WINNIPEG – No Laine. No problem.
The Winnipeg Jets didn’t miss a beat without their star rookie. In their first game since Patrik Laine suffered a concussion, the Jets defeated the Calgary Flames 2-0 on Monday at MTS Centre.
“I thought we kept bringing our game to a higher level every period.” said Jacob Trouba. “Thought we put a pretty good complete game together.”
Connor Hellebuyck earned his third shutout of the season. He stopped all 28 shots he faced in making a fifth consecutive start in goal.
“Shots are fun and that game was fun.” said Hellebuyck. “The way the guys are playing in front of me just made it even more fun cause they were kinda controlling the shots and making it easy on me.”
Dustin Byfuglien and Blake Wheeler scored goals for the Jets in the win and it was a good bounce back game for a team that folded in the third period the last time out.
“It was a tough third period last time.” said Nikolaj Ehlers. “But we kinda looked forward and forgot about that. We needed to bounce back today and we did that.”
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“We liked where our game was at.” said Wheeler. “We weren’t panicked because of what happened in Buffalo. It just happened at a bad time and we wanted to focus on the good things we were doing because I think we like where our game is headed.”
The shots finished 28-27 in favour of the the Flames, but neither team really generated a whole lot of offensive chances.
“The puck didn’t move easily for either team tonight.” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “I don’t think one necessarily had the advantage over it. We built over the course of the game. We were quite a bit better in the second than our first, and strong enough in our third.”
“Both sides were trying to create something and both teams weren’t giving a whole lot.” said Mark Scheifele. “But each game now, depending who it’s against, it’s got to be that mentality cause every point matters.”
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Just past the midway point of the opening period Byfuglien came flying into the Calgary zone. He cut between a pair of Flames defenders before roofing the shot on Chad Johnson for a pretty goal. Byfuglien’s sixth goal of the season gave the Jets the first lead. Ehlers and Drew Stafford picked up the assists on the game’s opening goal.
Neither team scored in the middle stanza. A period in which the Jets badly outshot the Flames 12-6.
Just over three minutes into the final frame Flames defenceman TJ Brodie fanned on a pass in his own zone. He turned it over to Wheeler who had a wide open lane to the net and the Jets captain lifted it past Johnson for his 12th goal of the season. The goal was unassisted and the Jets had some breathing room up by two. As it turned out that would be enough to give the Jets their third win in their last four games.
With Laine out indefinitely, Chris Thorburn returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the past eight games.
The Jets wore their Heritage Classic jerseys for the first time since the outdoor game. They’ll wear them one more time this season on March 19 against the Minnesota Wild.
The Jets close out their mini two game homestand on Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens.
WATCH: Winnipeg Jets Post Game Reaction
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