Jets content to play up ‘underdog’ role

By: Tim Campbell Posted: 12:18 PM CDT Monday, Apr. 13, 2015 Last Modified: 3:46 PM CDT Monday, Apr. 13, 2015 | Updates

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/04/2015 (3803 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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The selling has begun.

On the first day of practices this week ahead of their first Stanley Cup playoff series, the Winnipeg Jets tried hard to stake out their ground.

“We’re a huge, decided underdog in this series,” Jets coach Paul Maurice declared after Monday’s skate at the MTS Centre. They start the best-of-seven series Thursday night in Anaheim against the Ducks.

Bill Boyce / The Associated Press
Winnipeg Jets' goalie Ondrej Pavelec (31) blocks a shot against the St. Louis Blues during the third period of Tuesday's game. — Bill Boyce / The Associated Press Winnipeg Jets' goalie Ondrej Pavelec (31) blocks a shot against the St. Louis Blues during the third period of Tuesday's game.

“They finished first, best team in the Western Conference. We didn’t. But we have some confidence in our game.”

Questioned about that underdog status, Maurice added: “Even if you finished first, you’d want to come in as the underdog, wouldn’t you?”

Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien was also trumpeting the Jets’ role.

“As of right now, we’re the underdogs,” Byfuglien said today. “We’re facing a team that’s unbelievable. They have guys with more experience but really, nothing’s changing. We just have to go in and be loose and just play hockey.

“On paper, we have (less) games but really, it’s just hockey.”

The Jets put their full team, minus left-winger Mathieu Perreault, on the ice today for the first of three practices this week. It’s the first such week of practice since the season started, Maurice said.

Perreault skipped today’s practice but the coach said he will skate this week and would well play in Game 1.

Other than Perreault, all the Jets players who sat out Saturday’s 5-1 win over Calgary were on the ice.

That included goalie Ondrej Pavelec, who was this morning named the NHL’s second star of the week.

Pavelec didn’t allow a single goal in 185 minutes of hockey last week, earning three straight shutouts to help the Jets qualify for the playoffs. That 1.000 save percentage for the week and a 0.00 goals against average wasn’t good enough to rank as the NHL’s first star of the week, however.

Jamie Benn of the non-playoff Dallas Stars was named first star of the week after scoring 10 points last week. Benn’s final night of four points gave him the Art Ross Trophy.

Ottawa’s Mark Stone, who helped his team get into the playoffs, was the third star.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca

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