Next day takeaways: 3 thoughts as Kyle Connor fights in a 4-1 Winnipeg Jets win

The Winnipeg Jets became just the sixth team in NHL history to win 17 of its first 20 games on Friday night, with a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

There was plenty to take away from game one of a back-to-back for the Jets, who are right back at it Saturday against the Nashville Predators. 

Kyle Connor Gordie Howe Hat Trick

Kyle Connor recorded the first fight of his career in this game against none other than Sidney Crosby. That is not a typo. 

Connor threw a reverse hit early in the third period, as the Jets were leading 3-0. Taking exception to the hit and likely trying to spark his team to begin the period, Crosby dropped the gloves with Connor, and both received fighting majors. 

“We’re not taking shit from anybody,” is what Connor said after the game, but his coach was a little more reserved when it came to his top goal scorer throwing punches. 

“No, I do not want to see that,” Arniel said. “Great, he got a Gordie Howe hat trick, but I don’t want to see my top goal scorer dropping the gloves.” 

With it being Connor’s first career fight and his empty net goal to give the Jets a 4-1 lead late in the third, it’s officially his first, and potentially only, Gordie Howe hat trick. I wouldn’t count on the former Lady Byng Trophy winner dropping the gloves very often. 

Just three games ago, his linemate Mark Scheifele dropped the gloves with Aaron Ekblad. While Jets fans, along with Scott Arniel, may not enjoy the top players fighting, the Jets are sending a message that they will stand up for themselves and one another on a nightly basis. 

Gabriel Vilardi was taking faceoffs for the top-line

We haven’t seen many shake-ups to the lines so far this season, but one change that we did see was Gabriel Vilardi taking faceoffs as the centre for the top line. Mark Scheifele still handled the bulk of the centre’s responsibilities, but this came of great concern to Jets fans who are concerned about a potential Scheifele injury. 

When asked about it post-game, Scott Arniel mentioned that Scheifele deferred the draws to Vilardi. 

“Just Mark deferring right now… and then Gabe goes 6/6 in the first period. So I just think it became a bit of a habit.”

Then he was asked if Scheifele was otherwise okay, he smirked, before saying, “Gabe’s really good at faceoffs.”

This will be something to monitor going forward, but if Scheifele is dealing with an injury which is preventing him from taking faceoffs, the Jets are likely content with letting Vilardi take a few more draws going forward. He went 12/16 (75%) on the dot tonight and went 2/2 on power-play faceoffs, where initial possession of the puck is key. 

One of his power play faceoff wins led directly to his goal, which he scored with 0:59 remaining in the second period to give the Jets a 3-0 lead. Kyle Connor slid Vilardi the puck in the “pop” position, and he fired a one-timer over the glove side of Tristan Jarry to give the league’s best power play yet another tally. 

Jets have five players on pace for 32+ goals

Tonight was yet another example of the Jets’ forward depth being a handful for opposing teams to handle, as Nino Niederretier and Vladislav Namestnikov gave the Jets their first two goals of the game. 

Niederretier now has eight goals on the season, putting him on pace for 32 this season. He is one of five players who are on pace for 32 or more goals (Scheifele, Connor, Vilardi, Ehlers, Niederreiter). 

The Jets are atop the league in goals, and while owning the top power play in the NHL (35.7%) has a big reason to do with that, it’s clear that this team’s offensive identity is to score by committee. When one line doesn’t have it going, the other lines pick up the slack. 

Up next:

As mentioned before, the Jets will head to Nashville for the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday evening before a day off on Sunday as they head to Minnesota to take on the Wild on Monday. 

If you missed it, we released an article Friday morning on the six things to watch for on this six-game road trip. Check it out here. 

Stay glued to Illegalcurve.com for all the coverage through the Jets’ most grueling trip away from home of the season.