did mostly what it wanted.
It lasted nearly a full period but by directing 16 shots on goal and skating in top gear, the Winnipeg Jets blitzed the Arizona Coyotes for four first-period goals and a 4-1 lead en route to a season-opening 6-2 victory.
Considering his message for fitness and a high pace during all of training camp, did Jets coach Paul Maurice wear a smile after that rousing first period, when his team did as they were asked?
Not so much. The same way it’s rare to get your own way, smiles and frowns from Maurice are infrequent.
“We got some pucks to the net and got some good action around their net,” was about as far as Maurice would go in a straight-laced post-game interview.
The question about their coach possibly smiling was put to a couple of standouts in the game, two-goal shooters Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little.
“Internally, he’ll be smiling for sure,” Wheeler said.
Do you think he’ll let you know that, Wheeler was asked.
“I don’t know,” he grinned. “We’ll find out. He’s not one to show his emotions so it’s a good thing, especially when things are going bad, but that’s a good thing when you’re going good. You want to see the same things. He’s pretty flat-lined, which is a good trait in a head coach.”
Little sounded quite sure that his coach would be pleased with the start to Thursday’s game.
“Yeah, I think he’s going to be really happy with the way we came out in that first period, with the way we started the game,” Little said. “The whole emphasis was on skating in training camp and exhibition and I thought in the first period, we really came out skating and that’s how we got a lot of our chances and goals.
“So I think he’s going to be happy with that.”
It’s also worth noting that in addition to their four goals, the Jets had a cross-bar by Dustin Byfuglien, a missed breakaway by T.J. Galiardi and a clean-look chance by Mark Scheifele which was stopped by a quick catching-glove save from Coyotes goalie Mike Smith.
The Jets have an afternoon practice scheduled today in San Jose, where they will meet the Sharks on Saturday night.
More information should be available later today on the condition of Jets left-winger Evander Kane, who was injured by friendly fire at 2:18 of Thursday’s first period. Kane’s knee collided with Scheifele’s at high speed when the pair was crossing the offensive blueline
Kane tried one more shift after that, but then left the game for the night.
tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca
