Jets can’t let their minds wander in downtime

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This article was published 20/10/2015 (3631 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WITH a season-long six-game homestand in progress, but no games between last Sunday’s against St. Louis and Friday’s against Tampa Bay, the Winnipeg Jets’ focus is on sharpness.

The 4-2 loss to the Blues which dropped the Jets to 4-2-0, was a heavy game, so the team took Monday off.

Tuesday, they got back to work at the MTS Iceplex and it was no casual day on the job.

“I thought we were good today,” right-winger Blake Wheeler said about Tuesday’s high pace from start to finish. “I think it’s good to get that pace high, especially when you have as many days as we have between games. And I thought we brought it today, that our practice was really good.

“It’s a good sign, after a loss, to come out and have guys really get after it and have guys really motivated out there.”

“You have to have tough practices so that once Friday comes, you’re not lethargic out there.”

Jets coach Paul Maurice said there will be a variety of work this week before the game against the Lightning.

“It was a good pace to practice today,” Maurice said. “We’re going to really back off that pace (today). And then try to get back to it on (Thursday).

“We’re looking at this as the same week we had prior to the start of the season. We can focus a little bit more with a slightly better understanding of the team we have and where we need to make improvements in our game.

“You’d prefer not to have four days off but then you can take advantage of it, rest guys. We had a full complement, a full, healthy team on the ice, which is good.”

 

Wheels rolling up points

WHEELER has matched a career points streak of six games (three goals, five assists) and shares the NHL lead for two streaks early in the season.

Wheeler’s assist streak is at five games, matching that of Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg.

His points streak of six games also matches the six-gamer posted by St. Louis’s Vladimir Tarasenko. Both streaks are active.

 

D-man Chiarot good to go

DEFENCEMAN Ben Chiarot was a full participant in practice for the second straight time Tuesday and Maurice said he’ll be good to go for the games ahead.

A mid-body injury kept him out of the last three games.

 

Cutting down on penalties

IN one category where they would do well to fall, the Jets are trending a little better in the last week.

Winnipeg is now fifth-highest in times short-handed, a department it led in 2014-15.

The Jets have been short 25 times over six games. The four teams exceeding that total are Ottawa, St. Louis, the New york Rangers and L.A. Kings.