Jets the picture of health — at last
Perreault’s return gives Winnipeg a full lineup for the first time in five months
NASHVILLE — When Mathieu Perreault skated out onto the ice for Game 5 Saturday night, it marked the first time the Winnipeg Jets have had a full and healthy lineup in five months.
“Pretty crazy when you think about it that way,” Perreault said before the game. “Perfect timing. It’s when we need everybody.”
The Jets entered Saturday’s game at Bridgestone Arena tied 2-2 with the Nashville Predators in the second-round best-of-seven series.
The last time they had what head coach Paul Maurice would describe as an entirely healthy lineup to start a game was Nov. 18 when they beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2.
Toby Enstrom was injured in that game and was one of several players who missed significant time over the rest of the season and into the playoffs.
“This will the first game this year since Paul Stastny’s arrival (at the trade deadline),” Maurice said.
“So, it’s exceptionally unique in our situation.”
You could argue the Jets were not at completely full health Saturday, as defenceman Dmitri Kulikov remained out of the lineup.
He did participate in the game day skate however and was not wearing a non-contact jersey.
He hasn’t played since March 8 because of a back injury.
You could also make the case that the Jets defence has been just as strong with Ben Chiarot starting in place of Kulikov.
It seems, at least, that Maurice has all the players available to him, which gives him some options.
“By the time you get to this stage, you’re into your roles and into your lines for the most part,” Maurice said. “The real benefit is in the room. We’ve got good guys that have come in and we’ve handled it all year, everybody has got their unique personality, everybody is really well liked. (Perreault), as you know, has got a great personality on him. So, having him in the room, it makes for a good place.”
Perreault replaced Matt Hendricks in the lineup and was reunited on a line with Bryan Little and Joel Armia.
P.K. AND BUFF SHOW
Predators centre Kyle Turris was talking about another player in the dressing room Saturday and his description could easily have fit the most noticeable player on each team in this series.
“He’s a really strong, smart player who has a big impact on the game,” Turris said. “When he’s going, our team’s a lot better.”
He was, of course, talking about teammate P.K. Subban, who led the Preds in ice time (28:12 per game) through the first four games of the series and had three goals.
The description would fit perfectly for Dustin Byfuglien of the Jets as well.
Heading into Game 5, Byfuglien led the Jets in ice time with 28:31 per game and also had three tallies.
They are both physically dominant in their own zone and can really drive their teams. Their dynamic styles have really shone through and they’ve been difference makers in an exceptionally tight series.
“You could say they’re similar in some ways,” Predators defenceman Ryan Ellis said. “They’re great offensively, they do their job defensively and are big parts of both teams from the back end.
“I don’t think anyone plays like Buff does, though. He’s just so big out there and he imposes his will because he’s physically bigger than every person in the league.”
Subban may not be as big as Byfuglien, but he has a larger-than-life personality, which makes him a fan favourite in Nashville and public enemy No. 1 in Winnipeg.
“Big personalities get a lot of attention,” Turris said. “He enjoys it.”
TAKING A BEATING
Ellis has taken a skate to the face and a puck to the upper chest/neck in this series.
All in a day’s work, the veteran defenceman said.
“A couple unfortunate bounces of the puck and a skate in the face,” said Ellis, who had to be stitched up after getting cut by Chiarot’s skate blade in Game 1, then took a Byfuglien shot up high in Game 4.
“It’s playoffs. You just accept whatever happens and move forward from there.”
MAN IN FRONT
Subban has scored in three straight games and on all three shots from the point, Viktor Arvidsson provided the screen in front.
Twice he timed a jump to get out of the way of the shot but stayed in Connor Hellebuyck’s line of vision.
He’s a not a huge player (5-foot-9, 180 pounds), but his net-front presence has been a thorn in the Jets’ side in the series.
“He’s not afraid to go there,” Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey said.
“He goes there all the time and they put a lot of pucks to the net. As a defenceman that’s where you have to do a good job of boxing him out and let (Hellebuyck) see the puck.”
There’s no doubt it’s an effective tactic by Arvidsson, but not without its risks.
Subban has one of the hardest shots in the league and not all of them get through to the goaltender.
“He’s a fearless player,” Preds coach Peter Laviolette said. “It’s not just that. It’s in-the-corner play. Sometimes against a guy like Byfuglien, twice his size — literally twice his size — it’s just his courageousness. Not everybody goes to that hard area, especially on the power play when guys are shooting pucks 100 miles an hour. To go in there and deal with that shot and deal with that physicality that comes with it, he does an unbelievable job.”