Post by swervinmervin on Mar 1, 2013 9:00:45 GMT -5
THAT's hockey! Winnipeg vs. New Jersey, February 28, 2013
It's the last day of February, 2013. The Winnipeg Jets have returned home after a successful road trip, where they had won 4 out of 5 games. In pre-game interviews, the Jets players say that this is a key game for them. They feel that it is important for the team to maintain the momentum that they had created on the road.
The excitement in Winnipeg is very apparent. People are talking about the Jets everywhere. The fans also hope that the Jets will keep up the speed and hard work. "No let down" are commonly spoken words.
"No let down" indeed! The full house roared their ravenous support right through the opening faceoff, and right through the beginning of play. Little won the face-off back left to Hainsey, who played it to Bogosian at his blue line on the right.
It looked like a designed dump and chase play, but several things happened at once. Bogosian made a very hard airborne pass right over center ice. Little was expecting it, and tipped it - perhaps more than he wanted to. The puck fluttered into the air, and to the left, instead of going deep into the Devil's end. Meanwhile, in what appeared to be a designed pressure defense, the Jersey Centre went straight towards Bogosian, while their right defenseman advanced towards Little. In what must have been a blown assignment, the Jersey right winger had his back to Andrew Ladd, and drifted around centre ice.
Ladd played it with the same intensity that he has shown night after night this season. He immediately zeroed in on the "wounded bird" puck, cradling it with his stick. He was off to the races, with no-one in between him and the goalie.
He made a nice move, faking the forehand deke and scooping the puck into the net behind a dazed Hedberg, with a long backhand reach by Ladd that seemed to come right out of a "looney toons" movie, defying physics.
Eight seconds! The Jets were already in the lead! The crowd erupted in a thunderous ovation! The Jets were already airborne and flying!
The Jets continued with a great effort, leading rush after rush, and controlling the puck in the Jersey end for long stretches through the first period. However, they failed to score again, as Hedberg got sharper as the first period contiinued.
The Jets continued to carry most of the play in the second period. Despite the fact that Pavelec played a great game overall with key saves, I think Pavelec would agree that the 2nd period Jersey goal was one that he would like to have back. Despite this setback for the Jets, both goalies were sharp throughout the second period, as there were many good shots, especially by the Jersey top line featuring Kovalchuck.
The Jets floundered on a couple of power plays late in the second period, including a 5-3 for one minute, with a Jersey defender playing without a stick for a good part of that time. It seems like the Jets always need to play their game at top speed, and the "set play" aspects of a power play seem to throw them off. I know this seems strange but true, as they suddenly start to "force" plays that aren't really there, and make tentative passes that they wouldn't otherwise make playing at top speed.
The second period ended 1-1, with a power play still in effect for Jersey. There was a feeling of tension, as to whether the Jets would waste another good effort at home with yet another home loss.
The tension carried over into the third period. The Jets' worst part of the game was the first half of that period. They stopped hustling and winning battles for the puck during that 10 minute stretch. It was as if the powerplays that they had "enjoyed" had sapped their enthusiasm and confidence.
They started to wake up from this dream-like state at about the 9 minute mark of the third period. The first good shift in the third period was by the Little Ladd Wheeler line, who ended a shift with a good rush and a shot on goal. The Jets momentum grew again from there. The Jets began to take the play to Jersey, and use their speed to make plays.
Then, the Jets got a bit of a break, I think, on the offsetting minor penalties at about the 11 minute mark (9 minutes to go). First of all, it looked to me like the referees could have called just one penalty, on Antropov. I wasn't at the game, and the penalties were behind the play, so the referees must have seen the Jersey player do something to get a penalty.
The resulting "four on four" made a huge difference in the style of the game at that moment. The Jets had already established their skating speed in the game. The four on four gave them lots of room to move. We started to see the kind of back and forth rushes that make Canadians think of "the good old hockey game".
With the score 1-1, and 4 on 4, Byfuglien stood behind his own net, waiting for a play to be signalled or develop. But the Jersey forechecker surprisingly tried to go right after Buff by going around the Jets' net, clockwise. Buff quickly seized that moment to begin his rush. With a burst of speed, Buff eluded the other Jersey forward at the Jets' blue line. Buff's facial expression showed that gritty look of the athlete who wants to change the outcome of a game.
Crossing center ice, Buff picked up another gear and blew clear across the ice from his left to right, hitting the Jersey blue line with even more speed. He simply skated right by the Jersey defender at the boards, barely touched.
He tried to sweep through in front of the Jersey net, but their goalie and defensemen closed ranks to the right side of the Jersey net. At the last minute, Buff veered away from the near side of the net, and went right behind their net, still under full speed. He played the wrap around, but with his speed and mass he just played the puck to the left front of the net, right at the post. Andrew Ladd was right there, streaking in from the left, to finish the play and push the puck over the Jersey goal line!
Although Jersey pressed after that, the outcome now seemed clear. The Jets continued to skate and control the puck, sometimes for extended periods in the Jersey end. Finally, with about 30 seconds to play, Wheeler took a pass from Ladd just over centre ice, calmly protected the puck as he skated over the blue line and fired the puck into the open Jersey net, with determined accuracy.
