Jets vow to keep pushing as they enter season's final stretch
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The Winnipeg Jets rallied from two goals down to win their third straight game Sunday in Seattle, defeating the Kraken 3-2 in overtime on a winner from defenceman Dylan Samberg.
It marked the Jets’ fifth victory in six games and pushed their NHL-leading point total to 98, 11 points clear of the Dallas Stars and 12 up on the Vegas Golden Knights as the season enters its final stretch.
Jets players spoke last week on the importance of keeping their foot on the gas through the end of the regular season.
“We’re never comfortable with it,” Jets forward Kyle Connor told Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press on Friday regarding the team’s success.
“We’re pushing onto the next one. I think that’s kind of been what’s made us so successful this year. We’re not resting, saying cruise control here. There’s a lot of hockey left, 15 or so games. You want to build this thing so that you’re peaking at the right time, so that’s definitely going to be an objective of ours.”
“I think we want to hit the ground running when the playoffs start, I don’t think anyone wants to creep in. We’re trying to put our foot down here and really secure that first place. That’s a big step for us,” forward Morgan Barron said.
Securing the West’s top would likely mean the Jets avoid playing the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs and would put Winnipeg in a matchup with the West’s weakest wild-card opponent, something that could help them advance past the first round for the first time in four seasons.
“I think it’s been really good for us to stay in that present moment. Just staying level-headed and staying present in every shift goes a long way," Barron said.
One of the big reasons why the Jets enter play Monday with the best record in the NHL has been the play of goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who is a favourite to win his second straight Vezina Trophy and leads the league in a number of statistical categories.
Hellebuyck was thrust into surprise duty in Sunday’s win, entering the game for 10:10 in the first period after backup Eric Comrie was forced out following a collision with Seattle’s Matty Beniers.
Hellebuyck stopped five of six shots before Comrie was able to return.
“Our No. 1’s going in cold, you’re always worried about that, and then you’re hoping that ‘Coms’ was okay,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said via NHL.com. “It kind of got us unrattled a little bit, but then we got ourselves back going in the second period.”
Hellebuyck leads the NHL with 39 wins, six shutouts, a .927 save percentage and a 1.97 goals-against average.
The Jets continue their road trip this week, taking on the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday and the Edmonton Oilers Thursday before returning home next weekend against the Buffalo Sabres.