They may have not meant much of anything to anyone either not associated or not a fan of the Winnipeg Jets, but to the 15, 004 people that filled the MTS Centre and those listening in on radio on 1290 in Winnipeg or anywhere in the world for that matter on the internet (as I did) but the two split-squad games that took place in Winnipeg and Columbus last night meant a whole lot to those that have waited 15 years for NHL hockey to return to the Manitoba capital.Game one, in Columbus didn't go the way Jets fans would have liked, as Winnipeg's "Team 2" fell to the host Blue Jackets 5-1. That Jets squad comprised of Blake Wheeler, Evander Kane and rookie Carl Klingberg. Kane scored the lone goal for the Jets, which if your interested, is the "unofficial" first goal scored by the Winnipeg Jets since April 28, 1996.
But back in Winnipeg at the MTS Centre, where the "real" team was that had the likes of captain Andrew Ladd, Dustin Byfuglien, Zach Bogosian, Nik Antropov and Mark Scheiefle. Scheifele, the Jets first round pick in this years entry draft scored four points on the night with two goals and two assists. Scheifele in fact, was named the first star of the game ahead of Byfuglien and Ladd, the second and third stars respectively. The Jets ended the night with a 6-1 romp over the Columbus "B" team.
The crowd was as loud as everyone expected it to be and the radio commenters, Brian Munz and Shane Hnidy said they expected the Oct. 9 season-opening game against the Montreal Canadiens to be even crazier. I have no doubts about that. Even Chicago will be hard-pressed to out-decibel the rabid Winnipeg hockey fans.
Here is the atmosphere inside the MTS Centre upon the Jets hitting the ice for the first time in 15 years. And it's only the beginning.
