Laine prefers to score goals; not set them up

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This article was published 10/12/2018 (2462 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Sometimes, Patrik Laine uses his stick more as a drafting pencil than a sledgehammer.

Patrons at Bell MTS Place and those watching from home Sunday afternoon got a chance to see two of those rare instances when the Jets’ right winger was the architect as Winnipeg throttled the Philadelphia Flyers 7-1 for the club’s sixth victory in eight games.

Laine hasn’t scored in December, a stretch of five games, but he hit the scoresheet with a pair of helpers against the Flyers, beefing up his assist total considerably. He now has five to go with 21 goals through 29 games of the 2018-19 NHL season.

He doesn’t hide the fact he prefers the role of finisher over set-up guy.

“I don’t really care about assists, it doesn’t really matter to me. Points are points and I’ll take them. I’m not really worrying about that too much. You get the points, goals and assists, when you work hard. Yesterday, I got two and almost doubled my season assists,” he said, to some laughs from reporters.

Laine’s first assist came on a relatively simple but effective decision. Stationed along the wall, he slid a pass back to Dustin Byfulgien at the point and the big blue-liner did the rest with a quick wrist shot that glanced off a defender’s stick and got past goalie Anthony Stolarz. The power-play goal lifted the hosts to a 4-1 lead.

On his second assist, Laine intercepted a pass deep inside the Flyers’ blue line and dished a pretty saucer pass to Tyler Myers, who was alone in front and crisply chipped the puck over Stolarz’s left shoulder for the final tally of the afternoon.

Laine has 59 assists, to go with 101 goals, in two-plus seasons in the NHL, and his play-making ability is sometimes overlooked, he said.

“I think so, obviously, it’s only my opinion. I think I have good vision and can see the plays and sometimes make the plays as well,” he said. “Everybody’s talking about my shot and my scoring ability but I’m a pretty good passer, too.”

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Monday’s practice at the downtown arena was as light as they come for Winnipeg, which is 18-9-2 and in third place in the Central Division, behind the Nashville Predators (19-10-1) and Colorado Avalanche (17-8-5).

Working in front of several hundred school kids, the Jets ran quick-paced drills for about 25 minutes and finished things off with chalkboard talk from the staff near the bench and some two-on-two battles in the defensive zone.

Defenceman Josh Morrissey, who missed a pair of games with a lower-body injury before returning to face the Flyers, was absent from practice, as was No.1 goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Both were given a ‘maintenance’ day but will play Tuesday at home when the Chicago Blackhawks visit. Game time is 7 p.m.

Jets winger Mathieu Perreault (upper body) left Sunday’s game early after taking a hard, clean check from forward Dale Weise. He’s listed as a game-time decision.

Meanwhile, forward Andrew Copp (concussion symptoms) and defenceman Joe Morrow (lower body) are still on the injured reserve list and won’t play Tuesday. Morrow wore a yellow ‘no-contact’ jersey Monday, while Copp didn’t skated with the group.

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NOTES: Winnipeg plays the third game of a four-game home stand Tuesday against the Blackhawks and then hosts Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday before jetting off to Chicago for a rematch Friday night… Winnipeg is 10-4-2 at home this season… The Jets struck for three power-play goals in six chances against the Flyers on Sunday, and the unit is third in the NHL (28.7 per cent) in man-advantage scoring efficiency… Connor Hellebuyck stopped 36 of 37 shots against the Flyers to post his 13th win of the season, tied for third-most in the NHL.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.caTwitter: WFPJasonBell