Note: The Jets finished off their home stand last night with a massive 5-2 win over the Stars thanks to 34 saves on 36 shots by Connor Hellebuyck as well as three goals from Patrik Laine and three assists from Mark Scheifele. The team had been scheduled to practice before departing on this four game road trip but instead they will simply chat with the media before departing for Pittsburgh. Update: We got some injury news plus heard from Scheifele, Morrissey and Coach Maurice. Click here.
Note II: Ready for some early morning Moose hockey? The Moose will kick off their fourth game of this six game road trip at 10 AM this morning in Grand Rapids as they look for revenge against a Griffins team that beat them last Wednesday. Mitch Peacock will have the pre-game call starting 15 minutes before puck drop and you can listen to that on Moose Hockey.
Note III: NHL This Week with Illegal Curve airs tonight on TSN 1290 Radio from 6 pm CST- 8 pm CST. Join Ezra, Dave and Joel as they will have some Jets talk and will look around the NHL. Guests: David Pagnotta (The Fourth Period) Bill West (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) and Josh Smith (Scouting the Refs).
Afternoon Jets news:
Times Columnist: Jets will be dealing with distractions on critical four-game road trip. Crosby’s 1000th point, Julien’s Habs debut and the circus that is Toronto. About the only reprieve will come in our nation’s capital.
Sportsnet: Is Jets forward Bryan Little having a great season or a lucky one? I’m not sure why the author keeps referencing the top line for the Jets as Ehlers-Scheifele-Laine since up until last game Bryan Little was actually centring those two and had been since game 52 (January 26th) against Chicago. Even last game Little was playing with Wheeler and Ehlers as his wingers but this housekeeping aside Andrew looks at the underlying number for the Jets centre.
Winnipeg Sun: Copp joins list of walking wounded. I prefer skating wounded but since it is Ken’s article we shall let him have the final word. Ken was down at the IcePlex and fills you in on the latest happening with the Jets including the injury to centre turned winger Andrew Copp.
Illegal Curve: Winnipeg is going to need more hats with all these Jets hat tricks. After three dry years to start off their time in Winnipeg the Jets have sure been busy the last 2.5 seasons as they’ve had seven hat tricks.
Illegal Curve: Jets Practice Report. Some of the Jets hit the ice before the team left for Pittsburgh. Then we heard from Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey and Coach Maurice.
Jets news:
ESPN: Morning Roundtable – Goal scoring race. The guys from ESPN chat this AM about who might be in the running to win and looks like a certain 18 year old merits a mention.
Winnipeg Sun: Laine nets hat trick in skid snapper. The first goal was good because it showed that the rookie is still vocal when he called for that pass from Copp. But that second goal was a next world shot by the rookie, one that earned him rave reviews from his coach and teammates. Ken breaks it all down here.
Photo Credit: Rodney Braun
Winnipeg Sun: Postma finds comfort zone. Ken spoke to the Jets third pairing defenceman on how he has changed his mindset in order to see results.
Winnipeg Free Press: Hat-trick Laine strikes. (Paywall). Good news for Patrik Laine is the Jets play the Stars a number of times every year and with the success he’s had against them (Eight goals and four assists for 12 points in five games). Bad news is they don’t play Dallas again this season.
Winnipeg Free Press: Laine’s hat trick snaps Jets’ four-game losing streak. (Paywall). Plenty to get in Mike’s breakdown of the game. Not to be lost in the Laine party is the fact that Mark Scheifele assisted on all three goals to give him 56 points in 56 games this season and helped him eclipse the 200 point plateau.
Photo Credit: Rodney Braun
Global News: Another hatty for Patty as Laine leads Jets out of losing streak. Russ recaps the contest which includes some video as well.
TSN: Laine returns to his pre-concussion form against Stars. (Video). Since returning from his concussion last month, Patrik Laine hadn’t looked like the same player, that is until he broke out against the Stars on Tuesday night. TH2N breaks down the rookie’s hat trick performance.
Dallas News: Time to sell? Latest loss has Stars in need of a miracle to make the playoffs. Always good to get the perspective of a beat writer that covers the visitors to Winnipeg to see how they saw the game.
USA Today: Eight people facing pressure in final two months of NHL season. Jets bench boss makes this list.
Illegal Curve: Injury Update for Marko Dano is “almost…pretty soon”. While that headline doesn’t sound too promising he is still well within the timeline we got back on December 31st.
Game 59 – Jets 5 Stars 2:
Illegal Curve: Post-game Recap. A bit on the big nights had by Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele. Then hear from Blake Wheeler, Patrik Laine, Connor Hellebuyck and coach Maurice.
Illegal Curve: Stars Seguin one ups Jets Scheifele in pre-game warm up hijinks. It was a nice move by 91 to win the pre-game battle although 55 got the final laugh (see above post).
