Little filling scoresheet
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/12/2011 (5060 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
IT was just a few weeks ago — Nov. 7, to be exact — when Bryan Little faced reporters for the umpteenth time to speak about his offensive struggles.
He was goalless through the first 14 games of the season and understandably frustrated. Well, here we are less than a month later and Little has seven goals in his last 12 games. Coupled with Evander Kane and Blake Wheeler, the unit now comprises the Jets’ top line.
“It’s basically confidence. Once you get that, it can help a lot,” said Little. “And when our line is going like it has been it’s pretty easy and the points come fast, especially the way Kaner is playing and shooting the puck. It’s going to come like that.”
“This is a really good example of what happens when you have confidence,” said head coach Claude Noel. “Confidence is infectious. You feel good about things.
“He recognizes he needs to use his speed and size and the elements he has. And he’s shooting the puck. Why would you not shoot when you shoot like him?
“I don’t know if he’s doing a lot different, but he’s getting opportunities. He’s maybe doing some things different from the beginning of the year where you are trying to figure out new linemates, new teammates, new coach, new environment. But now he seems to be really comfortable in everything he does.”
Kane’s two goals against New Jersey gives him 12 points (9G, 3A) in his last nine games; Little had two assists, giving him 11 points (5G, 6A) in his last nine games while Wheeler had an assist, giving him eight points (2G, 6A) in his last eight games.
“It’s everybody,” said Noel. “Confidence is really a funny thing. It’s something you can show them and give them, but it’s something that has to be earned. It comes from success. Your team plays with a confident air, and with Kane, I think that’s a big part of it.
“When you play like that, you come to the rink expecting to score. When you lack confidence, you come to the rink hoping to score. As simple as that sounds, that’s pretty much how it works because it’s pretty much between your ears.”
JUICY NUMBERS: Jets D-man Dustin Byfuglien had an assist in the win, the 100th of his career… Alexander Burmistrov played in his 100th NHL game… The Devils have scored five goals in two games against the Jets, with rookie Adam Henrique potting three of them… The Jets have scored 30 first-period goals this season, second in the NHL behind only Philadelphia (33). That stat is relevant for this reason: Winnipeg is 8-3-2 when scoring first.
Kane, it’s worth noting, has scored the first goal of the game for the Jets five times this year.
SICK BAY UPDATE: Defenceman Tobias Enstrom was back practising with his teammates in Saturday morning’s game-day skate. And while his return is still not likely until the end of the month, getting the nifty Swede back ASAP will be a huge boost for the Jets.
“Right now I’m actually feeling pretty good,” said Enstrom, who is recovering from a broken collarbone.
“It’s getting better and better every day and I’m glad to be on the ice again. We haven’t set a timetable yet. I just started skating so I think we’ll take it day by day and see how it feels later on here. It feels good and hopefully I can get back sooner than later.
“It’s been a tough couple of weeks. I’ve been gone from hockey for a long while and being out I’ve really missed the guys and the game. It’s a big part of my life.”
QUOTABLE
‘They should support me. Maybe I’m one of the reasons they moved here’
— Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk, the Thrashers/Jets offensive leader in most scoring categories, after being booed by Jets’ fans every time he touched the puck Saturday night.
