Jets score comeback win over Sens

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This article was published 27/09/2017 (2907 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The spotlight was shining bright, with time running out on their chances to crack the roster of the Winnipeg Jets. By the end of the night, a pair of bubble players gave their coach plenty to ponder in a 5-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Marko Dano and Nic Petan teamed up to score a beautiful game-winning goal late in the final frame.“Tonight was a good game, a lot of open ice. We capitalized on the loose pucks that we got,” said Petan, who was credited with a first period power play goal before setting up linemate Dano with a sweet saucer pass to break the deadlock.

Winnipeg has just one pre-season game left, and they’re expected to bring something close to their final team for the quick trip to Calgary on Saturday. There’s not enough room on the team for Dano, Petan, Kyle Connor, Andrew Copp, Brandon Tanev, Brendan Lemieux and J.C. Lipon, who all dressed Wednesday. It’s likely three, or possibly four, are destined for the Manitoba Moose barring injury. “I got a pretty good handle on the way I think it’s going to look,” Maurice said following the win without tipping his hand.

Wednesday provided a good test as Ottawa brought an experienced lineup to town. Bobby Ryan opened the scoring just three minutes into the game, somehow bouncing a shot on the ice and past Connor Hellebuyck. It was definitely one the young netminder would like back.Petan tied it up late in the first, showing off a great set of hands with an apparent tip of a Josh Morrissey point shot during a power play. Dano provided a nice screen on the play. Petan was a buzzsaw in the first period with two other quality chances to score. The first one, a tip, was stopped by Ottawa goalie Mike Condon. The second was fired over the net.

Connor had a tough shift midway through the second, getting his pocket picked by Ottawa’s Alex Formenton just outside his own blue-line. Formenton skated in alone and beat Hellebuyck to put the Senators up 2-1.Connor, Petan and Dano got caught running around in their end on an extended shift and delayed penalty later in the frame. Ottawa made them pay, as Kyle Turris finished off a sweet passing play to make it 3-1. That line had been on the ice for all three Ottawa goals.

Connor showed off his puck-handling skills late in the second with the Jets on the power play, drawing a slashing penalty that put his team on a two-man advantage. Dustin Byfuglien quickly capitalized as his blast found the back of the net just before the period expired.

Bryan Little tied it up midway through the third with the Jets once again enjoying a man advantage. Dano then set-up the winning goal with an incredible solo effort, stripping Ottawa of the puck in his own end, pushing it up to Petan, jumping into the rush and then burying the return saucer feed.“Honestly, I didn’t think (Dano) was going to grab that puck there. It was kind of feathering through the blue line there, he got it with one hand and tipped it over to me. I had it cocked, I (was) ready to shoot. The D-man kind of slid on the ice over to me, so I just made the pass,” Petan said of the highlight-reel play.

“Just do the things right and just be good in the practices, play hard in the game and earn a spot,” Dano said following the game of his mindset.

Little sealed the win with an empty-net goal.  Winnipeg’s three power play goals Wednesday give them 12 through their six pre-season games. Nikolaj Ehlers and Dustin Byfuglien both had a pair of assists. Winnipeg only took two minor penalties Wednesday, but Copp and Tanev paired up to help kill both.

”Those power play goals were important, but that penalty kill was more important,” Maurice said. “There are guys here that are good players. There’s an offensive group kinda competing with each other. Then there’s a group that’s out here to kill penalties and do some of the grinding work. So they had a good impact too.

“On the blue-line, all eyes were on Tucker Poolman. He was paired with Tyler Myers and moved to the left side as a test. Poolman, 24, spent much of his three years at the University of North Dakota playing on both sides, but Maurice wanted to see how it might adapt to the pro game.

Poolman didn’t look out of place, making a great stick-check on his first shift of the game to break up an Ottawa offensive rush. He ended up playing more than 14 minutes on the night, registering three shots and going even on the plus-minus.

“I thought he was effective. I don’t think it was necessarily easy over there  with the adjustment. But very effective,” said Maurice.

Hellebuyck went the distance, allowing three goals on 18 shots. Maurice said he particularly liked Winnipeg’s defensive game in limiting Ottawa.

The Jets are now 2-3-1 on the pre-season. Ottawa falls to 3-2-0.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca