Newbies pave way for Jets

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This article was published 23/03/2015 (3829 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EDMONTON — The late-season acquisitions by the Winnipeg Jets have had multiple impacts but none more co-ordinated than Monday night at Rexall Place.

Newcomers Drew Stafford, Lee Stempniak and Tyler Myers scored goals to power the Jets to a much-needed 4-1 victory over the hapless Edmonton Oilers, extending Winnipeg’s late-season winning streak to five games.

That matches the team’s best run to this point of the campaign and just as importantly, drove their point total up to 88 (38-23-12) in 73 games, still with a solid grip on the Western Conference’s second wild-card playoff spot.

The Oilers, long out of contention, dropped to 20-40-13.

Winnipeg stayed four points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings, the team closest to the playoff line but out, and within one of the first wild-card team, the Minnesota Wild, but there was no assistance on the scoreboard on Monday, with Minnesota, Los Angeles and Calgary all winning.

In a game against an opponent with little to play for, the Jets grabbed some important early momentum thanks to Stafford.

He stole Oscar Klefbom’s intended cross-ice pass in the Jets’ zone and streaked down the ice to score the game’s first goal, just 7:32 in.

That let the visitors play with a comfort level that led to mostly good things.

It was Stafford’s ninth goal in 10 career games against Edmonton.

The goal also extended his personal points streak to six games (4-4-8).

 

High water

The Jets had already exceeded their best points total in the four seasons since relocation and with Monday’s victory, have now set a new mark (and climbing) with 38 wins in 73 games.

They recorded 37 wins in each of the first and third seasons after moving from Atlanta.

 

More Pav

Ondrej Pavelec, chosen Monday as the NHL’s player of the week for his perfect 3-0-0 record last week, added another game to his personal winning streak, which now stands at five games.

In his streak, the Jets goaltender has stopped 146 out of 151 shots, for a .967 save percentage during his run.

 

More Wheeler

Jets right-winger Blake Wheeler left the game in the first period after taking a puck to the face. The point shot climbed his own stick and hit him high and he was helped off.

Wheeler, however, returned to play in the third period after missing more than half the game.

 

Travel points

The Jets moved to 18-12-7 on the road this season.

Only one team in the Western Conference, the Anaheim Ducks, has fewer regulation losses away from home

 

Hold on, again

Jets coach Paul Maurice said Monday that centre Bryan Little and defenceman Dustin Byfuglien, though they are skating and practising, aren’t likely to play in tonight’s contest in Vancouver.

The duo has now missed eight games each.

“I think every day they get closer to it,” Maurice said Monday. “Both of these are slow-healing, not the players but the injuries they have. And we want to make sure when they come back in the lineup they don’t go back out. We also understand we’re in a real tough race so we’re not resting them more than we have to.”

Byfuglien, Little, Mathieu Perreault and Ben Chiarot all joined Monday’s game-day skate near the end and stayed out for most of the rest of the team’s hour of icetime. Perreault (out 14 games) and Chiarot (12) are on track for their returns in early April, according to the team.

 

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca