Jets prepare for home stretch

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This article was published 27/01/2025 (255 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MONTREAL — The Winnipeg Jets are about to hit the portion of the schedule when a marathon runner would to need to separate themself from the rest of the field.

To say the Jets are in the home stretch would be exaggerating, but it’s not that far down the road.

With 31 games to go — including five before the two-week break for the 4 Nations Face-Off — the Jets are prepared to put the pedal to the metal.

“Now, we’ve got five (games) against the East, so we’re going to see a whole different look,” Jets head coach Scott Arniel said after his team concluded a stretch of 10 home games in a span of 25 days with a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames and a record of 34-14-3.

The Jets, who sit second in the NHL in points percentage, open a three-game road trip on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens.

The swing also includes what could be a spicy affair against the Boston Bruins and a finale that could be a showdown for first overall in the NHL with the Washington Capitals.

Let’s take a look at five storylines to monitor as the trip unfolds:

STEPPING UP IN LOWRY’S ABSENCE

Arniel said on Sunday Jets captain Adam Lowry would be on the road trip, but just as a friendly face. Arniel doesn’t think Lowry (who suffered an upper-body injury against Utah HC on Jan. 20) is going to be back before the break.

If Lowry is ready to go on Feb. 22 against the St. Louis Blues, that means the Jets’ top-checking centre will have missed eight games.

Through the first three, the Jets’ men in the middle have done an excellent job of picking up the slack in his absence. Fourth-line pivot David Gustafsson is riding a three-game point streak, Vladislav Namestnikov has chipped in three helpers, Rasmus Kupari is handling additional responsibilities and Mark Scheifele had a goal and an assist on Sunday.

“I mean, it’s awesome,” said Gustafsson. “It shows the talent we have in this locker room, that we have guys that can step up to the next level and do it comfortably.”

Brad Lambert was recalled from the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, but that’s likely more to do with the Jets wanting to have an extra forward for the trip.

TURNING UP THE POWER

The power plays haven’t been nearly as plentiful as they were earlier this season, but the Jets continue to get the job done when they go on the man-advantage.

Sunday’s two-for-two showing helped bump that league-leading efficiency to 33.3 per cent, which is nearly five per cent better than the New Jersey Devils (28.7 per cent), who sit second.

“Every time they go out there, I tell them to score,” said Jets defenceman Neal Pionk, who anchors the second unit and has three goals on the power play. “So, yeah, (the top unit), they’re hot right now — and they’re moving the puck really well. It’s fun to watch.”

The importance of getting production from both units has been important, though the top unit has cranked things up recently. Gabe Vilardi leads the Jets with 11 man-advantage goals, followed by nine for Kyle Connor, eight for Mark Scheifele and four for Nikolaj Ehlers.

“We just have so many threats, you’ve got to worry about different options,” said Vilardi. “You’ve got to worry about KC on the half-wall taking that one-timer. We’re doing a good job of interchanging. You saw Scheif’s goal, we’re attacking off the rush as well.”

Jets assistant coach Davis Payne has done a great job of sparking the transformation of the team’s power-play efficiency from 22nd last season to No. 1 this year, though he’s looking to stay ahead of the curve rather than patting himself on the back.

“Well, you want to put each of your guys in the best position to use their skillsets,” said Payne. “We feel like we’ve done that for the most part with both units. And a lot of times it depends on how the other team is going to defend situations where we feel we can attack with different options.”

HELLO OLD FRIEND

The Jets are set to face Patrik Laine for the second time this season when they play the Canadiens.

The former Jets sniper is up to 12 goals (including 10 on the power play) and 18 points in 21 games since returning to the lineup on Dec. 3.

It’s great to see Laine back on the ice, making an impact and enjoying the game after battling through some dark times last season that led him to spending time in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

The Habs are battling for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and will be hungry to earn a split in the season series after losing 4-2 on Dec. 14.

INTENSITY METER RISING

The Jets blasted the Boston Bruins 8-1 on Dec. 10 in what was an impressive display.

Things turned a bit ugly when Bruins forward Trent Frederic knocked out David Gustafsson in what was his first NHL fight.

Several players took exception with Frederic, who has much more experience as a pugilist, going after Gustafsson.

Jets defenceman Logan Stanley went so far as to question Frederic’s choice of dance partners.

“I was standing right there,” Stanley said the following day, offering up a not-so-subtle invitation.

Stanley then got involved in a secondary altercation with Bruins forward Mark Kastelic and both players were ejected.

Without Lowry (who fought Nikita Zadorov on Dec. 10 in an effort to calm things down), it wouldn’t be a surprise if Stanley and Frederic found each other at some point on Thursday.

SLOWING DOWN HISTORY

There will be ample time to discuss the duel between the top team in the West facing the top team from the East as the week goes along, but a subplot will feature Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin chasing Wayne Gretzky for the all-time NHL goals record.

“Incredible,” said Pionk. “You would think at some point it slows down, but it hasn’t. I mean, he almost seems to get better.

“You’ve always got to be aware of when he’s on the ice and and it’s pretty impressive to watch.”

Ovechkin is up to 22 goals in 33 games this season, which leaves him 19 shy of tying Gretzky’s record of 894.

“Ovechkin has defined how to score from that area better than anybody,” said Payne, referring to his patented one-timer. “You’d be foolish to try to emulate that with your power3-play group if you can’t shoot the puck like that. Not too many people can.

“That, to me, makes what Ovechkin is doing so incredibly special, because he’s done it over and over and over again. And there’s lots of times he goes to the hard areas and he scores the two-footers, tips pucks in the net. But the predictability of that one-timer is one thing, stopping it is another.”

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

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