The Winnipeg Jets started off their exhibition schedule with a victory.
The Jets defeated the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on Monday at Bell MTS Place.
In his first start between the pipes for the Jets, newcomer Laurent Brossoit stopped 39 of 40 shots. Marko Dano and Joe Morrow scored goals for Winnipeg, while former Jets forward Matt Hendricks netted the only goal for the Wild in the loss.
Brossoit felt he made a good first impression in his first exhibition start for Winnipeg.
“Anytime you come into pre-season, especially with a new organization, it’s nice to get a good win and a good feeling,” Brossoit said.
“Having getting a lot of rubber, I felt the puck a lot. It was definitely a nice feeling to come in and make an impression like that.”
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“He works hard in the net, he competes hard in the net to fight through traffic,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “He’s a fit and a very strong man. I think he’ll battle in there to get through that traffic in front of the net.”
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The Jets opened the scoring seven minutes into the game. Brendan Lemieux drove the net but as he approached the crease he had the puck knocked away. It ended up right on the stick of Dano who tucked it in the empty side.
“I try to make that a staple of my game,” Lemieux said. “Taking pucks to the net, being a power forward and that was a power move.”
After a goalless second period Hendricks tied the game just two minutes into the third period as he whacked in a rebound past Brossoit.
But Winnipeg soon regained the lead. Patrik Laine left the puck for Morrow and he sent a rocket past Wild goalie Andrew Hammond. The goal counted but replays clearly showed the puck hit the crossbar and never crossed the goal line. Morrow’s last goal was also a game winner against the Wild, but that one had a little more meaning after he sniped the winner in game one against the Wild in the playoffs.
“It was pretty exciting to be able to get back into a competitive atmosphere,” Morrow said. “You can practice as much as you want, but reciprocating a game like scenario is not easy to do. So, glad I got to get the rust out at home and be able to progress on that game.”
The Wild had the advantage in the shot department 40-30.
The Jets rested their entire top forward line as Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor all sat out.
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The Jets play their second of seven pre-season games on Thursday in Edmonton against the Oilers.
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