Game 81: Jets 2 Flames 1 post-game report

The Jets are now 51-20-10 and climb to 112 points on the season.

For those who would like to take a deeper dive into the advanced stats here are the results from tonight’s game via Natural Stat Trick.

Notable:

1st
– It was mostly a Flames period as they had two breakaways and the puck for what seemed like most of it;
– Blake Wheeler tipped home a Byfuglien shot with under a minute to go to give Jets a 1-0 lead;
– Assists to Byfuglien (clearly) and Connor;
– Shots ended up 15-7 in favour of the Flames.

2nd
– A mostly sleepy middle frame;
– 13 minutes in Paul Stastny beautifully redirected an intentional Chiarot slap pass to make it 2-0;
– Assists to Chiarot (obviously) and Ehlers;
– Spencer Foo, in just his third NHL game, brings the Flames within one with his first NHL goal;
– Shots were 10-9 for Calgary and overall ended 25-17 for the Flames after 40 minutes.

2nd intermission:
Preds beat the Capitals which locked them into 1st and sets up a Jets (2nd) and Wild (3rd) 1st round in the 2017-18 Stanley Cup Playoffs.  Get ready for some Friendly Manitoba vs Minnesota Nice.

3rd
– Another ho hum period;
– Really wasn’t much generated by either side;
– Jets outshot the Flames 9-7 in the final period but overall Calgary outshot Winnipeg 32-26.

Numbers:
– Blake Wheeler hit 90 (23 G 67A) points for the first time in his career;
– Nikolaj Ehlers’s assist gives him 60 points on the season (29G 31A);
– Connor Hellebuyck ties Tom Borrasso for most wins in a season by a U.S. born goalie with his 43rd win.

Audio:

Blake Wheeler

Connor Hellebuyck

Paul Stastny

Coach Maurice:  On knowing who their opponent is in the first round.  Any initial thoughts on the matchup against the Wild.  Thoughts on the 1st period.  Keeping bad habits to a minimum.  On Josh Morrissey.  Flipping Roslovic and Armia.

Next game:

Saturday, April 7th, 2018 at 6 pm (Final regular season game).