Jets keep Habs humble

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This article was published 18/02/2017 (3512 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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MONTREAL — When the Winnipeg Jets arrived at the Bell Centre for their game against the Montreal Canadiens Saturday afternoon, they knew what they were walking into.

The Canadiens were both rested from a five-day break and supposedly rejuvenated under new head coach Claude Julien, but none of that seemed to matter to the Jets, who came prepared for a high-spirted affair before leaving with 3-1 victory.

“You talk very briefly about what they’re dealing with and what we would expect and then the rest is just about the Winnipeg Jets,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice, whose team improved to 27-29-5.

The Jets are 1-0-1 on their four-game road trip, which started Thursday in Pittsburgh with a 4-3 overtime loss to the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins.

Despite the loss, the Jets liked their game in Pittsburgh, where they felt they played hard and physical. Following up with another strong display against the Canadiens (31-20-8) should provide some confidence as the Jets look to get back in the playoff race.

“It’s important that the players understand you’re going to lose games, but it’s about losing confidence,” said Maurice. “Even in an overtime loss they walked out of there thinking, that’s what we’re capable of doing on a nightly basis and that’s our challenge.”

If the Jets have been anything this season, it’s inconsistent.

Talking with reporters before the game, Maurice spoke about the importance of keeping pace with the Atlantic Division-leading Canadiens early in the game; perhaps even hoping his team, too, could feed off a building he predicted would be “on fire.”

His message appeared to get through, as the Jets limited the Canadiens to just five shots through 20 minutes. Even when trailing 1-0 after some early puck luck for Montreal, the Jets never wavered.

Montreal took the lead midway through the opening period after a pass from behind the net from Jets defenceman Ben Chiarot took an awkward bounce off the boards in the corner. Canadiens forward Alex Galchenyuk would find it first and two passes later, Andrei Markov, Montreal’s veteran defenceman, was credited with his fourth of the season.

“Aside from a fluky bounce off the boards there, that was a pretty solid game,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “There were a lot of really good things we can build off of.”

Two penalties by the Jets early in the second period provided the perfect opportunity for the Canadiens to shift momentum their way, but it was Winnipeg that would leave feeling in control.

Joel Armia tied the game 1-1 on the Canadiens’ first man advantage; and when the Jets were back short-handed just moments later, it was Connor Hellebuyck standing tall in net to keep it a tie game.

Hellebuyck wasn’t overly busy, facing just 20 shots. But he was good when he needed to be, including on a number of odd-man rushes where only diving cross-crease saves prevented goals. 

“The players worked very hard in front of him and limited what he had to see tonight,” said Maurice. “But he’s going to get called upon, they all do, to make one or two or three big saves and he did tonight. He answered the bell.”

Armia has emerged as a reliable defensive player this season and has been rewarded for it with time on the penalty kill. But he’s also shown glimpses that suggest one day he could be a legitimate threat on offence, too, making many wonder just what his ceiling could be.

That image only grew Saturday, when, after stripping the puck at centre ice, he raced in alone and delivered a highlight-reel move on arguably the NHL’s best goalie in Carey Price. As pretty as it was, it was just his sixth goal in 36 games this year.

“We’ve got all the time in the world for Joel — and patience — because he is so strong defensively that you can wait on that,” said Maurice. “We really believe there’s an offensive side to his game and he’s showing it more and more.”

Nevertheless, it was a goal that sparked the Jets and created doubt that Price, who finished with 30 saves, would steal another game for the Canadiens.

“We were playing a great game up until that point,” said Mathieu Perreault. “From there, we just took over.”

With his family watching from the stands, Perreault, a native of Drummondville, Que., scored 76 seconds into the third period to put the Jets up 2-1. He finished off a play that started with an impressive display of strength and grace from Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien.

With one hand on his stick and the other shielding a defender, Byfuglien drove up the right side. With mere feet separating him from the net, he pushed the puck behind his back and through a wall of skates to a waiting Perreault.

“You celebrate goals, but when you got 12 guys turned backwards looking at the TV monitor that’s pretty special,” said Maurice. “I haven’t seen many one-handed toe drags to your back foot, into the slot. He’s the one guy that’s capable of doing it.”

Patrik Laine would eventually seal the win with an empty-net goal — his 28th and rookie-leading 50th point — to make it a 3-1 final.

 

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jeffkhamilton