The Winnipeg whiteout was in full force as the Jets looked to build off of their performance in Game 1 on Monday night and extend their series lead to 2-0. The Jets did just that, as Connor Hellebuyck stopped 21/22 shots and Kyle Connor scored another game-winner en route to a 2-1 victory.
Jets grind out Game 2 win
Having not won more than one game in the past two postseasons, this game was huge to protect home ice for the Winnipeg Jets.
They delivered a strong defensive performance in a physical and tight-checking game, defeating the St. Louis Blues 2-1.
A big reason for that was their penalty kill, as they killed four straight power-play opportunities in the final 40 minutes of this game to hang on for the win.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
“I think our penalty kill did a better job tonight,” Luke Schenn said after the game. “Obviously, we gave up one at the end of the first there, which stung a bit. But we’re resilient and bounced back and just stuck with it. They had some looks, for sure, had some o-zone time. Everyone is giving it everything they have.”
Through two games, the Blues have scored just one even-strength goal. If Winnipeg’s penalty kill can continue its momentum from this game, and they can cut down on the penalties they are taking, they can bank on their stellar five-on-five defensive structure remaining intact.
“I think it’s frustrating to play against when you play like that,” Cole Perfetti said of his team’s defensive structure. “We were able to keep them on the outside, and when they did get a chance, Bucky made a great save. It was a great defensive performance.”
Logan Stanley lays a huge hit on Jordan Kyrou
In the first period, Jordan Kyrou was receiving a pass in the neutral zone, and while he shoulder-checked, he must not have seen Logan Stanley coming.
What happened next was one of the biggest collisions we have seen in quite some time from Stanley, who levelled Kyrou, who didn’t even miss a shift after the hit!
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
“Anytime you get a chance to lay a hit on their top-end guys, their skill guys, we want to make it hard on them,” Dylan DeMelo said. “Not everybody can hit like that.”
Stanley was solid throughout the game as he threw another big hit later in the second period on Robert Thomas, making the Stanley-Schenn pairing a physically demanding duo to face.
“The crowd certainly came out of their shoes on that one, as everybody did,” Scott Arniel said after the game. “That was a big hit… That’s what playoff hockey is all about.”
Dylan Samberg shut down several plays
Dylan Samberg is a pending RFA, and he has the opportunity to earn himself a lot of money on his next contract with a strong playoff run. In Game 2 against the Blues, he was nothing short of elite.
His pressure in the neutral zone and defending off the rush was fantastic, staying within a stick-length of players such as Thomas and Kyrou, who are tough to defend one-on-one. He made it look routine.
Samberg also had a massive impact on Winnipeg’s penalty kill, being effective in this game, blocking a few shots and picking up a few key clears.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Scott Arniel mentioned after the game that he thought his entire defence core did a great job at pressuring the Blues’ forwards in the neutral zone, allowing the Jets’ forwards to track back and disrupt the play.
“And Sammy, we know he’s got a really good pair of feet that helps him do that.”
Samberg led the Jets in time on ice with 24:30.
In his 19:28 of even-strength minutes, the Jets led in shots (10-5), scoring chances (8-3), high-danger scoring chances (5-1), and expected goals percentage (69.02%), per Natural Stat Trick.
Samberg has enjoyed a breakout season in a top-four role, and he has carried that into the playoffs, where the pairing of him and Neal Pionk look to be a shutdown pairing that Arniel can rely upon.
Kyle Connor scores another game-winner
Two games, two game-winners for Kyle Connor as he scored early in the third period to give Winnipeg a 2-1 lead.
Dylan DeMelo had a great description of the goal when asked about it: “It was a great forecheck. We got the puck, went low to high, D-to-D, kind of spread them out. We reset it back down, and Scheif and Fetts won their battle, and KC is so good finding that quiet ice. It was a great look by Fetts, and you give it to the right guy, he’s going to put it in the net.”
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Cole Perfetti had the primary assist on the goal, giving him his first point of the playoffs. A subtle play from Mark Scheifele along the wall got the puck to Perfetti, who quickly fired a pass to Connor, who was wide open in the slot to finish it off.
Both games in this series have been won off the stick of Connor, finding open ice in a high-danger spot, and firing a lightning-quick release past Binnington.
Up next
The series now shifts to St. Louis as the Jets look to improve on their 2-0 series lead.
Luke Schenn is expecting a tough battle on Thursday: “It’s far from over. Two games, we’re going to enjoy this one tonight, but St. Louis is an extremely tough building to play in, too. It’s going to be a great atmosphere, and we’re going to have to prepare for the next one.”
Stay tuned to Illegalcurve.com for the latest Jets news over the coming days, as well as the post-game show after Thursday night’s Game 3, with puck drop set for 8:30 PM.
