It might be too early to start talking about the playoffs but the Winnipeg Jets are looking more and more like a team that has a shot at making the postseason. The Jets closed the month of November off with two games at home followed by three on the road and find themselves clinging on to the second and final wild card position in the Western Conference. Even though they struggled at home, the Jets played strong on the road as Bryan Little gave the lift off the Jets needed.
The Detroit Red Wings came into the MTS Centre without star forward Pavel Datsyuk. After a scoreless first period, the Jets scored a pair of goals to take a 2-0 lead. Detroit quickly responded with two of their own. With under 4 minutes left in the second period, Mathieu Perreault gave Winnipeg a 3-2 lead. The Jets couldn’t contain the Wings high powered offense as Justin Abdelkader and Tomas Tatar scored two minutes apart to complete the comeback. Tatar had two goals for the Red Wings in the victory.
Bryan Little started the game on the right foot as the Winnipeg Jets hosted the St. Louis Blues. The Blues playing the second game of a back-to-back looked sluggish early on and Little made them pay with a goal midway through the first. After exchanging goals in the second period, Winnipeg held a 2-1 lead until David Backes scored on a breakaway on a powerplay to tie the game. The Jets once again relinquished a lead and Winnipeg-born Ryan Reaves would pot the game winner for the Blues in a 4-2 victory.
Little would strike again early for the Jets on the road in Columbus. Little scored just 9 seconds into the game against the Blue Jackets. He would add an assist on the Andrew Ladd’s go-ahead goal in the second that proved to be the game winner. Evander Kane scored a pair and Michael Hutchinson backstopped the Jets to a 4-2 victory.
It was another quick start for Little against the Buffalo Sabres this time scoring just under 4 minutes into the game. Michael Frolik scored shorthanded in the second period and the Jets would hold of the Sabres 2-1. Ondrej Pavelec saved 19 of 20 shots in the victory giving the Jets back to back wins.
Winnipeg travelled to Boston to take on the Bruins. Dustin Byfuglien scored on a powerplay in the first period. Milan Lucic scored the equalizer in the third period for Boston. The teams went back and forth and Hutchinson was stellar halting 36 of 38 shots. Kane had many chances to end the game but Dougie Hamilton of the Bruins scored in overtime to give Boston a 2-1 victory.
The Jets are hoping to carry over their strong play into December with nine of thirteen games against Western Conference teams.
Photos by Star Roxas | Filipino Journal
