Jets Get Spanked by Lowly Panthers

The road game blues have returned to the Winnipeg Jets as they lost to the last place Florida Panthers, who scored four unanswered goals; 6-3 in a game that was over by the end of the second period.  Even though the Jets had two one goal leads in the third period, they once again couldn't finish an opponent off when thy had them down.  Once again penalties killed the Jets as the Panthers hit the 50% on the powerplay, hitting as 3 for 6 with the extra man.  The Panthers snapped a five-game losing streak in the win against the Jets.

The Jets didn't deserve to be in this even mid way through the third, even if they held the lead-twice.  By the end of the second the cats held a 10 shot advantage, 26-16.  The Jets didn't fair in the third any better, as they hardly entered the Panthers zone all night.
The game marked the fourth in a row in which the Jets opponent scored first.  The game also marked Ondrej Pavelc's first-ever loss in  Sunrise, Florida.  Going back to the 2010-2011 season in Atlanta, through last season after the move to Winnipeg, Pavelec was 5-0 all time at the BB&T Center (formerly the BankAtlnatic Center.)

This is the second consecutive loss for the Jets, both on the road, after going 3-1-1 after their first four games.  Friday, the Jets face the Eastern Conference -leading Tampa Bay Lightning who have won their last four.  Unless the Jets can really get their act together and the play the way they did against Boston, Washington and Pittsburgh earlier on, expect a blowout in Tampa folks.

Habs Down Jets, Snap Winnipeg's Three Game Win Streak

The Montreal Canadiens extended their winning streak to four games, simultaneously ending the Winnipeg Jets winning streak at three as the Habs defeated the Jets 4-3 at the Bell Centre.  It was a game wherein the Jets had to play comeback once again as the Canadiens  scored twice early to take a 2-0 lead before Blake Wheeler scored late in the first.  As Coach Claude Noel said Sunday after the win over the New York Islanders, "it's a recipe for disaster" to start every game that way and hope to be successful.

The Jets once again had a chance to end it late as they had two late third period powerplays but failed to capitalize as they went one for six on the PP.  The Canadiens went two for five, scoring twice.

Jets Beat Islanders in OT

The Winnipeg Jets beat the New York Islanders 5-4 in overtime Sunday as Evander Kane finished off a shot from Olli Jokinen another come from behind victory.
 

Jets Outwork Penguins for Satisfying Win

Four goals, four different scorers.  The Winnipeg Jets continued their work ethic from Boston and Washington and although both Sydney Crosby and Evgeny Malkin were in the lineup for the Pens, and Crosby scoring twice in the first period, one could be forgiven to think it was over.  But the Jets battled as a team and played smart, defensive hockey, as well as Ondrej Pavelec standing on his head when needed; and came back to win 4-2.

Coach Claude Happy with First Few Games

As Coach Claude Noel pointed out himself, Winnipeg Jets have only played three games and besides their opening night lacklustre performance, he is happy with the club's playing thus far.  But, he cautioned, "let's keep things in perspective."

Road Blues Repaired?

Are the Winnipeg Jets a different road team this year?  They better be.  A 14-win road trip just won't cut it, even if it is a 48-game shortened season.  But after a successful two-game road trip to start the season in which the Jets captured three out of a possible four points against Boston and Washington (a shootout loss and regulation win), it seems some (including Adam Wazny of CBC Sports, online edition) are giving the Jets  road play a little too much credit and or respect already.  They did play good enough to win both games (the Jets blew two four-on-threes in OT against the Bruins) but to suggest already that the Jets have solved their road game conundrum may be a tad premature.

First Win

A lesson must have been learned by the Winnipeg Jets after not showing up against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and playing much better against Boston, although still coming up short in a shootout last night; the Jets put it all together last night, including a near comatose power-play in the first two games, to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-2 at the Horizon Center.

Bruins Narrowly Defeat Jets in Shootout

Although playing a way more sound game defensively than their opening night performance against Ottawa, the Winnipeg Jets failed to convert two four on three in overtime and fell to the Boston Bruins 2-1 in a shootout.

Has Ugly Opening Game Cooled the Honeymoon?

Did the Winnipeg Jets less-than-lackluster performance in the opening game of the condensed 2012-2013 NHL season spoil the homecoming of Jets 2.0 season two?  Is the honeymoon already over between the Winnipeg Jets and their seemingly loyal and passionate fan base?

I don't think so.  This game is a result of a four-day training camp and no exhibition games to shake off the rust of an extra-long summer.  Sure, the Jets grotesque play on Saturday afternoon wasn't really an excuse for a long layoff as all 29 other teams are going through the same thing, including th Ottawa senators who managed four goals on Saturday afternoon.

It'll get better.

What's That Dear?

Now that the NHL is back, a lot of relationships will have to bare the brunt of the all-powerful hockey beast that has undoubtedly possessed all the hockey-loving husbands across the land.  God bless those hockey wives and girlfriends with their husbands and boyfriends MIA for the next five months.

One Down, 47 To Go

Game one of the condensed 2012-13 season is in the books and unfortunately for the Winnipeg Jets, they lost their second home opener since their return to the NHL, falling 4-1 to the Ottawa Senators.



 

Winnipeg Fans Are Where It's At

When it comes to the loyalty, passion, dedication and pure raucousness of NHL hockey fans, Jets fans are the mold the rest of the NHL should envy.

Back to the Rock

The Winnipeg Jets have re-assigned three players back to the St. John's Ice Caps of the American Hockey League; Maxime Macenauer, Derek Meech and for some reason, Spencer Machacek.

Jets Claim Panthers James Wright Off of Waivers

The Winnipeg Jets have claimed their second player in as many weeks off the waiver wire as they have selected forward James Wright from the Florida Panthers.

Jets Claim Peluso Off of Waivers

With the injury to Antti Miettinen, the Winnipeg Jets have acquired right-winger Anthony Peluso off of waivers from the St. Louis Blues.

Jets Have No Nervousness; Excitement Abounds

Despite the lockout-shortened season that may reduce the readiness for coaches and players, the Winnipeg Jets are showing no signs of nerves or apprehension before their season opener against the Ottawa Senators.  In fact, one could say they are giddy with excitement.

Pavy Wants to Mind Them All

Asked if it were up to him how many games he would prefer to play this lockout-shortened season, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec said to the Free Press's Ed Tait, "If they ask me, I'm going to say 48."

Jets Resign Jaffray

The Winnipeg Jets have re-signed long time Manitoba Moose and current St. John's Ice Caps captain Jason Jaffray to a new two-way contract.  Of which, terms were not disclosed.

Not Being Groomed to be A Banger

Mark Scheifele's second go around with the Winnipeg Jets in trying to secure a roster spot with the NHL club is tempered by the fact that there are probably fewer top six spots for him to compete for.  But being sent back to the OHL's Barrie Colts is neither an option nor a mindset for the 2011 first round draft pick.

Scheifele is here to make the team and to stick around permanently.  He may play as a second-liner with Kyle Wellwood or a third liner with Chris Thorburn and Mark Stuart, but that would be a waste of his talent.  Scheifele will eventually be a bona fide NHL star.  That time may not be this year, but soon.  The Jets have him in camp to be top-liner, not to be a mucker and grinder.

Jets Training Camp Officially Opens

With the ratification of the new CBA by the league's players, the Winnipeg Jets and the rest of the NHL officially opened their respective training camps for the shortened 2012-2013 season.

Coach Noel's First 2013 Presser

Coach Claude Noel speaks to the Winnipeg media for the first time since the end of last season and gives his take on the opening day of training camp. 

Wheeler Excited to be Back in the 'Peg

Blake Wheeler, after his lock-out stint with the Red Bull Munchen in Munich, Germany of the German Elite League, says he had a blast in Europe, but says he couldn't wait to get back to playing for the Winnipeg Jets and entertain the raucous fans at the MTS Centre.

Chipman Speaks About New CBA

The Winnipeg Free Press's Gary Lawless sat down with Winnipeg Jets co-owner and True North Sports & Entertainment CEO and Chairman Mark Chipman and discussed the new 10-year NHL collective bargaining Agreement.

Chipman also discussed the new CBA in terms of how it will ultimately make the Jets more competitive in the years to come, including possible high-profile free-agent signings.

Jets Take to the Ice for First Time Since End of Lockout

Other than a handful of players, including Evander Kane and Kyle Wellwood, who are expected in town by Friday morning, the Winnipeg Jets are back in town and hit the newly painted ice of the MTS Centre as a full group on Thursday for the first time since the NHL lockout ended early morning last Sunday.

Pavelec First Meeting with Press After 7/12 DUI

Ondrej Pavelec, back in Winnipeg for the first time since the NHL lockout began and the first time he has spoken to the media after his July, 2012 DUI arrest in his native Czech Republic. 

Game On!

NHL hockey is back as Donald Fehr and the NHL Players Association along with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman have agreed to the basic framework of a new 10-year collective bargaining agreement.  The agreement was reached Sunday although the players still have to ratify the agreement and any hope of salvaging the 2012-2013 NHL season with a 48-game, intra-conference play schedule will have to be drawn up soon.

Despite Another Goal by Scheifele, Canada Comes Up Empty at World Juniors

Despite an eight-point performance by the Winnipeg Jets Mark Scheifele, along with the Edmonton Oilers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins leading all skaters in the tournament with 15 points, Team Canada came up empty in Ufa, Russia this year, losing in the bronze medal game to the host team 6-5 in a thrilling overtime game, that marks the first time since an eighth-place finish in 1998 that Canada went home without a medal.  That is a 14-year stretch that will have to start again next year in Malmo, Sweden.

States Down Canada in World Junior Semis

It was a great run while it lasted.  Going undefeated throughout the round-robin portion of the 2013 IIHF World Under 20 Hockey Championship (yes, it's the same World Juniors) Team Canada defeated both of their biggest rivals in the hockey universe, Team USA and Team Russia, only to lose to the Americans when it really mattered.  Since 2010, that's three times the Americans have crushed Canada's junior hockey gold aspirations; beating them in gold medal final matches in that year, six years earlier in 2004 and now this year taking Team Canada out one game away from the gold medal match.

Jets, Blue Jackets to Switch Divisions?

If and when the NHL and NHLPA somehow strike a deal before the deadline of January 14 to salvage at least half season, there might be a little conference realignment between Columbus and Winnipeg.  A story in Sports Illustrated thinks so.

I still think when it comes to putting the Jets in the right time zone, a switch with Nashville would be the easiest and most logical.

The Other International Hockey Tournament

With all the fanfare surrounding the 2013 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ufa, Russia; there hasn't been all that much attention paid to the other tournament involving Team Canada that rarely gets press due to the World Juniors.   The Spengler Cup Invitational is a international tournament that involves club teams from around Europe and has been in existence since 1923, making it the oldest such tournament other than the IIHF World Senior Mens Championship and the Olympics.  Canada first participated in 1984 winning it all, defeating Dukla Jihlava HC from the former Czechoslovakia.  Canada defeated the host team, HC Davos from Switzerland this year, 7-2.  It is Team Canada's twelfth tournament victory.