Unlikely hero: Blues done in by a guy with seven goals

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This article was published 07/04/2015 (4125 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ST. LOUIS — Chris Thorburn could get used to moments like this.

There was the veteran Winnipeg Jets winger in the dressing room after Tuesday’s huge 1-0 win over the St. Louis Blues, talking with a media throng about his game-winning goal. They don’t come often — the marker was Thorburn’s seventh of the season and 43rd in a career that spans 602 games — but maybe none have been bigger.

“Probably not,” said Thorburn. “It was just a great play, a great faceoff play by (Jim Slater), then we get the puck to the net and I was fortunate for it to just land on my stick there and put it in.

“It’s a big goal, but guys have been stepping up this whole stretch. It’s just nice to contribute, and hopefully going forward we can get the same results.”

It was just a couple of hours before puck drop when Paul Maurice, in his pre-game media availability, raved about the team’s depth up front. And he referenced not just the additions of Jiri Tlusty and Lee Stempniak to that crew, but the emergence of Adam Lowry and the work of mainstays such as Slater and Thorburn.

Thorburn’s goal marked the fourth straight game the Jets had opened the scoring and the 49th time this season, tied with the New York Rangers for most in the NHL. But for a team that has been desperate to find some production from their bottom six, consider this: Perreault, now on the left side of Lowry and Stempniak, has five points in his last four games; Stempniak has three goals in his last four games while Slater has three goals and five points in his last six.

All that has been significant with two big guns on their top line trying to find the back of the net again. Bryan Little still seems to be searching for his game since returning from injury and while Andrew Ladd continues to be solid away from the puck, he has also gone goal-less in nine games.

“It’s rewarding and it just takes some of the pressure off our big guys,” said Thorburn. They’re responsible for getting us to this point. During this stretch, it’s nice to get them some offence and contribute. It pays off. It creates that confidence and confidence is dangerous. Hopefully, going forward everyone from top to bottom has that confidence.”

Overheard before and after Thorburn’s chat with the media: his teammates calling him ‘Scoreburn.’

“Adam Lowry came up with that one,” said Thorburn, grinning. “He’s just poking fun, but I like it. I’ll take it.”

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Upside the head

Jets winger Mathieu Perreault left the game for a spell after taking a stick to the head from Ryan Reaves, a hit that went unnoticed by the officials. Perreault returned and didn’t want to comment too much on the hit afterward because he hadn’t seen the incident yet.

“I haven’t seen the replay yet, but I was just coming in to finish my check and all of sudden I wasn’t sure what hit me but something got me up high in the head,” said Perreault. “My helmet went flying and I was feeling a little shaky on the play, but I walked it off and felt better after.

“I’m sure if it looks bad the league is going to review it and do whatever they want with it.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait