Big Lowry will take them any way he can get them

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This article was published 01/01/2016 (3898 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The gift-wrapped goal? Adam Lowry will gladly take it and any more that may follow.

The big Winnipeg Jets forward notched both goals in Thursday’s 4-2 loss to the Coyotes: the second when Arizona goaltender Louis Domingue whiffed on a clearing attempt and put the puck right on Lowry’s stick, which he promptly buried.

Lowry also opened the scoring, crashing the net to bury an Alex Burmistrov chance in what was arguably his best game of the season. Lowry now has three goals — all coming since Dec. 10 — and has been solid since his three-game stint with the Manitoba Moose.

What he did against the Coyotes in just over 13 minutes of ice time between Andrew Ladd and Burmistrov is exactly what the Jets have been craving. He was quicker, more physical with four hits and won 10 of 14 faceoffs.

“It’s continuing to improve. It’s a work in progress,” said Lowry of his game. “I’m disappointed with the result, but we’re going to look forward to the San Jose game. The last handful of games we’ve put together some pretty solid efforts and we’re going to continue that.”

Lowry’s two-goal effort was the second of his young career, the first coming Dec. 9, 2014 against Dallas.

A NOD TO THE LEGEND: Shane Doan became the Coyotes/Jets 1.0 all-time goal leader in Thursday’s win, eclipsing Dale Hawerchuk with his 380th.

Doan praised Hawerchuk and then seemed to appreciate the symmetry of him breaking the record against a team from the same town and with the same name — although not the same history — with which he began his NHL career in 1995.

“You look at (Hawerchuk’s) whole career, it’s pretty special,” said Doan. “What he did in Winnipeg was incredible. The team that they had was pretty special and growing up watching the Smythe Division, that was pretty cool.

“(Breaking the record against the 2.0 Jets) that’s obviously unique. You recognize what it is, the fact that’s it’s Winnipeg and they’ve got a team again. That’s pretty special.”

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Doan, FYI, has played for eight different coaches with the Jets/Coyotes and in 49 different arenas during his career.

SOOTHSAYER? Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made his 10th start in 12 games and will likely get the nod today against the Sharks. He was peeved for not stopping Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s game winner with 7:25 left — “It’s a matter of inches and on the replay I was a little bit off. Those inches add up” — but was otherwise steady in defeat.

“I thought we played a pretty good game. We had a lot of shots. We just need to bear down on our chances a little bit. I know the guys in here can score a lot, so it’s going to happen on this road trip. I can feel it.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait