Dubois getting under opponents’ skin

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This article was published 18/02/2022 (1298 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Pierre-Luc Dubois isn’t sure what the problem is, but the power forward with the Winnipeg Jets admits he’s not making a lot of friends on the ice these days.

“I don’t know. I don’t wake up and choose to annoy people,” Dubois said Friday following his team’s optional practice at Canada Life Centre. Quick, someone get that slogan printed on a T-shirt.

“I just play. I go to the net. In the D-zone, I try to box out in front of the net. In the O-zone, I try to get a good screen and you’ll often get in battles when you do that and battles, oftentimes, lead to cross-checks and slashing and whatnot.

“I never go into a game thinking, you know, tonight who can I disrupt. I just go out there and play hockey and if some guys think it’s annoying or whatever than so be it. I just go out there and play.”

Dubois, 23, described by teammates as a horse, has been running wild of late. Nary a game goes by that he’s not involved in some kind of scuffle or post-whistle brouhaha. He’s among the NHL leaders in both minor penalties taken, and minor penalties drawn, which his coach is very much comfortable with.

“I like the engagement with PL. There are some penalties that he does take, but he’s involved in the game. When he’s playing his best is usually when he gets hit early. Somebody draws him into the game,” said Dave Lowry.

“He’s like a lot of good players in the league. When you play with emotion, you raise your level of play. And you’re involved in a game, not only on a physical level, but you watch him (Thursday) night when he has the puck and he’s skating, and he can continue to skate and fend guys off with one arm. That’s when he’s involved, that’s when he’s playing his best. When he’s using his strength, his size and his speed.”

Lowry, who played the game with a similar “take no prisoners” approach, clearly appreciates what he’s seeing from Dubois.

“Biggest thing is when he gets a step, he’s taking the puck to the net. The other thing is he’s attacking inside the dots. For us, he’s epitomized what a power forward is right now. He’s very comfortable getting into the inner slot and taking the puck there,” he said.

With 21 goals and 15 assists so far this year, Dubois is on pace to set career offensive highs. He should also smash his previous high of penalty minutes (64 in 82 games), with 56 already and still 34 more games left to go. Dubois has no plans to alter his approach, which likely means more enemies to come.

“The playoff race has started and everybody knows that toward the end of the year, games get closer, games get more defensive, physical. There’s less space out there, there’s more battles in front of the net. I think it’s just part of the game,” he said.

Speaking of time in the sin bin, what once was a glaring weakness has suddenly become a strength for the Jets. That would be the penalty kill, which provided a major turning point in Thursday’s 5-3 comeback victory over Seattle.

With the Jets down 2-0 and Dubois sent to the box for high-sticking with 35 seconds left in the first period, opportunity was knocking for the Kraken. But it was the Jets who struck, as Dominic Toninato converted a feed from Adam Lowry for a shorthanded tally just 22 seconds later to give Winnipeg some much-needed life.

“Just nice to finally find the back of the net again and help the team out,” Toninato said Friday of his fourth goal of the year.

The penalty kill has been much improved since Lowry took over for Paul Maurice in mid-December, exhibiting a much more aggressive style.

We added that pressure a while back and I think every since that, the PK has really taken off and gotten a lot better,” said Toninato. “We know the reads now, when to pressure and when not to pressure and it just keeps (opposition) power plays on their heels and forces them to make a great play to beat us.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg