Winnipeg needs good hand in today’s game against Vegas

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This article was published 19/05/2018 (2672 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Coming up with a lousy pair in Vegas, the Winnipeg Jets find themselves short-stacked in the NHL’s Western Conference final.

They desperately need three of a kind — all victories against the Golden Knights — to keep their seat at the table. A 3-2 defeat Friday night to the extraordinary expansion squad has left the Jets in a chasm from which relatively few NHL teams, historically, emerge. Vegas holds a 3-1 lead on Winnipeg in the best-of-seven playoff series, which earns the survivor a spot in the Stanley Cup final against either the Washington Capitals or Tampa Bay Lightning.

Just one more loss to Vegas and Winnipeg’s tremendous 2017-18 campaign is over.

Buoyed by a huge Game 7 triumph over the Nashville Predators in Round 2, the Jets soared to a 4-2 triumph on home ice in the opener of the conference final last Saturday. But the Golden Knights went on a hot streak, rattling off three consecutive wins to seize command.

The Jets now face their second elimination game of the post-season when they host Game 5 today at Bell MTS Place. Game time is 2 p.m.

A win in front of the “whiteout” forces a sixth game, set for Tuesday night back in Sin City. If necessary, a Game 7 would go Thursday night in Winnipeg.

Such a scenario is far too “big picture” to contemplate for the Jets, who’ve lived by the mantra of staying in the moment throughout a sensational 2017-18 campaign.

“In the back of your mind, you’re going to have the big picture there, winning three in a row. But, once game-day comes, you’re just focused on that day and what you do to prepare for that game,” defenceman Ben Chiarot said Saturday. “Once the puck drops, that’s all you’re focused on, your next shift. It’s cliché, but that’s how you have to take it.”

Simple to say, much harder to do when the task is so daunting. History tells us NHL teams that hold a 3-1 playoff series lead are 278-28. And, over the last 43 years, teams with a 3-1 lead in the conference finals or semifinals are 41-1.

Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice was asked Saturday how his staff keeps chatter about the challenge of being down 3-1 out of the dressing room.

“I just don’t answer questions about it,” he said, to some laughter.

“These are the best games, always are, when everything is on the line. Everybody will be at their most excited. You have to find a way. It shouldn’t be very difficult to love every minute of it,” added Maurice. “The greater the stakes in anything, we think, especially when you live a life in pro sports, eventually that’s what it’s all about. This has to be your finest hour. Before the puck drops, I’m not talking about the play, be able to get your mind that this is the most fun game of the year now.”

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Guess how many minutes the Jets have owned a lead at any point during games 2, 3 and 4?

Right… zero.

Winnipeg has been chasing the series since the start of Game 2. Through 180 minutes of play, the Jets have been the pursuers for about 157 minutes, while the teams have been even for just 23 minutes.

On Friday, William Karlsson scored on the power play at 2:35. Patrik Laine tied it at 9:29 of the second period with Tomas Nosek serving a tripping penalty, but Nosek got the lead back 43 seconds later, and Vegas eventually earned a pivotal 3-2 decision in Game 4.

“Our coaching staff is really good for that. They turn the page no matter what, after a good game, bad game. They give guys a chance to go right back at it,” Golden Knights forward David Perron said. “A big example with Nosie, takes a penalty… I’m sure he wasn’t happy with the penalty. Whatever, he still gives him a chance to go right back on the ice, scores a big goal for us.”

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No explanation was given Saturday on why goalie Steve Mason couldn’t serve as Connor Hellebuyck’s backup in Game 4 in Las Vegas.

“He was unavailable for the game,” was the answer provided by Maurice on Saturday.

Michael Hutchinson dressed, instead. Mason had two concussions and a knee injury during the regular season. Speedy winger Nikolaj Ehlers missed Game 3 of the series to an unexplained absence, leaving some to speculate whether a flu bug had hit the some members of the hockey club.

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The Jets agreed to terms with young goaltender Mikhail Berdin on a three-year entry-level contract.

Berdin played the last two seasons in the USHL with the Sioux Falls Stampede.

This past season, the 20-year-old from Ufa, Russia, went 24-13-5 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .921 save percentage in 45 regular-season games.

Winnipeg selected him in the sixth round (157th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell