WINNIPEG – Sitting on a three-game win streak, the Winnipeg Jets practiced this morning before leaving for the most important road trip of the season.
The Jets are two points back of Colorado for second spot in the Central Division and home ice advantage. Winnipeg will face Nashville Tuesday, Dallas on Thursday and wrap up the trip Saturday afternoon in Denver.
It would be easy to look down the road to the game on Saturday, but Nikolaj Ehlers focus was on how the Jets can be better against the Predators. Nashville beat Winnipeg last month in the Manitoba capital 4-2 and Ehlers discussed what the Jets need to do better this time around.
“Come with a lot more energy. Be ready from puck drop. It's all the hockey cliches but when you get this close to playoff hockey and you're playing against a division team you got to be ready to play,” said Ehlers.
“Because if you're not, they are. These games are going to be fun to play in. So, we're excited. We're ready for the challenges that we have coming up.”
While the Jets are more concerned about how they are playing right now, it is hard to ignore what the importance of home ice advantage in the opening round would mean to their success.
“That’s why you play the 82 games, to be able to get whatever attempted matchups you want to get, play in front of your fans, be in your home, in your bed. There’s a comfortability to it,” said Brenden Dillon.
“In a seven-game series, you’re going to have to learn how to win on the road anyways. We’re comfortable in whatever situation we have to be in, but home ice, I think we’ve played really well here, we’re comfortable here where you’ve got all your facilities.”
After their season high six game slide, the Jets have smoothed things out with the aforementioned three game win streak by playing the right way for longer stretches. A huge part of their success is returning to their excellent play in the third period, Winnipeg has outscored their opponents 4-0 in the final period over the streak.
"For the most part, we did. Was it for 60 minutes, no, but at least we corrected it. The most important part of that,” said Rick Bowness.
“All three periods, the third period was really good. We were really good in the third periods. We locked them down so that's the most important thing on that."
Team defence has returned and then some over the last week or so. With five games remaining on their schedule, Winnipeg has allowed the fewest goals against in the entire league. The Jets have surrendered 190 goals, Florida 194, Los Angeles 198 and Carolina 200.
“Guys are sacrificing offence in order to be better on defence or be harder to play against. They’ve just really committed to it, and it’s been a huge success for us, to see the benefits of it, see the teams we’re able to beat when we play that way,” said Dillon.
“I didn’t know we were that high up in it, but it’s some kudos to us that we can really buckle down here and have that be our identity through playoffs. We could have a lot of fun.”
BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK 20 POINT SEASONS
For the first time, Dillon has posted three consecutive seasons of 20 or more points, all of them since he joined the Jets in 2021-22. In fact, the BC product has recorded the most points (63) in his career over a three-season span.
“I don’t know, it’s funny how things work out like that. Since I got here to Winnipeg, the guys, everybody has been so supportive of me, and the coaching staff has given me every opportunity to succeed. Hopefully, I’ll keep sliding over and keep getting some points here. I think our team, just in general, everybody’s contributing, which has been fun,” said Dillon.
I like it when we score, I love it when I score. It’s just great when everyone’s having success, usually the team is too. To hit that 20-point plateau total is a big milestone for me.”
