Laine excited to face Penguins’ star lineup

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/11/2018 (2476 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Some superstars of the NHL hit town this week as the Winnipeg Jets play two home games before heading to the New York area in early December for three games in four nights.

On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins pay their only visit of the regular season to Bell MTS Place. Game time is 7 p.m.

As always, the Penguins (9-8-5) are sparked by all-world centres Evgeni Malkin (nine goals, 21 assists) and Sidney Crosby (9G, 15A), while winger Phil Kessel (10G, 17A) is also off to a decent start.

Winnipeg then battles the Central Division-rival Chicago Blackhawks — led by Patrick Kane (13G, 14A) and Winnipeg product Jonathan Toews (11G, 9A) — Thursday night.

Brilliant Jets goal-scorer Patrik Laine said it’s always exciting facing the game’s greats.

“It’s a tough week. Two good teams coming here, especially Chicago, a huge game for us, a divisional game,” said Laine.

“Obviously Pittsburgh’s a great team, superstars on that team. So, we’ve got to be able to play better hockey than we played. It’s a good challenge and we like challenges.”

Winnipeg is 8-1-2 at the friendly confines of the downtown rink this season.

● ● ●

The Jets will likely be without Andrew Copp for some time as the 24-year-old forward recovers from a concussion suffered Friday night in St. Paul, Minn., against the Wild.

Copp took a clean check from Minnesota’s J.T. Brown in the third period, striking his head on the divider by the Winnipeg bench, and was down on the ice for some time. There’s no timetable for his return.

“He’s moving forward positively with it, there hasn’t been a setback. But we are as patient as we need to be with it,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said.

Blue-liners Dustin Byfuglien and Jacob Trouba missed Monday’s practice, but are expected to be in the lineup against the Penguins.

The Jets called up Mason Appleton from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League late Monday. He’ll likely accompany the team when it travels to face the New Jersey Devils (Dec. 1), New York Rangers (Dec. 2) and New York Islanders (Dec. 4).

Appleton, the AHL’s 2017-18 rookie of the year, leads the Moose with eight goals and 10 assists in 19 games.

● ● ●

Mathieu Perreault’s piece of a prominent Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise record vanished Saturday in St. Louis.

Perreault had a four-goal night in Winnipeg nearly four years ago against the Florida Panthers, tying him for most in a game with a couple of ex-Thrashers, Ilya Kovalchuk and Pascal Rheaume.

Then Patrik Laine shot the record to smithereens with a five spot against the Blues.

Chatting with reporters Monday, Perreault said he mentioned to the 20-year-old Finn during the second intermission in St. Louis they shared some team history.

Turns out he spoke too soon.

“I reminded him after the second (period), ‘Who’s the last guy who did that?’” Perreault said.

“He’s like, ‘Yeah, I’ll top that,’ and he actually did.”

Laine fired his historic fifth behind Blues back-up goalie Jake Allen just 76 seconds into the final frame.

“It’s nice to see. He’s a special player,” said Perreault.

● ● ●

A recent ESPN story that referred to the Jets head coach as Maurice Richard is getting plenty of traction on Twitter. But Paul Maurice’s reaction Monday to the flub will, undoubtedly, overshadow it.

The veteran bench boss was asked how many times he’s been called “Rocket” lately?

“I don’t get that one. Are we talking about at home or here?” he asked, which sent a small gathering in the press room into hysterics. 

A red-faced Maurice then quickly tried to regain his composure. “I really should just head right to that door. But I don’t get it.”

It was then explained to him that a writer with the media giant had somehow confused his name with the legendary former Montreal Canadiens forward.

“That’s awesome. Well, I’ve been here for 23 years, so I can understand why they’re confused,” Maurice said. “Really, do we need to go anywhere else because I can feel myself blushing and that never happens.”

● ● ●

Two former Jets captains will be honoured posthumously at a special team hall of fame induction ceremony prior to Winnipeg’s Feb. 26 alumni game against the Minnesota Wild.

Ab McDonald and Lars-Erik Sjöberg will be the fifth and sixth members of the Winnipeg Jets Hall of Fame. Both players served as team captains during the World Hockey Association era. McDonald and Sjöberg join Anders Hedberg, Bobby Hull, Ulf Nilsson and Dale Hawerchuk in the hall of fame.

McDonald, a Winnipegger, played 16 seasons in the NHL (1958-72) with the Montreal Canadiens, Blackhawks, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Penguins and St. Louis Blues, winning four Stanley Cups, before rounding out his pro career with the Jets (1972-74). He scored the first goal of the Jets’ WHA era. McDonald died in September at the age of 82 after a battle with cancer.

Sjöberg, born in Falun, Sweden, played for the Jets in the WHA (1974-79) and the first season in the NHL in 1979-80. Known as “The Little General,” he led the club to Avco Cup titles in 1976, ’78 and ’79 before serving as the first captain of the Jets 1.0 NHL era. He was on the Swedish squad at the 1968 and 1973 Olympic Games. He also played in five world championships for Sweden and the 1976 Canada Cup. Sjöberg died of cancer in 1987 at the age of 43.

The Jets will wear their Heritage Classic jerseys during the Alumni Game. The team will pay tribute to other captains of the past, including Morris Lukowich, Dave Christian, Lucien DeBlois, Dale Hawerchuk, Thomas Steen, Dean Kennedy, Keith Tkachuk and Kris King.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell