Bogosian dodges iron fist of Shanahan

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This article was published 25/11/2011 (5067 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Jets defenceman Zach Bogosian will be a player in tonight’s game here against the Carolina Hurricanes after the NHL decided not to discipline him for a check on Wednesday night.

NHL vice-president of player safety Brendan Shanahan will issue a warning in this case, after Bogosian contacted the head of Winnipeg product Cody Eakin of the Capitals during Wednesday’s second period.

Shanahan conducted a hearing via conference call with Bogosian and Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff on Thursday before Winnipeg took the ice for an afternoon practice.

Neither referee called a penalty on the contact by Bogosian on Eakin.

Bogosian said there was plenty of information and opinion exchanged during Thursday’s hearing via conference call.

“There are five, six different people on the phone call,” Bogosian said. “They discuss what went on and both parties go back and forth to (present) their side of things. It was pretty even, back and forth.”

Bogosian had not previously been disciplined by the league for any on-ice incidents.

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At the end of Thursday’s practice, the Jets turned some attention to their five-on-three power play, which failed them in Wednesday’s defeat.

Winnipeg had a two-man advantage for 1:20 during the second period against the Capitals, but failed to produce a goal. Those two advantages were their only power plays of the night, it’s interesting to note.

“They really demoralize your team,” Noel said about coming up empty with a two-man advantage. “A lot of time in those situations if you don’t score, you end up on the wrong side of the game, but we got a point out of that game.”

Thursday’s work was coaching intensive, but there’s only so much you can do practising against teammates, Noel added.

“Sometimes the five-on-threes are hard to work on because you can’t take slapshots in practice or you’ll be injuring your own players,” he said. “It diminishes the results you’re going to get but it’s the five guys you’re trying to work with and trying to understand what we’re trying to do and I think we got that today.

“You could practise it, have all these plays, then you don’t see a five-on-three for month, then guys can’t remember what we worked on. So you’re always stuck chasing a five-on-three. Sometimes you never get them.”

Winnipeg has had just three two-man advantages this season in 21 games.

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There was strong evidence Thursday that Chris Mason will be Noel’s choice to start in goal tonight against the Canes.

Mason practised on what will be the Jets’ end of the ice for two periods tonight, and went off to leave Ondrej Pavelec, who has started the last 12 games, to work with the power plays and penalty killing.

Mason hasn’t played since pulling a groin muscle Oct. 27 in Philadelphia.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca