Jets fans get last laugh

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/12/2014 (4016 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DENVER — The Dallas Stars got some laughs at the expense of the Winnipeg Jets and their fans Tuesday night — but it was the Jets and their fans who had the last laugh.

The Stars are known for having some fun with their scoreboard — they once broadcast a picture of an empty seat at American Airlines Center with a message welcoming ‘Manti T’eo’s girlfriend’ to the game.

With the Jets in town playing the Stars Tuesday night, it was Winnipeg’s turn to be the butt of a Stars’ scoreboard gag that listed the “Top 10 Reasons to Visit Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada:

“1. Watch a Stars road game. 2. See the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. 3 Visit the Western Canadian Aviation Musuem. 4. Time to do a Google search. 5. Still searching… 6. This is tougher than we thought. 7…. Ever been to a Tim Hortons? 8. … 9. Any suggestions. 10. Go visit Vancouver instead.”

The Jets, of course, responded on behalf of their fans and city by laying a 5-2 licking on the slumping Stars, which prompted this retort from a Twitter user named ‘@WinnipegGordo’: “Reasons to visit Dallas: collect 2 points.”

— — —

Tuesday’s loss to the Jets might also yet cost the Stars the services of left-winger Ryan Garbutt, a Winnipeg product.

The office of NHL player safety announced Wednesday morning that Garbutt will have a disciplinary hearing “for a slewfoot on Winnipeg defenceman Dustin Byfuglien” during Tuesday night’s game.

— — —

The Jets play the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center tonight, just six days after the Jets laid a 6-2 beat-down on the Avalanche at the MTS Centre.

That backdrop, Jets head coach Paul Maurice predicted Tuesday night, could make things interesting today.

“Yeah, they’re going to be angry about the result in Winnipeg,” said Maurice.

— — —

While the Jets have finally getting some offence from sources other than just their top line, the top troika of Andrew Ladd-Bryan Little-Blake Wheeler remains the offensive engine powering this team.

Reunited as a line back in November, Ladd-Little-Wheeler have a combined 17 points in the last three games and continue to be the straw that stirs the Jets’ drink.

Maurice said Tuesday the line’s current success — and that of his team generally — tracks back to the fitness regime the club put in place last summer for returning players.

“Right from the start, we go back to training camp, most of the guys came in this season (and) tested out very, very fit, a complete team-first concept in everything they’ve done — in their practice habits and the way they work,” said Maurice.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

The Warm-Up

Winnipeg Jets Game Days

On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.

Sign up for The Warm-Up

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

“And I knew when the (Ladd-Little-Wheeler line) went back together, I think they knew they could be really, really good but they had to play a certain way to be a value for our team.”

So what is working for the line right now? Everything, says Wheeler.

“We know where we’re going to be on the ice,” he said. “That’s one of those unspoken things. It takes away your hesitation on the ice. You’re able to go 100 per cent at all times because you know your linemates are going to have your back. They’re going to fill in those open spaces for you,” said Wheeler.

“And then when we have the puck, we know where each other is going to be. Like I said, after (Little) scored his hat trick (last Friday), it just seems like he is open and that’s one of those things that is kind of an unspoken chemistry we have and it just works.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @PaulWiecek