Jets seek to find way through Avalanche

It’s the equivalent of going toe to toe with the irresistible force and the immovable object.

As the Winnipeg Jets get set to welcome the league-leading Colorado Avalanche to town, the picture has become clear.

If they’re somehow going to turn things around after consecutive losses during an eight-game homestand, they’re going to have to find a way to slow down an Avalanche team that has been the cream of the crop this season.

“Obviously, we know how dangerous they are offensively, but they don’t give up a lot and they control a lot of the game with puck possession,” said Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey. “It’s a great test for us. We play them three times in the next three weeks and we have to rise to the occasion. It’s an opportunity for us to step up.

“We know we’re going to need to do something in these three games against them as we continue to push to get back in the mix.”

That difficult push got even tougher after missing out on four points in defeats to the New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks by a combined score of 10-4.

Although the Jets only gave up 17 shots on goal to the Rangers on Thursday, defensive-zone coverage lapses led to four of the six goals (with one coming shorthanded and the other into an empty net).

Given the high-octane offence the Avalanche bring to the table, led by Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon and Norris Trophy candidate Cale Makar, minimizing mistakes is a must if you’re trying to contain this group.

MacKinnon has 44 goals and 108 points in 63 games this season and only Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers has more (110) in the race for the Art Ross Trophy.

“He’s always been so explosive and so dynamic,” said Morrissey, who has known MacKinnon since they were playing minor hockey. “But what really stands out, spending more time with him the last few years, is his commitment to the game and how professional he is. On and off the ice. He’s always trying to search and find ways to get better, work on his game, work off the ice with his nutrition, fitness, all of those things.

“Playing with him you see that drive and intensity and his all-around game. It’s why he’s one of the best in the world.”

This is the second of four meetings between the Central Division rivals, with the Avalanche defeating the Jets 3-2 in Denver in December.

A deep Avalanche roster has since added forwards Nazem Kadri and Nicolas Roy and defenceman Nick Blankenburg in trades prior to last Friday’s deadline.

After a couple of stumbles this week, the Jets are hoping to channel the effort they put forth against the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier in the homestand, when they earned a 4-1 victory over a team that was then leading the Eastern Conference.

“(The Avalanche) have had a fantastic season,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “It is going to take (an effort) like the Tampa Bay game where we had everybody dialled in and we did a really good job with our five-man units against everybody that jumped over the boards.

“We have to be on point, doing that against a Colorado team that has made some additions and has some of the elite players in the league on their team.”

Although the Avalanche will be without captain Gabe Landeskog, their forward depth is impressive, with Martin Necas taking another important step (30 goals, 79 points, second in team scoring) and Brock Nelson, who was a target of the Jets at the trade deadline in 2025, anchoring the second line (30 goals, 55 points, fourth in team scoring).

The defence corps is solid and the goaltending tandem of MacKenzie Blackwood (2.42 goals-against average, .908 save percentage) and Scott Wedgewood (2.16 goals-against average, .918 save percentage) are in the conversation as the best duo in the NHL.

That’s why Arniel basically said he’s going to need the best from every one of his players to find the win column.

One of the positive developments for the Jets during the past quarter of the season has been the emergence of defenceman Elias Salomonsson as an NHL regular.

Injuries to Neal Pionk, Colin Miller and Morrissey opened the door for expanded minutes and responsibilities, and Salomonsson has proven to be capable of handling them.

Salomonsson had 20:11 of ice time on Thursday, which gave him north of 20 minutes in five of the past 10 games, and was given the chance to run the second power-play unit.

“He has all that stuff in his repertoire,” said Arniel. “Some of it, earlier in the year, wasn’t all there because he was trying to figure out the NHL game. Now, he is going through it and trying, maybe he will try a couple of things in the offensive zone or some things defending, feeling more comfortable about his gap, going back for pucks, making that first pass.

“He is getting more and more comfortable in his skates as he recognizes now this is what the NHL is all about, this is what elite players do on a nightly basis, this is what top six forwards do and this is what bottom six forwards do. He is getting to know players and the opposition and I think that has helped.”

Salomonsson has chipped in assists in consecutive games to give him a goal and three points in 21 NHL games, as he settles in on a pairing with Dylan Samberg.

“I’m trying to add layers to my game,” said Salomonsson. “The most important thing is to play well defensively, and then we can build from that.

“It’s a good opportunity for me. I think I have offence in my game, too. Trying to bring that shot mentality to that power play. Don’t pass around it too much if a lane is open. Try to get the shot through.”

Morrissey has been impressed as Salomonsson’s flourished in an expanded role.

“He’s a big guy that moves really well and has good instincts,” said Morrissey. “He plays with some bite defensively. Like any younger guy, when you can put a number of games together in a row in the NHL and kind of feel like you have a little bit of a leash where you’re not going to make one mistake and be taken out of the lineup.

“He’s been consistent. The schedule is not easy when you’re a young guy. Anyone can have one good game, but to play well consistently, with travel and not a lot of rest, that’s sort of the tough part of the NHL and he’s handled it really, really well. Instincts, skating, the way he moves the puck, I also like that he likes to shoot the puck, too. With all of those things, he looks great and he’s only going to get better.”

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