Potent power play pushes Jets past Flames

CALGARY - Since the start of March, the Winnipeg Jets power play has been one of the most lethal in the National Hockey League.
Friday night's victory over the Calgary Flames only proved that stat even further.
Two power play goals pushed the Jets (21-11-2) to a 3-2 win over the Flames, giving Winnipeg three straight wins and a share of first place in the North Division.
"Our game has been good, our game has been right on for a bit here now," said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. "You have confidence and that can give you a chance to win every single night now. There's going to be nights where it doesn't go your way, and that's where you build confidence knowing that even when it doesn't go your way, the next night you can rely on a brand of hockey that can give you some success."

Wheeler and Paul Stastny lit the lamp on the man advantage for the Jets, while Kyle Connor's team leading 17th of the campaign came at five-on-five.
The power play success has been a near even split between both units, but on this night Wheeler and Stastny's unit did it all.
However, it wasn't without some guidance from the other unit.
"They each have an identity. The second unit's identity is more shot focused, which makes them almost better coming off second. They'll come out on shorter time and it's 'how many pucks can we get to the net,'" said Jets head coach Paul Maurice.
"There is an awful lot of good ribbing that goes on in the power play meetings between the two deciding which is the first unit and which is the second."

Winnipeg's power play, ranked sixth in the NHL coming into Friday night, got the Jets on the board 9:13 into the opening period. It took all of eight seconds of power play time, as Connor's play to the net was deflected by Stastny, then went off the skate of Wheeler in front of Jacob Markstrom.
Wheeler's 10th of the season made him the sixth member of the Jets to hit double-digits this season.
"I think we were a little more direct in getting some pucks to the net, which has been lacking for our unit," said Wheeler. "Kind of taking a page out of the other guys, who have had so much success getting pucks to the net and kind of doing it the old-fashioned way. Got a few to go to the net, got a couple bounces, so it was a good night."
Another member of that double-digit goal club, Kyle Connor, would add to the Jets lead in the second period. A stretch pass from Tucker Poolman sent the speedy forward in alone, and despite the fact his first shot was stopped, Connor banged home the rebound for his team-leading 17th of the season.

Calgary cut Winnipeg's two-goal lead in half with 13:08 left in the third. Milan Lucic got his stick on a centering pass just in front of Connor Hellebuyck to bring the score to 2-1. The power play marker was the first goal the Jets had given up since Mar. 15, a span of 11 straight kills.
Hellebuyck finished the night with 25 saves to give him his 16th win of the season. Over the course of the three-game win streak, the Jets have allowed just three goals - one of them coming at six-on-five.
"Goaltending is the best reason our defence is playing this good - but as a unit of five we've done a good job of trying to back check, trying to communicate, and try to force everything to the middle," said Stastny. "When we get closer together - even if there are scrambles or loose pucks or battles - we have five on the puck. It's easier."
Lucic then put his team at a disadvantage at a pivotal time in the game. A dangerous hit on Mason Appleton, then a punch to the face of Neal Pionk, put the Flames forward in the box for four minutes. With 2:30 of that double minor gone, Markstrom cleared the puck over the glass to put the Jets on a 5-on-3 advantage.

That was the opening the Jets needed, as Stastny buried a pass from Blake Wheeler to restore the Jets' two-goal cushion with 5:06 left in regulation.
"That was one a tee at about two miles an hour, I couldn't ask for anything better," said Stastny. "If he makes a pass like that, it doesn't surprise me - I'm always ready for it. He does a good job just being deceptive. Him and Mark (Scheifele), they do a good job of looking different ways, moving the puck, and not forcing what isn't there. Eventually when it's there, you have to take advantage of it."
With the Flames' net empty, Matthew Tkachuk made it 3-2 with 1:59 on the clock.
That's when the penalty kill came through, as Stastny took a tripping penalty with 1:52 remaining. However, the Jets killed it off to preserve the win.
"That was a long 1:52," Stastny said laughing. "Our PK did a great job there, not really giving up much. The one chance they had, I think (Hellebuyck) did a good job holding that leg down. (Andrew Copp) and (Adam Lowry) had great stick pressure and (Lowry) had the big face-off there to clinch it. The PK, in a game like that, special teams is the difference. It showed there in the end."