Ladies and Gentlemen - THAT - THAT is hockey!!!!
It's the last day of February, 2013. The Winnipeg Jets have returned home after a successful road trip, where they had won 4 out of 5 games. In pre-game interviews, the Jets players say that this is a key game for them. They feel that it is important for the team to maintain the momentum that they had created on the road.
The excitement in Winnipeg is very apparent. People are talking about the Jets everywhere. The fans also hope that the Jets will keep up the speed and hard work. "No let down" are commonly spoken words.
"No let down" indeed! The full house roared their ravenous support right through the opening faceoff, and right through the beginning of play. Little won the face-off back left to Hainsey, who played it to Bogosian at his blue line on the right.
It looked like a designed dump and chase play, but several things happened at once. Bogosian made a very hard airborne pass right over center ice. Little was expecting it, and tipped it - perhaps more than he wanted to. The puck fluttered into the air, and to the left, instead of going deep into the Devil's end. Meanwhile, in what appeared to be a designed pressure defense, the Jersey Centre went straight towards Bogosian, while their right defenseman advanced towards Little. In what must have been a blown assignment, the Jersey right winger had his back to Andrew Ladd, and drifted around centre ice.
Ladd played it with the same intensity that he has shown night after night this season. He immediately zeroed in on the "wounded bird" puck, cradling it with his stick. He was off to the races, with no-one in between him and the goalie.
He made a nice move, faking the forehand deke and scooping the puck into the net behind a dazed Hedberg, with a long backhand reach by Ladd that seemed to come right out of a "looney toons" movie, defying physics.
Eight seconds! The Jets were already in the lead! The crowd erupted in a thunderous ovation! The Jets were already airborne and flying!
The Jets continued with a great effort, leading rush after rush, and controlling the puck in the Jersey end for long stretches through the first period. However, they failed to score again, as Hedberg got sharper as the first period contiinued.
The Jets continued to carry most of the play in the second period. Despite the fact that Pavelec played a great game overall with key saves, I think Pavelec would agree that the 2nd period Jersey goal was one that he would like to have back. Despite this setback for the Jets, both goalies were sharp throughout the second period, as there were many good shots, especially by the Jersey top line featuring Kovalchuck.
The Jets floundered on a couple of power plays late in the second period, including a 5-3 for one minute, with a Jersey defender playing without a stick for a good part of that time. It seems like the Jets always need to play their game at top speed, and the "set play" aspects of a power play seem to throw them off. I know this seems strange but true, as they suddenly start to "force" plays that aren't really there, and make tentative passes that they wouldn't otherwise make playing at top speed.
The second period ended 1-1, with a power play still in effect for Jersey. There was a feeling of tension, as to whether the Jets would waste another good effort at home with yet another home loss.
The tension carried over into the third period. The Jets' worst part of the game was the first half of that period. They stopped hustling and winning battles for the puck during that 10 minute stretch. It was as if the powerplays that they had "enjoyed" had sapped their enthusiasm and confidence.
They started to wake up from this dream-like state at about the 9 minute mark of the third period. The first good shift in the third period was by the Little Ladd Wheeler line, who ended a shift with a good rush and a shot on goal. The Jets momentum grew again from there. The Jets began to take the play to Jersey, and use their speed to make plays.
Then, the Jets got a bit of a break, I think, on the offsetting minor penalties at about the 11 minute mark (9 minutes to go). First of all, it looked to me like the referees could have called just one penalty, on Antropov. I wasn't at the game, and the penalties were behind the play, so the referees must have seen the Jersey player do something to get a penalty.
The resulting "four on four" made a huge difference in the style of the game at that moment. The Jets had already established their skating speed in the game. The four on four gave them lots of room to move. We started to see the kind of back and forth rushes that make Canadians think of "the good old hockey game".
With the score 1-1, and 4 on 4, Byfuglien stood behind his own net, waiting for a play to be signalled or develop. But the Jersey forechecker surprisingly tried to go right after Buff by going around the Jets' net, clockwise. Buff quickly seized that moment to begin his rush. With a burst of speed, Buff eluded the other Jersey forward at the Jets' blue line. Buff's facial expression showed that gritty look of the athlete who wants to change the outcome of a game.
Crossing center ice, Buff picked up another gear and blew clear across the ice from his left to right, hitting the Jersey blue line with even more speed. He simply skated right by the Jersey defender at the boards, barely touched.
He tried to sweep through in front of the Jersey net, but their goalie and defensemen closed ranks to the right side of the Jersey net. At the last minute, Buff veered away from the near side of the net, and went right behind their net, still under full speed. He played the wrap around, but with his speed and mass he just played the puck to the left front of the net, right at the post. Andrew Ladd was right there, streaking in from the left, to finish the play and push the puck over the Jersey goal line!
Although Jersey pressed after that, the outcome now seemed clear. The Jets continued to skate and control the puck, sometimes for extended periods in the Jersey end. Finally, with about 30 seconds to play, Wheeler took a pass from Ladd just over centre ice, calmly protected the puck as he skated over the blue line and fired the puck into the open Jersey net, with determined accuracy.
Ladies and Gentlemen - THAT - THAT is hockey!!!!