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2019.R1.G4 Jets Playoff Flight Plan: Jets Hope Home Disadvantage Will Lead To An Even Series

By Art Middleton

Apr 16, 2019, 13:00 EDT

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This isn’t new to the Jets, this whole winning playoff games on the road thing. Last year they won a game in Minnesota en-route to a 4-1 series win against the Wild, and then even more amazingly they took three wins in Nashville in their seven game series victory over the Preds.

So it’s not a complete surprise that the Jets came out strong in game three in St. Louis, but they’ll need to do it again tonight in the hopes to make this series a best-of-three with two of those three games back home in Winnipeg.

Winnipeg Jets
@
St. Louis Blues

Round One \ Blues Lead Series 2-1 / Game Four
April 16, 2019 – Puck drop: 8:30 PM CST
Enterprise Center – St. Louis, MO
TV: Sportsnet – TVA Sports – CNBC (US)
Radio: TSN 1290

Last Time Between These Two Teams…

For a brief moment in the first period it sure felt like Jordan Binnington was again going to be the difference as he was putting up a wall in front of the Blues net, but the Jets kept chipping away with a strong attack and eventually figured out the puzzle that was putting pucks past Jordan six times in the last two periods as Winnipeg climbed back into the series with a 6-3 win in game three.

Fun fact…

For as much as we talk about Patrik Laine’s ownership of the Dallas Stars, the St. Louis Blues also appear to be a favorite of his. He has scored in all three games of the series so far and in 15 career games – both regular season and playoffs – he has 16 goals. He has 12 goals in eight career games at Enterprise Center (a mark helped by his fateful five goal night of course) and has scored in seven of those eight games.

Patrick Laine playing the Blues

What The Jets Need To Win Game Four…

Keep up the pressure. The Blues likely aren’t “rattled” yet, but getting out to an early-ish lead in game four will tighten the screws on a Blues team that self-admittedly hasn’t played their best over the first three games in this series.
Special teams is key for the Jets. The power play has looked far better with Dustin Byfuglien back on the top unit, so that’s not as much a concern as the penalty kill is which gave up a couple of goals in game three including an early goal in the third period which could have snowballed into something worse. Keep the power play work consistent and tighten up the PK.

Winnipeg Jet To Watch…

#27 – Nikolaj Ehlers (Left Wing)

Since calling out Kevin Hayes and his lack of playoff goal scoring seemed to work in game three’s preview, why not try our luck with a player who has yet to score in the playoffs; Nik Ehlers.

Last playoff’s goal-less run for Nik was a bit of a sore spot for many Jets fans who expected a little bit more from player who had topped out at 29 goals that season. Ehlers’ season this year has seen it’s fair share of struggles as he’s had to battle through injury and was limited to just 62 games played, but he hit the 20+ goal mark for a third season in a row. Now the Jets really need him to get going offensively. His work with Bryan Little and Patrik Laine was actually pretty strong in game three, but they now need to start converting that good play into 5 on 5 goal production.

**Nik needs a playoff goal**
			Scor	Scor	Scor			Shot	Shot	Shot	Ice
Season	Tm	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	S	S%	TSA	ATOI	BLK	HIT	TK	GV
2017-18	WPG	15	0	7	7	4	2	26	0.0	65	15:52	8	7	8	7
2018-19	WPG	3	0	0	0	-2	0	7	0.0	9	11:48	1	2	2	0
Career	2 yrs	18	0	7	7	2	2	33	0.0	74	15:11	9	9	10	7

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table

What The Blues Need To Win Game Four…

Jordan Binnington needs to forget that game three ever happened. No one knows just how he’ll bounce back because while he hasn’t lost back to back games yet this season, up until Sunday night, he had not given up more than four goals in an NHL game either. He looked every bit the part of an average rookie goalie by the time the night was over and he has to know that the Jets will be eager to test him again.
If you look at the 5 v 5 heat map from Sunday’s game, you’ll see that the Jets absolutely owned the slot area in front of the Blues net. The defense needs to do a far better job limiting the Jets chances that close in.

St. Louis Blue To Watch…

#10 – Brayden Schenn (Center)

About the most impact thing Brayden Schenn has done is repeatedly punch Dustin Byfuglien in the back of the head from behind which of course doesn’t get punished by a league that says it’s serious about hits to the head, because.. ya know… “playoffs.” That said, where the Blues need him to actually be doing something is on the scoresheet which he hasn’t hit in the first three games even as he plays on the Blues top line and has averages 20:07 of ice time.

