Last Night’s Jets Victory Was A Little Bit Of Good And Bad
5 years ago
I saw that a few people on the Twitter machine last night and that had missed the game were asking if the Jets players good and earned a 4-3 overtime victory, or if they were bad and managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat. The answer I believe lies somewhere in-between.
They struggled on special teams, they didn’t exactly have a good first period and the second was a bit spotty, but at the same time there was a stretch of play in the middle of the third period where they looked really good and were still attacking even with a one goal lead. Either wayit made for a pretty entertaining game and one that we can look back at with a sense of enjoyment as the Jets cling to first place in the Central.
Some more thoughts on last night’s game…
- Kind of feel like that was a bit of a statement made by Jack Roslovic last night and it would be insane at this point if he’s pulled out of the lineup the rest of this season. Perhaps the brief stint in the press box was helpful as he sure seemed like he was more in ‘attack mode’ last night. Or maybe it just felt that way because he is far and away an upgrade over Matt Hendricks. His first goal of the night where he threw it on net at a bit of an awkward angle is something I think we’d want to see more of from multiple Jets. Put the puck on net!
- I promised myself I wouldn’t do it this season, but I find myself yet again falling for the second line center that the Jets traded for at the deadline for the second season in a row. Kevin Hayes sees the ice very well and you can just see is already building some nice chemistry with Nik Ehlers and Patrik Laine and if they could just go through camp together and start a season on the same line and that whole bit, I bet they would be incredibly dynamic, but alas it won’t happen because how are the Jets going to fit Hayes into the salary cap when they have so many other needs to take care of, not the least of which is the Bryan Little issue who is being paid like a second line center but for a second season in a row didn’t work out as a true second line center who could carry his own line.
- Speaking of Little, now that I just buried him a bit there, I would like to point out that I thought he had a strong, active game. It was maybe the best game he’s played in the last couple of weeks. He didn’t get any credit for actual shots and only got credit for attempting one chance that rang off the post, but at the very least I noticed him out there a little more tonight.
- One more thought on Hayes… His OT winner is even greater when you take into account Paul Maurice’s recollection of the goal:
- The power-pay goes 0 for 4 and it was just plain bad for the first three of four attempts and mildly ok for the final one midway through the third period where the club actually managed three shots on goal. There are a handful of issues with it, but a couple of quick fixes that I’d sure like to see Paul Maurice run with tonight in Minnesota is to see Byfuglien back on the top unit (sorry Jacob, your passes just don’t have enough zip on them, especially when teeing up Laine) and I’d like to see the Jets swap Ehlers and Wheeler. The first unit needs a player who is effective at carrying in the puck and helping establish zone time which is what Ehlers can do. The second unit could use a player like Wheeler to QB from the side wall has he has done almost all season. I’m not saying these would cure everything, but it’s worth a shot isn’t it?
- Also worth a shot? Splitting up Wheeler and Scheifele from the top line completely. It won’t happen, but I’ll continue to ask for it. Waved off third period goal aside – I’ll get to that in a moment – they were ok but Scheifele still looks ‘off-ish’ when he’s on the ice and Wheeler had a couple of moments where he had open looks at the net and instead passed the puck. That’s kind of a Jets team thing though isn’t it with the whole too much passing deal. Tyler Myers had a couple of moments in the game where he passed when he could have shot – and by the way Myers, ON the net, not NEAR, get the puck ON the net and force the goalie to make a stop. Also funny to hear Beyak practically implore Ehlers to shoot the puck when he had an opportunity in the second period.
- I just looked at the numbers again and they weren’t really as favorable to the Hayes/Laine/Ehlers line as I thought they would have been going up Patrick Kane’s line, but it wasn’t exactly a complete mismatch either. I stand by what I say, I liked that line last night.
- I love seeing Buff rag-doll an opposing player as much as anyone, but man the timing of this – seconds before going into overtime – is so unfortunate. Thank goodness they won the game so I can enjoy this a lot more… until I remember that Drake Caggiula is just coming back from a concussion and suddenly it’s not as enjoyable, but still kinda is. Damn you hockey.
- It always amazes me that in a league where people primarily come to watch players score goals, the NHL has so many ways to take them off the board. I’m pretty much on the #TeamNoOffsides at this point, but it’s not that I want to get rid of the rule entirely, let’s just stop waving off the plays that are offside by inches okay? Are you telling me the Jets gained some major advantage with Wheeler being a second ahead of the puck on this play? I went back and timed it and the Mark Scheifele goal happened almost 14 full seconds after the initial zone entry by Kyle Connor. Connor’s next pass then goes to Scheifele who was trailing in the play and not to Wheeler. Bah, whatever. Again, good that the Jets won this because waving this goal off and then having the Hawks score like they did to tie it would have really felt like a kick in the teeth had it ended up in a loss.
- re: “Chelsea Dagger”
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