Rested Jets eager to get back at it

WINNIPEG - After a much needed two days off the ice (except for an optional skate on Wednesday) the Winnipeg Jets were back for a full practice on Thursday, with a few tweaks made to the line-up.
Nikolaj Ehlers joined a line with Andrew Copp and Pierre-Luc Dubois, while Kristian Vesalainen skated on the right wing with Paul Stastny and Adam Lowry.
"If you're going to make an adjustment, depending on who you're playing and how you're playing, move as few people as possible," head coach Paul Maurice said following the 45-minute skate at Canada Life Centre.
The way he has the lines is a version of what gave the Jets success against the Edmonton Oilers less than two weeks ago.

The only difference from the lines deployed on those two nights, which gave the Jets three of a possible four points against the Oilers, is that the centres are flipped.

While Ehlers sits seventh in the National Hockey League in shots on goal with 85 (tied with Pittsburgh's Jake Guentzel), Maurice would like to see more of those shots come from spots closer to the net - and therefore, a more high-danger spot.
"I've just found him to be outside the game more than inside this year," Maurice said of Ehlers, who goes into Friday's game against the New Jersey Devils with six goals and 13 points. "When you rip a few - and he has beat goalies from distance - you have a tendency to do that more. He's cut in and taken that shot, he's missed it, and he's scored some goals. You gravitate to that. We're working on it."
The full line rushes on Thursday looked like this:
Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler
Copp-Dubois-Ehlers
Stastny-Lowry-Vesalainen
Harkins-Toninato-Svechnikov
Nash
Morrissey-Schmidt
Dillon-Pionk
Stanley-DeMelo
While Thursday's practice wasn't specifically designed to build quickness back into the Jets game, it's hard to ignore what the two days away from the rink meant to the group.
The Jets played eight games in eight different time zones. It was a stretch that tested them physically, but also mentally, as the offensively gifted group struggled to bury their chances, especially over the past five games.
Josh Morrissey averages 22:22 of ice time per night, the most on the team, and he feels the two days away from the rink were beneficial.
"I think sometimes maybe there's fatigue involved that would cause you not to be as quick," said Morrissey. "When pucks are going to the net and when we have players going to the net, it allows us to get puck recovery and then play a fast-paced game as opposed to staying on the outside and maybe slowing things down. That's what we're trying to focus on right now."
Pucks to the net was a central theme as the Jets prepare for the home stand to continue tomorrow night.
The Jets are averaging more than 32 shots per game, and fired 45 in the 1-0 setback to the Arizona Coyotes on Monday.
But there is a fine line between quantity and quality. It's a line the Jets are learning to walk.
"We had 26 'C' chances and we have to figure out a way to turn those into B's and A's," Maurice said, referencing Monday's game. "That's what we dealt with today. I don't feel we're very far from playing the very best hockey we've ever played here."
Part of playing their best hockey also relies on the power play finding its groove.
Maurice made changes to the power play units as well, with the team going 2-for-34 since November 6. Leading scorer Kyle Connor moved from the goal line spot to the left circle on his unit with Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, and Neal Pionk, with Pierre-Luc Dubois going to the goal line.

Ehlers moved to the second unit with Morrissey, Andrew Copp, Paul Stastny, and Nate Schmidt.
"Nikky has a very unique style coming off the wall and they have something between him, Andrew Copp and Stastny, there's something there," Maurice said. "Pierre-Luc net-front, 6-foot-5, 220 (pounds), leading our team in goal-scoring, we need to get the puck there more often. And Mark over the years is an elite slot shooter if we can find a way to get him the puck. You need more options around him to get him the puck."
While the power play works through the struggles, Morrissey doesn't want to lose sight of the fact that those same players went on a 9-for-24 stretch just prior to hitting a skid.
The talent is there. If it doesn't work on a given power play, it can't affect the rest of the five-on-five play.
"The power-play guys didn't get frustrated and go out and do more, and the guys not on the power play didn't let that sag their game and let that take the edge away from their game," said Morrissey. "I think that's the maturity we do have in our locker room that we were able to do that."
Despite the tough stretch the team is going through, Maurice feels the group is close to breaking through.
The final three games of the home stand have the Jets playing New Jersey, Carolina, and Toronto - three stiff tests that he believes his team is ready for.
"We're finally starting to shoot the puck. Something we've never done before," Maurice said. "I also know that when you get into the playoffs, you have to put the puck to the net because there is no easy way to get it to the net. I don't feel that we're far off at all. I'm not casual about it, but I'm confident about it."