For a while there, I thought the Winnipeg Jets were going to route the St. Louis Blues, when the Jets put in three goals about nine minutes apart behind Blues rookie goalie, Phoenix Copley. Even though, once again, the second period was the Jets' bane.
The middle frame was so dominated by the Blues that Ondrej Pavelec had to make a franchise-record 25 saves, perhaps in the process furthering his case to stick around the big club; if only to show the other two net-minders on the roster how it's done. He ended the night with 34 saves. Again, unbelievably, the Jets walked away from this game with three goals in the third and a final score of 5-3.
Blake Wheeler added to his season goal total with his 15th, as did Mark Scheifele with his 21st (tying him for the team lead in goals with the injured Patrik Laine) and Bryan Little with his ninth and tenth.
The Jets remain three points behind both the Blues and the Calgary Flames for the final wild-card spot in the West with 48 points. St. Louis and Calgary both own 51 points. I gotta tell you, through the ups and downs of this season thus far, I still can't believe the Jets are still actually in a playoff hunt.
Just in case I didn't press on how important Pavelec was to the Jets tonight.
