Jets return to the ice

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This article was published 19/01/2018 (2806 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A five-day break in the middle of the unrelenting grind of the NHL regular season was a welcome change for veteran Jets forward Bryan Little.

“It was great,” Little said on Friday after he joined his Winnipeg teammates at Bell MTS Place for their first post-break practice. “It was good to get a little time away from hockey and heal the body up a bit. I think it came at good time for us. Let our injured guys heal up and went to Arizona, so had some warm weather. It was good.”

Recently annointed all-star Connor Hellebuyck also relaxed in Arizona, hanging out with teammates Joel Armia and Kyle Connor.

“I am a golfer — I played a little bit and got a nice tan,” said the goaltender, who showed no evidence of any such tan.

Little, Hellebuyck and the rest of the Jets were hard at work Friday morning and were scheduled to fly to Calgary later in the day. Winnipeg faces the Flames at 2 p.m. today (CBC, TSN 1290).

“You saw everyone was on the ice 20 or 25 minutes before practice,” Little said. “They tried to touch the puck as much as they can and get the hands back. Once you get a good practice like that, it doesn’t take too long to get back in the rhythm of things.”

Little said the Jets, 26-13-7 and second in the Central Division, should have a very basic approach.

“Just to continue the way the first half went,” said Little, who has eight goals and 26 points in 46 games. “A couple of disappointing losses (in Chicago and Minnesota) before the break, so we’re trying to get back on track a bit. This is the toughest part of the season right here, when teams are fighting for position in the standings and trying to get into playoffs spots. So, everyone’s playing their best hockey.

“Those two losses are still in our memory. You know, one thing we’ve been really good about is turning things around after a loss or two. That’s going to be our main focus, before the all-star break, is getting some points and wins.”

To that end, it will be crucial for Hellebuyck to continue his impressive play. He has emerged as an elite player in 2017-18 and said he isn’t about to forget what got him to this stage.

“I felt exactly how I should’ve,” Hellebuyck said, describing his form in practice. “My patience was actually pretty good. That didn’t take long to lock back into place and my foundation was there. I’m really happy with it.”

The Flames will be returning from an extended break of its own, having not played since Sunday night. Calgary, winners of seven straight, has surged into playoff contention with a 25-16-4 record.

“Calgary’s in the same boat as us,” Hellebuyck said. “We can’t expect to be behind the eight-ball on anything. It’s only five days… I’m pretty sure we all treated the break like a pro and got a nice workout in and did the things we needed to do to be ready to play.

“We have to know this is when the game changes. It gets tighter and teams start seeing the playoff race and start grinding a little harder. I enjoy that personally. I think that’s the fun part about hockey and part of growing as a team.

MASON STILL OUT: Steve Mason’s second concussion of 2017-18 is worrisome, to say the least. The veteran goalie first exhibited flu-like symptoms, but further testing determined it was a concussion.

“Those are the bigger ones,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said. “You still go by the exact same protocol. You wait until he feels good, you slowly amp up the heart rate until he can get pushed really hard… we’re cautious on all of them. But you’re certainly waiting for a couple of really good days before you start pushing this one too fast.”

INJURY REPORT: Left-winger Brandon Tanev (lower body), who has been cleared to play after missing seven games because of an unspecified injury prior to the break, was skating with linemates Andrew Copp and Joel Armia.

Centre Adam Lowry (upper body) and left-winger Shawn Matthias (upper body) were another story. Matthias did not practise and Lowry donned a yellow non-contact jersey.

“We’re hopeful the California trip’s an option,” Maurice said of Lowry’s status. “He’ll come with us (to Calgary) to get a skate tomorrow, we’ll get him a skate before the Van game and hopefully get him into contact after that.”

Lowry and Tanev did their rehab in Winnipeg during the break.

As for Matthias: “He’s day-to-day,” Maurice said. “We don’t think it’s overly significant, but he didn’t progress the way we’d hoped over the week.”

COURTING DISASTER? Patrick Laine, Andrew Copp and captain Blake Wheeler crashed into the boards en masse during Friday’s practice and all three picked themselves up gingerly before skating slowly to the bench.

“First real heavy contact of practice. Get used to it for tomorrow,” Maurice said, smiling. “They’re all fine.”

HE’S A REALLY BIG FAN: Wheeler was still savouring Sunday’s dramatic last-minute victory by the Minnesota Vikings over the New Orleans Saints, sending his favourite NFL team to the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

“I’ve been through a lot with them,” said Wheeler, who grew up in the Minneapolis area. “I watched it with my five-year-old, and all he knows is the Vikings do miraculous things. I grew up, they did miraculous things, but it was always the opposite.”

Wheeler was referencing a dark day in Vikings history when his club went 15-1 during the regular season only to lose the 1998 NFC title game to the Atlanta Falcons, 30-27 in overtime.

“It means a lot. I’m a huge fan… you go through your ups and downs with them,” Wheeler said. “I remember 1998 watching that game and crying the rest of the day. That’s just how much the state of Minnesota loves the Vikings. So I’m no different. That was awesome. It was a great moment.”

ROSLOVIC RETURNS: Rookie forward Jack Roslovic was recalled to the NHL Friday from the Manitoba Moose along with goaltender Michael Hutchinson but Maurice warned reporters not to read too much into the move.

“Nothing’s permanent in this league,” Maurice said. “But (Roslovic’s) here for now. And he has an opportunity. I’ve liked him on the right wing. There’s just so much more at centre… he kind of fits into that template we have. He’s playing fourth-line right wing and he’s on the power play as well, where he can do some good things.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @sawa14