Flyers goalie the difference as Philly downs Jets

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This article was published 17/11/2016 (3275 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PHILADELPHIA — No one was saying as much after the fact, but the Winnipeg Jets got out-goalied Thursday night.

Starting netminder Connor Hellebuyck wasn’t anywhere near his best, while Philadelphia starter Steve Mason continued on his road to redemption with a solid performance as the Flyers dumped the Jets 5-2 before a crowd of 19,432 at Wells Fargo Center.

The game was the first of five straight on the road for Winnipeg (9-8-2). The Jets came into the contest with four wins and an overtime loss in their last five games.

“We created some good opportunities and, ya, it just wasn’t meant to be,” said Winnipeg captain Blake Wheeler. “They capitalized on their looks. We had a few that maybe we’d like back to put us in a better position. It was one of those nights.”

Indeed, there was talk of bad bounces, a failure to capitalize on chances and missed nets but the Jets were stoned by Mason a number of times, including a breakaway chance by left-winger Nikolaj Ehlers that in the second period that preserved a 2-1 lead for Philadelphia (8-7-3).

Hellebuyck, meanwhile, surrendered two goals on the first two shots he faced midway through the opening period, and, while shooters Sean Couturier and Michael Raffl both showed pin-point accuracy, a big save was exactly what the Jets required at a time when their own quick start wasn’t being rewarded.

The 23-year-old netminder was solely to blame on the Flyers’ third goal. Veteran defenceman Mark Streit’s 60-foot slap shot beat Hellebuyck high to the glove side at 12:58 of the middle frame to give the hosts a 3-1 lead.

The goal came about six minutes after defenceman Dustin Byfuglien fired his first goal of the season, a one-timer off a tremendous pass from centre Nic Petan.

Mason, who’s had an awful start to the season in Philadelphia, stopped 30 shots, while Hellebuyck blocked 16.

Hellebuyck, who had won his previous four starts, including a 4-0 shutout over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at MTS Centre, didn’t come out to speak with reporters after the loss.

Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice was asked about the difficulty for a goaltender to stay focused after being tested twice and failing to stop either shot.

“I hope not, ‘cuz pretty sure they’re going to get a third one. So, you can’t feel good every night,” Maurice said, then harkened back to the Jets’ 3-2 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings last week — a night when Hellebuyck was fighting the puck but stayed sharp in overtime and the shootout session. “The L.A. game was a good example for us. The puck wasn’t easy for him to find. He battled it out and made a good save in the shootout, so you gotta stay in that fight.”

He said sometimes the shooter deserves some credit, too.

“The second one (by Raffl) was a helluva shot, I don’t look at my ‘tender on that one,” he said.

Good start squandered

The Jets outshot the Flyers 9-5 in the opening 20 minutes but trailed 2-0.

“It was weird. It’s definitely not what we drew up,” said centre Mark Scheifele, whose assist on Wheeler’s sixth goal of the season in the second period lifted him back into a tie for the NHL points lead (22) with Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov.

“A few unlucky bounces, unlucky calls, but you have to work past that.”

Scheifele was flat out on the ice, the victim of a trip that wasn’t called when Couturier’s goal went in.

“Yeah, I do. For sure,” said Scheifele, when asked if the non-call was an obvious one. He spoke to the official after the play, looking for some kind of rationale.

“They said they didn’t see it, that’s about it. Can’t dwell on it too much, it’s over and done with. You can’t change it now, but it sucked at the time.”

Flyers right-winger Wayne Simmonds, with his ninth of the season, and blueliner Brandon Manning, with his second — into an empty net — closed out thes scoring.

Stafford on standby

Veteran forward Drew Stafford took part in some of the drills Thursday morning wearing a regular, white jersey but was held out of the lineup.

The 31-year-old Milwaukee product, who has missed 13 games after suffering a lower-body injury Oct. 25 against Dallas, is close to returning.

“He had to go through a hard, full contact (practice) here today and feel good (Friday), and we may throw him through another one. So, he’s cleared for contact and now he has to be able to get through that contact,” said Maurice.

Stafford could play Friday when the Jets battle the Bruins, although Maurice made clear “if it’s not Boston, it won’t be a setback.”

Ghost nowhere to be seen

Flyers defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere was a healthy scratch, a shock considering the major responsibility the talented 23-year-old has with the club. He has three goals and seven assists in 17 games, but is a minus-4.

Dave Hakstol said the decision to give ‘Ghost’ a seat in the press box was not meant as a wakeup call for last year’s NHL rookie of the year runner-up but more a necessary step in developing a young player.

The Metropolitan Division club incurred the wrath of the Twitter world Thursday afternoon when the news broke, only an hour after Gostisbehere was named the Philadelphia Pro Athlete of the Year by the city’s sports writers.

“I was a little taken aback by it, but I think right now it’s what’s best for the team,” said Gostisbehere, following Thursday’s morning skate. “I can learn a lot from up there. It’s a good learning curve right now. It hits home, for sure, and makes me work that much harder. I’m a no-excuse guy. I’ve got to clean some stuff up, obviously.”

NOTES: Jets flashy rookie Patrik Laine had a game to forget. He finished a minus-4 and was dropped from the top line and replaced by Wheeler in the middle frame. … The game was the 700th of Winnipeg right-winger Chris Thorburn’s career. … The Jets head to Boston to face the Bruins on Saturday night and then face the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday in Raleigh. Next week, they face the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul on Wednesday and then travel to Nashville to play the Predators on Friday.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: WFPJasonBell