Tag Archives: Winnipeg Jets

Posted by Darrin Bauming (@DarrinBauming)

Winnipeg Jets head coach Claude Noel and players (L-R) Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little and Eric Tangradi look up at the score clock during the third period of play against the Montreal Canadiens at MTS Centre on Thursday, April 25, 2013. (FRED GREENSLADE / REUTERS)

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price allows a Winnipeg Jets goal by centre James Wright in the first period on Thursday. (STAN MILOSEVIC / CHRISD.CA)

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets’ season came to a screeching halt Thursday night, and their season finalé matchup against the Montreal Canadiens at MTS Centre was barely two-thirds complete.

During the second intermission of the Jets’ eventual 4-2 loss, Winnipeg players became alerted to the unfortunate truth that their playoff hopes were quashed as the Ottawa Senators earned an overtime win in Washington, thusly eliminating the Jets from Stanley Cup playoff contention.

“We knew after the second that we were out,” said Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, who finished the abbreviated 2013 season with a record of 21-20-3 in his fifth year with the club. “It’s not an excuse at all, but it’s tough to play when you know you’ve got 20 minutes left in the season and you’ve got nothing to play (for). But it’s not an excuse. We should finish the game, but we didn’t.”

The Jets were leading Montreal 2-1 through 40 minutes, but when the writing was on the wall they failed to put in a concerted team effort and allowed the Canadiens to score three unanswered third-period goals.

Winnipeg and Montreal plays scrap during the final game of the Jets’ season on Thursday. (STAN MILOSEVIC / CHRISD.CA)

“I don’t know what they knew,” said Winnipeg head coach Claude Noel of his team’s possible awareness entering the third that their season was finished. “To me it was pretty much a two-period game. The third period — I don’t know what they knew or didn’t know, but I thought the game was OK… I would’ve liked to have seen us play with a bit more zip in the first two periods.”

“It’s either you’re in or you’re not, and you want to be a team that’s in the playoffs every year and competing for a chance to win the Stanley Cup,” said Jets captain Andrew Ladd, who finished the season the team’s leading scorer with 18 goals and 46 points. “Not having that chance the last three years is frustrating.”

Winnipeg now enters an offseason full of hope and optimism for the young team. Recent first-round draft picks Mark Scheifele and Jacob Trouba appear ready to enter their first full-time NHL lineup, while the club holds six of the top 90 picks in the 2013 NHL Draft, including three in the second round and another two selections in the third.

Posted by Darrin Bauming (@DarrinBauming)

Winnipeg Jets’ defenceman Zach Bogosian (44) scores a goal on the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period of play at MTS Centre on Thursday, April 18, 2013. (STAN MILOSEVIC / CHRISD.CA)

Winnipeg Jets’ goaltender Ondrej Pavelec deflects a Carolina Hurricanes’ shot at MTS Centre on Thursday night. (STAN MILOSEVIC / CHRISD.CA)

WINNIPEG – Dustin Byfuglien buried an Andrew Ladd rebound 1:23 in to overtime on a two-on-one rush to give the Winnipeg Jets a 4-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at MTS Centre on Thursday night.

The victory — Winnipeg’s fifth in a row — is the team’s longest since a six-game streak during the 2010-11 season when the franchise was known as the Atlanta Thrashers. The two points gained puts the Jets just two back of the Southeast Division-leading and third-seeded Washington Capitals with four regular season games remaining.

While all four matchups are critical in chasing down one of the eight post-season spots for the ninth-place Jets, two of their four upcoming opponents are teams they want to eliminate from the race — the New York Islanders, who they play in Winnipeg on Saturday afternoon, and the Capitals who they visit on Tuesday night.

… Continue Reading

Posted by Darrin Bauming (@DarrinBauming)

Winnipeg Jets’ captain Andrew Ladd celebrates his second goal of the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period of play at MTS Centre on Tuesday, April 16, 2013. (FRED GREENSLADE / REUTERS)

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets are on a season-high four-game winning streak, and it couldn’t be happening at a better time.

Tuesday’s 4-3 shootout win over the Tampa Bay Lightning keeps Winnipeg (22-19-2) on pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race with 46 points — good for a tie for 8^th place with the New York Rangers.

Jets captain Andrew Ladd clinched it in the shootout to cap his two-goal, three-point night, giving him an eye-popping nine points in his last five games.

… Continue Reading

Posted by Darrin Bauming (@DarrinBauming)

Winnipeg Jets’ Andrew Ladd (R) scores on Florida Panthers goaltender Jacob Markstrom during the first period of play at MTS Centre on Thursday, April 11, 2013. (FRED GREENSLADE / REUTERS)

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets are starting to roll right when they need to.

Evander Kane’s two goals and Bryan Little’s pair of helpers lifted the Jets to a 7-2 walloping of the Florida Panthers at MTS Centre on Thursday night. The win is their third consecutive, and puts them back at a true .500 record for the season (21-19-2) and within striking distance of the NHL’s post-season dance card.

“What you get is players playing with confidence,” said Jets bench boss Claude Noel. “It’s almost like you’re lighter, you’re faster, you’ve got time. It’s like the game slows down. I think a lot of guys are playing well right now. It’s contagious.”

… Continue Reading

Posted by Darrin Bauming (@DarrinBauming)

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec (R) makes a save as Philadelphia Flyers’ Wayne Simmonds (C) and Mark Stuart watch for the rebound during the first period of play at MTS Centre on Saturday, April 6, 2013. (FRED GREENSLADE / REUTERS)

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets showed serious fight on Saturday afternoon, snapping their five-game losing streak with an explosive four-goal second period to hand the Philadelphia Flyers — winners of four-straight coming in — a 4-1 loss.

The victory puts the Jets (19-19-2, 40 points) back into first place in the Southeast Division for the time being, with the Washington Capitals (18-17-2, 38 points) right on their heels. The Caps hold three games in hand and play Florida Saturday night.

… Continue Reading