Ready or not, here comes the season

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This article was published 04/10/2015 (3652 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY — It didn’t serve the purpose of fine-tuning the Winnipeg Jets’ Game 1 roster for the NHL’s coming regular season, but the team’s last pre-season game had plenty of value for head coach Paul Maurice.

He got to watch lineup contenders once again and the Jets, despite playing without four pretty important regulars, posted a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames Saturday night.

The Jets left Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry off the ice at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

In their places, youngsters such as Nic Petan, J.C. Lipon, Andrew Copp and lineup hopeful Thomas Raffl got to play again.

Winning for the third consecutive time to finish the pre-season, Winnipeg posted its best exhibition mark since the 2011 relocation (3-2-1).

Two years ago, the exhibition schedule yielded a telling 1-4-3 tally, while last fall it finished at 3-4-0.

“There were definitely moments that could have been better, but you can’t complain about winning the hockey game and ending pre-season on that note,” said Jets centre Bryan Little.

“We’ve gotten better and better as the games went on,” added winger Drew Stafford, who had a late empty-net goal to clinch the win. “Wins or losses in the pre-season don’t count, but it’s more about pride and preparation, getting yourself ready to go.

“Flying today, coming right to the rink and getting the plane legs out in the first period, we were able to get some momentum in the second. It’s more about habits in the last few games of the pre-season.”

 

Are they ready?

That was the main question after this game and Maurice said it’s close.

“It’s one you ask every year,” he said after the game in which the Jets never trailed at the Saddledome.

“We’re where we should be on some things. Our game has changed a little bit, what we can do with the puck and what we’re trying to do with the puck, so there’s going to be another learning curve this year. We’re not far off.

“We won the last three so we get to have a good week.”

 

Roster Plan B

Maurice had said frequently he viewed the final couple of pre-season games as live-fire tune-ups for his regular lineup. That wasn’t the case Saturday, but it wasn’t a negative, the coach said.

“No, that turned out to be a really good thing,” he said. “It was going to end up taking some kids out that deserved to play again. But none of the guys out of our lineup we’re worried about right now, so we expect everybody to be on the ice on Monday.”

That includes forward Mathieu Perreault, who left Saturday’s game in the third period. He limped off the ice on an early shift, tried it again later, and then packed it in for precautionary reasons.

 

Difference makers

The Jets put forth their winning play in the second period, getting goals from Blake Wheeler and Ben Chiarot five minutes apart to move ahead 2-0.

Wheeler opened the scoring with a clever tip of Toby Enstrom’s floating point shot.

Chiarot then roofed a third pre-season goal from a low angle on goalie Karri Ramo. He ended the pre-season tied for the team lead in goals with Scheifele.

Lance Bouma made it a one-goal game 3:45 into the third, but Stafford’s empty-netter at 18:54 put the Jets over the top.

 

Rest, then start

With their practice-game schedule complete, the Jets will rest today, and then return to work Monday to prepare for Thursday’s season-opener in Boston against the Bruins. Winnipeg plays its first four games of 2015-16 on the road, before the Oct. 16 home opener against the Flames.

 

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca