The Winnipeg Jets once again failed to put together a three-game winning streak during this past four-game road trip through the Eastern conference. If they had defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs last Tuesday, the 21st, it would have been the Jets' second such accomplishment this season.As it was, the Jets were able to secure six out of an eight possible points (two overtime losses versus Toronto and Pittsburgh and two regulation wins against Montreal and Ottawa) in this 5-4 overtime loss, to accumulate 62 points on the season thus far, but remain in fifth place in the Central division and remain six points behind Calgary and five behind St. Louis for the first and second wild-card spots, respectively. The Jets grabbed five more points than I thought possible (given that Ottawa and Montreal are in a battle for first place in the Atlantic division)
Kudos to them.
It was a very good game, and for the fourth game in a row, the Jets were mostly disciplined and played a very. very good road game.
One thing about the Laine/Matthews "competition," is that Laine is winning. More goals, more points and head-to-head, Patrik Laine has fared better. Period.
In the first game against the Leafs on October 19, Laine had three goals, including the overtime game-winner. In this game, he had two goals. That's five goals in two games against the Leafs. Matthews scored zero goals on Oct. 19, and had one assist. Last Tuesday, he had three helpers. The mighty Austen Matthews has yet to score on Winnipeg. So in two games, Laine has five points: 5G, 0A, including a game-winner, mind you. Matthews has four points: 0G, 4A. Just sayin'.
So, once again, it was the Patrik Laine show against the Maple Leafs. If Laine was playing in "the center of the universe," how much more attention and press adulation do you think he would be receiving?
Laine reached goal #30 for the year, setting a new Winnipeg Jets franchise record for goals in a season by a rookie. That's right. Not even Ilya Kovalchuck could best Patrik Laine in the rookie goals department when the franchise mark was set at 29 in 2001-02.
So Laine once again leads all NHL rookies in goals scored. Mark Scheifele set up both of Laine's goals and has 37 assists this year to go along with his 25 goals. Scheifele leads all Jets scorers with 62 points. Bryan Little added to his total with his 17th on the power-play. Nikolaj Ehlers got his 20th, on assists from Josh Morrissey and Blake Wheeler.
Through all the tribulations of this season, remarkably, the Jets still have a slim hope of reaching the NHL playoffs this season. With other members of the Central division faltering even more than the Jets so far, the Jets still have a mathematical chance of slipping in. Personally, as I've stated numerous times before, I still think they'll be edged out by Calgary or Los Angeles/Nashville; but right now, nobody is making any golfing reservations, so there's still hope.
