By Darrin Bauming (@DarrinBauming)
Blackhawks' right wing Patrick Kane (right) reacts to his first period goal against the Jets at Chicago's United Center on Thursday, October 13, 2011. (TSN)
The Winnipeg Jets took off hot Thursday night, but eventually came back down to Earth, falling 4-3 to the Chicago Blackhawks in the re-incarnated franchise’s first road game of the 2011-12 NHL season.
Winnipeg’s Jim Slater scored twice early — just over three minutes apart in the games opening eight minutes — both on point-shot redirections from Johnny Oduya and Ron Hainsey, respectively.
Chicago responded with an Andrew Brunette power-play marker just two minutes later, before Patrick Kane tied the game late in the period.
Early second period goals from Marian Hossa and Dave Bolland made it 4-2 Hawks.
Late in the frame, Kyle Wellwood slipped a Ron Hainsey rebound past Chicago goaltender Ray Emery — a backhand between his legs that made it a one-goal game heading into the third.
The Jets rallied late, putting solid pressure on the Blackhawks, but Emery shut the door to seal the home-team victory in front of 21,175 fans at Chicago’s United Center.
Winnipeg’s Ondrej Pavelec looked solid at times, and shaky at others, stopping 28-of-32 shots on the night. While denying several quality Blackhawk chances, the Jets’ starter let in a pair of questionable goals in the second.
“He did some things well, and some things not so well,” said head coach Claude Noel of his 24-year-old net-minder’s performance. “I’d give him a six out of ten.”
The Jets (0-2-0) continue their search for the team’s first victory when they visit the Phoenix Coyotes (1-1-1) on Saturday, before returning to the MTS Centre to face the Pittsburgh Penguins (3-0-2) on Monday night.
Snapshots
- For the second consecutive game, Evander Kane and Dustin Byfuglien led the Jets in shots (5)
- For the second consecutive game, Evander Kane saw limited ice time (10:34 vs. MTL, 14:43 vs. CHI)
- Mark Scheifele saw a significant drop in ice time (13:44 vs. MTL, 9:25 vs. CHI)
- Defenceman Ron Hainsey had two assists, and finished plus-1 on the night
- Defenceman Dustin Byfuglien finished a team-high plus-2 on the night with 0 points
- Despite winning 50% of Thursday’s faceoffs, the Jets lost nearly all of the draws at critical moments
- Claude Noel re-tooled his defensive pairings from Sunday’s game vs. MTL
- Noel began shuffling his forward lines in the third period
- In two starts, Ondrej Pavelec has a GAA of 4.58, and a Save % of .833
- Pavelec was pulled for the extra attacker with 1:28 remaining in the game
- Among the 7 NHL teams to only play 2 games so far this year, Winnipeg is the only team with zero points on the season.
See the boxscore and video highlights at NHL.com.
