Sorry for the lack of posts for the last few games, but my schedule has been somewhat chaotic. However, if there was a game I could have chosen to return to blog on, there couldn't have been a better one.
If it weren't for a chincy penalty call on Bryan Little, allowing Evgeny Malkin to score a power-play goal, Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets would have had a perfect shutout game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
As it is, we'll have to settle for a nice 7-1 shellacking of the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions.
This should be remembered a one of the greatest games in Winnipeg Jets 2.0 history. At least of the regular season variety. Captain Blake Wheeler scored three goals in 4:20 of the first period, establishing a new franchise record for the fastest hat trick, previously owned by Ilya Kovelchuck in 6:51. It was Wheeler's first hat-trick as a member of the Jets.
Andrew Copp opened the scoring with his first of the season. Joel Armia scored his second, creating another franchise record, in addition with Wheeler's hatty, for the fastest four goals in a period, surpassing the Atlanta Thrashers record of 4:54.
Rookie Brendan Lemieux scored his first NHL goal, with his father, former NHLer, Claude in attendance; while Mark Scheifele added his fourth of the season.
Connor Hellebuyck continues to shine and is no doubt at least 50% responsible for the the Jets six wins, making 31 saves on the evening.
This was clear-cut dominance by the Jets from the opening face-off. They were relentless, hard-hitting and fast. They forced the Penguins to make mistakes and after the fourth goal by the Jets, you can see the wind was sucked out of the Pens sails that chased goaltender Matt Murray from the net.
