WINNIPEG — You wouldn’t blame the Winnipeg Jets for coming away trying like they’d seen a ghost.
Okay, not an precise ghost, however fairly a earlier model of themselves — as a result of that’s what the New York Rangers resembled on Sunday evening at Canada Life Centre.
The Rangers usually are not a carbon copy, however they’re an affordable facsimile of the most effective model of the Jets, the one which includes a high-end goalie who places up a brick wall and frustrates opponents earlier than forcing them right into a expensive mistake or three that results in an opportunistic objective.
This isn’t about rewritten historical past, hopping into the hot-tub time machine or residing prior to now, it’s about recognizing parallels that have been clear as day to the bare eye within the first assembly between the 2 golf equipment since February of 2020.
At a time when the Jets are nonetheless looking for consistency and tumbling down the Western Convention standings by going 1-1-1 on a street journey that wraps up Tuesday in opposition to the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning, there’s rising proof that this process simply may be an excessive amount of to beat.
With a report of 24-22-10, the Jets have reached the purpose the place they’ll permit themselves roughly one loss per week for the rest of the common season — and even that is probably not sufficient to earn an invitation to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
That’s a ridiculous tempo for the most effective staff within the NHL to maintain up and the Jets usually are not near enjoying at an elite stage commonly proper now.
Nonetheless, in the case of enjoying at an elite stage, Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin is standing on the entrance of the road this season.
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Not solely is Shesterkin the front-runner to win the Vezina Trophy, he’s a severe candidate to be a finalist — if not outright seize — the Hart Trophy.
This isn’t hyperbole.
By making 45 saves, Shesterkin lowered his goals-against common to 1.93 and raised his save share to .942 in his 36 begins.
He additionally leads the NHL in targets saved above anticipated, based on Moneypuck.
Shesterkin is doing unimaginable issues, which has given the Rangers hope and returned them to contender standing, regardless of being outshot and outchanced on a number of events.
Sunday’s contest featured an abundance of high quality saves from Shesterkin, whose staff scored 121 seconds into the primary interval, added a power-play objective earlier than the body was over and by no means actually appeared again.
The Rangers’ large weapons have been closely concerned, together with former Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba, who chipped in his ninth objective and nineteenth help of the season to associate with a bodily recreation that included three hits and two blocked pictures in additional than 20 minutes of motion.
When chatting with reporters in Winnipeg after the sport, Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck confirmed some vulnerability, selecting to share his sincere emotions about his disappointment stage.
On the identical time, he rapidly disputed having any considerations a few heavy workload though he’s began 47 of the Jets’ 56 video games to date.
“You realize, I really feel good. I feel we’re managing my physique properly. I’m getting the remaining I would like,” mentioned Hellebuyck. “It’s typical, right now of yr, to get a bit of run down however I feel I’m sturdy and I’m prepared.”
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Hellebuyck additionally supplied a stick faucet to the man standing within the crease on the reverse finish of the sector.
This praise wasn’t being given in a passing of the torch state of affairs, it was extra a matter of somebody who is aware of a factor or two about serving because the spine of his staff and recognizing when certainly one of his friends is delivering in that position.
“He was nice. I imply, he was a giant distinction,” mentioned Helleuyck. “I consider he’s placing up some ridiculous numbers. I don’t watch him each single recreation however I do know tonight he was nice so yeah, it have to be an excellent feeling for him.”
There hasn’t been as a lot for Hellebuyck to be ok with of late, as he’s allowed 18 targets over his final 4 begins — giving up 4, 4, 4 and 6 markers because the Jets went 1-2-1 over that stretch.
The subject of goaltending all the time appears to be an advanced one for the Jets.
Since Hellebuyck has typically lined up the sins of those that skate in entrance of him, when he’s not supplying above-average to elite ranges of efficiency or when he’s not the most effective goalie within the recreation being performed, the alarm bells go off.
Hellebuyck appeared and sounded demoralized at occasions throughout his interview, however there was additionally a calmness when it got here to his self-assessment.
When requested about Chris Kreider’s second objective of the competition, Hellebuyck conceded that he wished that he’d play issues in a different way.
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As Kreider burst previous a flat-footed Nate Schmidt and reduce to the web, Hellebuyck tried a pokecheck however was unable to thwart the hassle because the Rangers energy ahead from scoring his thirty eighth objective of the season (which pulls him inside a objective of Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews within the chase for the Rocket Richard Trophy).
“I had a distinct learn than what truly occurred. I’d should rewatch it and see the place I went mistaken but when I might redo (it), I wouldn’t poke test. I might simply slide with him,” mentioned Hellebuyck, whose goals-against common rose to 2.95 whereas his save share dipped to .910. “However (the) poke test labored earlier within the recreation and I’ve a variety of success with it. Generally it really works and generally it doesn’t.”
The context of the play in query is that Hellebuyck hasn’t had a substantial amount of success on breakaways, so it’s a must to recognize the very fact he tried one thing totally different, even when it didn’t work out.
Shesterkin has completed this to different groups many occasions this season, however this most up-to-date outing highlighted one other one of many Jets’ recurring points.
It was one other case of the Jets scoring two targets or fewer, which represents the twenty fifth time that’s occurred (for these of you holding rating at dwelling Winnipeg’s report in that state of affairs is 1-19-5).
It was additionally one other evening when the Jets’ suspect puck administration fed the transition recreation of the opponent and finally led to the purple gentle happening thrice at even power.
Now trailing the Nashville Predators by eight factors (with the Predators holding a recreation in hand), the Jets have seven video games remaining earlier than the arrival of the NHL commerce deadline.
Regardless of how a lot Jets normal supervisor Kevin Cheveldayoff believes on this group, he’s obligated to search for methods to attempt to enhance this staff and it doesn’t essentially finish with shifting his pending unrestricted free brokers.
As an apart, for in addition to the Rangers have performed this season in placing collectively a report of 36-15-5 to sit down second within the Metropolitan Division, their ahead depth would undoubtedly be enhanced by the addition of somebody like versatile ahead Andrew Copp — who would probably slot in seamlessly with Barclay Goodrow, an low season addition who’s as much as 12 targets after scoring on Sunday.
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The Jets defence corps was upgraded through the low season, however there are additionally prospects within the system who want to realize some extra NHL expertise and one of the simplest ways to try this is thru a commerce (or two).
However that’s a subject that shall be completely dissected through the coming days and weeks.
In the intervening time, Nikolaj Ehlers shared some ideas concerning the Jets’ present lot in life.
“Properly the temper is (expletive). I’m not going to sit down right here and say we’re all joyful, as a result of we’re not,” mentioned Ehlers, who performed just below 19 minutes in his second recreation after lacking the earlier 19 with a knee damage. “We all know the place we’re at. We’re not in a playoff spot. That’s what you’re employed laborious for through the summer time, and that’s what you battle for within the common season. We’ve had some video games the place we’ve performed very well, and actually been the place we needed to be.
“Clearly there’s been video games the place possibly we shouldn’t have gained that we gained, and the opposite method round. However we’ve acquired to start out profitable some video games. So there’s no excuses. We’ve simply acquired to win some video games.”
We’ll go away the final phrase to Hellebuyck, who was requested to as soon as once more weigh in on the predicament the Jets discover themselves in.
“It’s not going the way in which we hoped,” mentioned Hellebuyck. “You possibly can solely think about how irritating it’s within the room. I don’t assume it’s from lack of effort. I do know that everybody cares and everybody needs it, however it’s simply not going our method.
“Everybody’s attempting. Everybody’s actually emotionally in it. After which we’re not getting the outcomes that we anticipate. It’s robust on the psychological recreation.”
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