FROM THE PRESS BOX
MIKE SAYS: The good news it the Jets penalty kill continues to be a smashing early success, with a 96.3 per cent efficiency rate that leads the NHL. Throw in a potent power play that sits at 30 per cent — tied for second overall in the NHL — and special teams have truly been special. There’s an old adage that if your PK and your PP can add up to 105, you are likely going to be among the top teams in the league. Well, the Jets are sitting at a whopping 126.3 right now.
The bad news? How about the fact Winnipeg has been shorthanded 27 times already through the first six games. That’s far too much. Only the Chicago Blackhawks (4.7 times shorthanded per game compared to 4.5 for Winnipeg) have been more frequent sinners.
The Jets are playing with fire if they don’t find a way to clean up their act, be a bit more disciplined and stay out of the box.
So what’s the solution? Move. Your. Feet.
“I think the big thing is, with those stick infractions, I always say, try to check with your legs, not with your stick,” Arniel said this morning.
“It’s great that we’re getting opportunities (to work on) our penalty kill, but at the same time, it catches up to you. You really lose the rhythm and the pace of the game, and the lines kind of get mixed up when you have a lot of that. For me, it’s about us being better with our details, with our checking, not taking those infractions.”
Don’t look now, but the Jets are once again the stingiest squad in the league, having surrendered just 13 goals so far this year. That’s even more impressive considering they gave up five in the season-opening loss to the Dallas Stars.
Winnipeg has won two straight William Jennings Trophies for being the best defensive squad and they’re off to a strong start this year, even with top shutdown centre Adam Lowry and top shutdown defenceman Dylan Samberg yet to play a game.
Of course, it helps when you have the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner in net, and Hellebuyck has been terrific in only giving up six goals over his last four games (1.50 goals-against-average), stopping 107 of the 113 shots he’s faced (.947 save percentage).
KEN SAYS: Brad Lambert is ready to play his second game this season and his ice time should be on the rise in this latest audition.
Lambert, the 30th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, was limited to just over seven minutes in his season debut against the Flames, thanks to the disruption caused by so many minor penalties being in the contest.
But Lambert did enough with and without the puck to earn another look and he’s in a good situation with Vladislav Namestnikov and Alex Iafallo.
Lambert is in a competition with Nikita Chibrikov and Parker Ford and he’s looking to get himself going offensively.
“I felt like I did decent with what ice time I got, made a couple nice plays,” Lambert said after the morning skate. “Obviously it’s kind of hard when you’re not playing as much. You kind of just want to try and keep it simple, make sure you’re getting pucks in deep and getting in on the forecheck, and kind of gaining the trust of your coach.”
The Kraken are off to a better start this season under Lane Lambert, who is the third bench boss in the past three years for Seattle and is trying to instill a foundation this group can build on.
It’s an interesting collection of players, blending some experienced veterans like Chandler Stephenson, Jaden Schwartz, Adam Larsson and Jamie Oleksiak with up-and-comers like Matty Beniers, the second overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, Shane Wright, the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, and Berkly Catton, the eighth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Catton is set to play his third NHL game and while he’s adapting on the fly, coach Lambert says he’s the type of player that wants the puck on his stick, which means he’s someone the Jets best be paying attention to.
Kraken captain Jordan Eberle, who played his junior hockey in the WHL with the Regina Pats, has 20 points in 20 career games against the Jets.
PROJECTED LINES
WINNIPEG JETS
FORWARDS
- Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi
- Niederreiter-Toews-Nyquist
- Iafallo-Namestnikov-Lambert
- Koepke-Barron-Pearson
DEFENCE
- Morrissey-DeMelo
- Stanley-Pionk
- Fleury-Schenn
GOAL
INJURED: D Samberg (wrist), C Lowry (hip), F Perfetti (ankle)
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: D Miller, F Chibrikov, F Ford
SEATTLE KRAKEN
FORWARDS
- Catton-Beniers-Eberle
- Marchment-Stephenson-Tolvanen
- Schwartz-Wright-Nyman
- Kartye-Meyers-Winterton
DEFENCE
- Dunn-Larsson
- Mahura-Oleksiak
- Lindgren-Fleury
GOAL
INJURED: D Evans (upper body), D Montour (family matter), F Kakko (hand), F Villaneuve (lower body), F Gaudreau (upper body), F McCann (lower body).
HEALTHY SCRATCHES: F Hayden, G Grubauer
NOTABLE QUOTABLE
Jets coach Scott Arniel on his team typically starting games out strong so far this season:
“I think it is important in this league. You can lose a game in the first period and you can also get a leg up in the first period, not necessarily win, but put a team on their heels. We like to feel that when we get a lead we can defend it. We have proven that.
“So, when we get out in front of teams that puts an awful lot of pressure to change their game where they have to take a few more chances that they wouldn’t normally want to do and that is where, maybe, we expose them and get some more goals or more offence from it.
“Being ready to go is part of your job as a player. It is just don’t wade into games because if you do you could be down big time. So that is something we stress here; getting out and setting the tone, setting the pace and playing our Jets hockey early and have teams try to catch us.”
WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON
Ken has an early story coming on the brotherly bond between Haydn and Cale Fleury, who will face off against each other tonight with plenty of family and friends looking on.
Mike will have game analysis of Jets versus Kraken.
You can find both pieces online winnipegfreepress.com and in Friday’s print edition.
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