Schenn’s last playoff goal came in 2012 with the Philadelphia Flyers. The Blues could use one or two this year if they have any hope of progressing to the second round – something Schenn has only done once in his career.

**At least Brayden has more playoff experience than his brother Luke…**
Season	Age	Tm	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	S	S%	TSA	ATOI	FOW	FOL	FO%	BLK	HIT	TK	GV
2011-12	20	PHI	11	3	6	9	-3	8	11	27.3	18	14:16	32	42	43.2	4	28	4	5
2013-14	22	PHI	7	0	3	3	-2	8	8	0.0	27	14:12	18	22	45.0	5	21	2	2
2015-16	24	PHI	6	0	2	2	2	7	11	0.0	20	18:58	16	17	48.5	2	21	2	1
2018-19	27	STL	3	0	0	0	-2	2	3	0.0	6	20:07	2	1	66.7	1	11	3	1
Career		4 yrs	27	3	11	14	-5	25	33	9.1	71	15:57	68	82	45.3	12	81	11	9

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table

What They’re Saying…

Thomas Welch

@twelcher15

·Follow

In 7 total games against WPG this season, David Perron is sporting a 4 G / 4 A / 8 P stat line. Tarasenko in those games? 2 G / 0 A / 2 P Jets have done well shutting down 1st line chances. Blues will have to win this series with their other three lines. #stlblues

5:38 PM · Apr 15, 2019

St. Louis Blues Lines

LW	C	RW	Forwards
BRAYDEN SCHENN Rating: 76.8#37 LW	RYAN O’REILLY Rating: 81.0#13 C	VLADIMIR TARASENKO Rating: 84.4#2 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 80.69#3 FL1
JADEN SCHWARTZ Rating: 76.7#28 LW	OSKAR SUNDQVIST Rating: 72.7#95 C	DAVID PERRON Rating: 75.8#30 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 75.06#16 FL2
PATRICK MAROON Rating: 73.3#56 LW	TYLER BOZAK Rating: 74.5#57 C	ROBERT THOMAS Rating: 71.9#112 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 73.19#8 FL3
ZACH SANFORD Rating: 71.1#100 LW	IVAN BARBASHEV Rating: 72.5#100 C	ALEX STEEN Rating: 73.8#50 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 72.43#4 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
VINCE DUNN Rating: 76.1#21 LD	ALEX PIETRANGELO Rating: 81.5#5 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 78.81#5 DL1
JAY BOUWMEESTER Rating: 72.6#68 LD	COLTON PARAYKO Rating: 78.3#18 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 75.45#10 DL2
JOEL EDMUNDSON Rating: 73.9#46 LD	ROBERT BORTUZZO Rating: 72.7#60 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 73.31#5 DL3

GOALIES
JORDAN BINNINGTON Rating: 73.3#28 G1	JAKE ALLEN Rating: 68.6#59 G2

Winnipeg Jets Lines

LW	C	RW	Forwards
KYLE CONNOR Rating: 77.8#23 LW	MARK SCHEIFELE Rating: 82.2#10 C	BLAKE WHEELER Rating: 79.1#12 RW	FL1 Rating Rating: 79.68#5 FL1
NIKOLAJ EHLERS Rating: 76.6#29 LW	BRYAN LITTLE Rating: 72.5#99 C	PATRIK LAINE Rating: 77.1#24 RW	FL2 Rating Rating: 75.42#13 FL2
MATHIEU PERREAULT Rating: 73.1#59 LW	KEVIN HAYES Rating: 74.5#58 C	JACK ROSLOVIC Rating: 71.5#82 RW	FL3 Rating Rating: 73.02#12 FL3
ANDREW COPP Rating: 72.1#81 LW	ADAM LOWRY Rating: 73.5#74 C	BRANDON TANEV Rating: 72.2#69 RW	FL4 Rating Rating: 72.59#3 FL4

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS	Defense
JOSH MORRISSEY Rating: 74.0#44 LD	JACOB TROUBA Rating: 77.5#20 RD	DL1 Rating Rating: 75.75#16 DL1
BEN CHIAROT Rating: 71.3#91 LD	DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN Rating: 80.3#8 RD	DL2 Rating Rating: 75.80#8 DL2
DMITRY KULIKOV Rating: 70.0#115 LD	TYLER MYERS Rating: 74.1#39 RD	DL3 Rating Rating: 72.06#13 DL3