National Post (National Edition)
Jets coping well without Scheifele
LAINE HITS 100-POINT PLATEAU IN 177TH GAME
The original goal for the Winnipeg Jets was to simply stay in the fight while Mark Scheifele was sidelined with a suspected shoulder injury.
Few could have predicted the Jets would go 5-0-1 since Scheifele crashed hard into the end boards during the second period of what proved to be a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.
The Jets have outscored their opponents 26-13 and connected for nine power-play goals in 25 chances during that run of games.
It’s still early in the process as Scheifele is expected to be on the shelf for six-to-eight weeks from the time of his injury on Dec. 27, though the early returns have been impressive.
Jets captain Blake Wheeler has been a driving force during Scheifele’s absence, making a near seamless transition to playing centre.
Wheeler chipped in two more assists in Tuesday’s 7-4 victory over the Buffalo Sabres and has collected five goals and 11 points during his current seven-game point streak.
“Everyone has stepped up a little bit,” said Wheeler, who is up to 14 goals and 52 points in 44 games this season. “We’ve had some injuries and some guys have been given opportunities to play a different role, a bigger role and they’ve done a good job.”
The Jets are certainly getting contributions throughout the lineup, but there’s little doubt about the guy who has been leading the way.
The Jets used Wednesday as a day off, but they’ll be back on the ice on Thursday.
MR. 100
When Jets winger Patrik Laine scored for the first time in eight games on Tuesday, it was his 19th goal of the season and the 100th point of his NHL career in just his 117 th game.
Was Laine aware he was closing in on the century mark?
“Yes, I knew that. Hopefully, I can score a couple of more,” said Laine, who is up to 36 points in 44 games this season. “It’s a nice milestone to get. I’ll just try to get more.”
Laine, chosen second overall in the 2016 NHL Draft, has been a franchise-changing player.
While known for his quick release and ridiculous shot, Laine has 55 goals and 45 assists so far and is more than just a one-trick pony.
“It’s night and day from the start, in terms of his routes, his battle and his compete,” said coach Paul Maurice. “What we have right now, with Blake (Wheeler) playing centre there, he’s got the perfect mentor to take himself to the next level.”
For Laine, 11 of his 19 goals and 17 of his 36 points have come with the man-advantage.
The biggest difference in Laine’s game from the start of the season has been in his legs.
After taking some time to adjust to the weight he added during the off-season, Laine has been playing with more pace of late.
Provided that continues, you can expect Laine to continue to produce offensive at an impressive rate.
MANAGING THE GOALIES
With Jets goalie Steve Mason making 30 saves in Tuesday’s 7-4 win, it will be interesting to see how Maurice handles his masked men this weekend as the Jets play games on consecutive days against the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild.
When asked if Mason could get a second start this week, Maurice was non-committal, leaving the door open that Connor Hellebuyck could play both tilts against Central Division opponents.
The Jets haven’t started the same goalie on consecutive days yet this season, so the final decision will likely be dictated by the workload Hellebuyck faces against the Blackhawks on Friday.
Hellebuyck has plenty of experience playing on consecutive days from his time in college and in the minors, plus it’s not a long flight from Chicago to Minnesota.
However, if Maurice is serious about helping Mason find a bit more of a rhythm after playing in only three games since suffering a concussion on Nov. 25, it makes sense for Mason to face the Wild.
Mason has put in plenty of work to try and stay sharp with Hellebuyck handling the bulk of the load.
What’s been the most challenging part of seeing so little game action?
“I think once you get back out there, how hard it is to fight to find the puck when the puck gets to the point,” said Mason. “It’s one thing in practice where everything’s structured but when you get out there, bodies are so big and fast at the NHL level that at the goaltending position you really have to fight to find it.”
STAYING PATIENT
Jets forward Brendan Lemieux did everything that was asked of him during his first taste of the NHL, chipping in a goal and playing a hard-nosed, disciplined style in the seven games he suited up in.
Being returned to the minors wasn’t easy news to digest, but the left-winger kept things in perspective and played well with the Manitoba Moose, which prompted his most recent recall on Monday.
“It’s always easier to move forward. Sometimes when you get sent back down, you can feel like you’re taking a step back,” said Lemieux, who has nine goals and 24 points in 24 AHL games this season. “It’s just about understanding the process, how it’s different for each individual and understanding that sometimes even if you do as well as you can or as well as you think you should have, there are other things in play.”