Jets ride seven-game win streak as they fly to the top of the standings.
On Tuesday, the Winnipeg Jets cruised to a 5-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets to extend their win streak to seven games.
The Jets demonstrated a complete effort through three periods and were led by Cole Perfetti who collected his first multi-goal game of his career. On top of that, goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stopped all 29 shots he faced to collect his second shutout of the season.
The Jets once again showcased their ability to produce across the lineup, which has been a key contributor to their success all year long.
When asked about what the key factor to success was, Head Coach Rick Bowness said, “The depth. We roll four lines for the most part[…] Everyone is an important part of the team, we roll four lines, six defense. It is important everyone keeps focusing on the process.”
The Jets have nine players with 20+ points on the season and have proven the ability to win games using the bottom six in key moments.
The team has also played a very tight game defensively with each player understanding their role, which has allowed them to prevent a lot of shots from getting on the net. Fortunately for the Jets, even when shots do get through not many get by goaltender Connor Hellebuyck who has been fantastic all year long.
Through 30 games, Hellebuyck is ranked first in goals-against average, and save percentage. He ranks second in wins with 21, which is only one less than Alexander Georgiev who currently has 22 wins with four more games played. Hellebuyck is on the hunt for his second Vezina Trophy which is very likely if he continues to play at this level.
Other key contributors have also been Alex Iafallo, and Gabriel Vilardi who were the two pieces the Jets received in the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade during the offseason. Vilardi has showcased his value on the top line putting up 18 points through 22 games. The Jets are also fortunate to be experiencing Cole Perfetti’s breakout year as he has collected 29 points in 40 games.
In addition, Nikolaj Ehlers has been a key player for the team as he continues to elevate his play every night. After an injury-filled 2022, he has his sights set on helping his team win the Stanley Cup.
The team has done all this without the help of star winger Kyle Connor who has missed the past month with a knee injury.
It is safe to say no one is overlooking the Winnipeg Jets anymore.
They look to continue their hot streak tonight, when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks.
All images are retrieved from the Winnipeg Free Press
